OK, so I have a few things done and a few things failed that I needed a bit of help on.
I have finished the girls "mail" and mail bags, and I decided that I needed to make "mailboxes" because who has the time to get mail delivered into their hand all day long? Not my sisters in law, they would go mad and kill me for all the mail the girls have at home. So, the mail has to be cute, washable, simple, and have a place to go when daddy's got raw chicken in his hands and can't accept the package.
So, pictures first of
the mail: *
We got the idea from Craft Pad*
The mail, I cheated on, I have a machine that does type and I had 4+ bags to make so I had to make a lot of mail per kid. 2 parents, 4 grandparents, any siblings, of course me and Miss T. and one From them that's open in the back to put things in to deliver too.
The mailbags are made for some that have siblings and all have easy names M, H, A and T so we could make bags and either side would still be the same letter.... This made it easy to make the decision to just make the bags for the person, this way no fighting ever over who's bag it really is.
So, now comes the big problem, the ones that don't have someone at home to play with... i.e. the chicken issue.
Oh ya, Mailboxes. I promised a home made Christmas, and I can't give up now!!! (Who remembers the year I swore cards? Ya, Martin Luther King Day will never be forgotten, I got them ALL out by then!!)
Ok, so I decided Mailboxes were possible and after many many attempts I got the design. What better than to stick on a door knob. This way it can go anywhere (just about) and allow the adults do other things while enjoying play time.
The first try didn't work well at all. It fell over and fell over and no matter what I did, it fell over. I made a keyhole slot in the back to slide over the door knob and slide up so the mailbox would stay on the door. I thought after I finished I would cover in felt or fabric, so the hole would be covered.
I went over this time and time again until I finally got it. I went to
JoAnn's to get a few final items for Christmas and saw they had colored needlepoint canvas which worked out so well I didn't feel the need to cover it. I started making my mailbox. and look how cute it is!
So, here's what you do:
Supplies:
1 piece of needlepoint canvas - colored or white.
Thread or Yarn to sew (2 colors preferred)
An easy thread needle
easy point scissors to cut small parts
Get the piece of the canvas and fold in half and cut down the middle, once you do that take 28
squ
ares (or an even 30) and cut those off for the bottom
measure another same amount of lines and cut those to be the back, measure up the back side and make an arch as best you can so you can sew the lines on.
I can measure this and put what I used if anyone wants my exact measurements. Just comment and ask.Against the back piece, cut a slice about 15 squares by 6 or 8 depending on the door knob, I cut 6 then tried on a few at my house but these can always be cut to fit later.
Cut and set aside 2 small pieces of 15 by 15 to use to even out the wobble.
I try not to have any sharp points. **Tip, if you can't get your cutting close enough or it still feels sharp, tap it with a bit of hot glue, it will soften any edge.
I used thread but think that yarn would work just as well if not better, stronger and would really make the colors pop.
Sew loose but taught across the seams, start out with the wording on one side and complete the word MAIL and or the numbers or letters of the address. I didn't get too fancy here, Mail is pretty easy to keep straight.
Take one of the 15X15's and hook 5 squares in on the round of the box and the back (where the door knob will go) and sew on while still flat.
It will be so much easier than trying to do this when the whole thing is together.
Now sew the bottom onto the back piece. This quickens up the steps so you can move on without having to keep one hand inside the mailbox as much. I folded mine over and did a loose stitch that was taught enough to stay together but flexible enough to bend and stand where it needed to stay
Once complete, start on one edge of the bottom and back and start sewing together.
Once the mailbox is together take the last 15x15 and sew 5 squares up from the bottom and the other side against the bottom edge.
TaDa! Cute mailbox that can hang on any door inside (or out) of the house to collect that hard working mail and keep some busy while others are busy :)
Happy holidays, I hope these go over well..
