Miniature Making

After we finished reading the 'My Father's Dragon' trilogy, we moved on to 'The Borrowers'. I think Maria's finding it a little bit old for her, but she's very happy snuggling up with us and listening to it all the same. It's a book I loved when I was little, but not one I've read again since, so I'm really enjoying revisiting it. And I'm loving the creativity and inventiveness of the Borrowers, how they manage to repurpose so many odd bits and pieces from the big people 'upstairs'. I do vaguely remember enjoying this side of it when I first read it, but I'm appreciating it even more this time around, and picking up on so much more of the detail. And having the Borrowers' world in my head is making me slightly obsessed with miniature things at the moment. Although it's an obsession that has been brewing a little ever since our visit to the Contemporary Craft Festival back in June. I feel like I have a huge number of miniature ideas or half ideas popping around my head - but no time to actually do anything with them! But today, they popped around so much I had to let one out to play. 

I took a quick silhouette picture of Venetia...

And then tried to turn it into a postage stamp. Because, after all, often stamps are the ultimate mini pictures.

It's reverse applique, so the pink fabric has the silhouette cut out of it and then is stitched on to the white. I'm not completely happy with it - there are several bits that went a little wrong. And I didn't really have a plan for anything to do with it while I was making it, but as I got further into it a plan did pop into my head. And now I want to make it again, only better this time, and then use it in a mini quilt. Too many ideas, not enough time! But some of my miniature making ideas are ideas to make with the children, so I'm hoping they may get off the ground some time soon.

A child's world seems to be full of lots of lovely miniature things - doll's houses, fairy gardens, tiny model animals or tractors or cars, even teeny, tiny books - like the ones Arrietty reads in The Borrowers. So, miniature crafts seem perfect to do with children. That's my excuse anyway! Is it just me - are you a big is beautiful kind of person, or does miniature hold its appeal for lots of you out there?

Sally.