Amitie ...

In French, it means friendship. And what signifies friendship more than a bunch of paper dolls, all holding hands. Not fighting or kicking or pulling hair. Little girls. All in a row. Swinging hands. Being friends. Not sure how often you would see this in real life, in my home anyway, but wait, hang on just a minute ...

Sometimes you find inspiration in a pair of pyjamas. Who ever would have thought? Bought these PJ's for the girls last week and we have all fallen in love with them. And they chose them over Bratz and Dora the Explorer! So they must be good. While hanging them out on the washing line the other day, the idea hit.

As part of Amitie's VIP blogging club, I was sent seven pieces of Heather Bailey's "Fresh cut" range of fabric. The challenge was to create something with them. My initial thoughts went to sewing something, but I was struggling. Then I had the paper doll idea.

I made a template based loosely on the doll on the pyjamas. I then ironed the squares of fabric onto some heavy weight fusible interfacing. Traced the template on, cut them out and voila! Well, not quite. All paper dolls need bows in their hair, right Tamara? And needless to say, dresses MUST be trimmed with ric-rac, as is my want. Then I threaded them all onto a length of 5 mm ribbon.

And now the problem is that as gorgeous and all that this fabric is, it doesn't co-ordinate into either girls bedrooms. But it goes nicely in mine. Do you think my husband will mind a few fabric paper dolls hanging above the bed? Surely not.