Sasha Festival 2021 outfits and welcome Roxane

 A few weeks after the Sasha Festival in the USA which we couldn't attend, we received our souvenir outfits in the post from Gabi Bolland. The souvenirs also included two Bolland doll stands, the festival craft kits (the rainbow tutus and underwear) and the white sneakers/trainers for decorating with felt tip pens, which we haven't done yet. I've made up one tutu, and my younger daughter hasn't made up her tutu yet, so these are not included in our photos.

Nicholas James, Melanie, Laura and Trendon Elliott in their 'Sasha Reads a Rainbow' outfits

I completed my last module of my post graduate degree in September after 2.5 years of studying, so treated myself to a new doll. She is my first Sylvia Natterer doll (a Minouche which is the Natterer toddler) and is made by Petitcollin of France.

"Hello, I'm Louisa, this is Edmund. What is your name?" asked Louisa as the new girl arrived.

"Hello, my name is Roxane"

"Here Roxane, have a teddy bear" said Edmund

"Oh, lovely teddy" exclaimed Roxane

"Thank you for the teddy, Edmund and Louisa" said Roxane

Louisa, Edmund and Roxane posed with their toys before going off to play.

The Natterer toddler is fractionally taller than the Sasha toddlers however her feet are narrower. I bought 2 other pairs of shoes for her so will make her some outfits of her own to match her other shoes.

Knut the polar bear

In the pinafore swap Anne in Germany sent us lots of additional Autumnal/Halloween goodies with the lovely pinafore she made.  So I decided to give the Sasha Commoneo Crew a bear to say thank you for all the lovely things they sent.  They have all been wishing for bears and the elder Sasha and Gregor children have sent the younger ones on a bear hunt in their garden (there are several posts, so look for the others on her blog).

I found a free pattern for a miniature bear on-line (designed by Lesley Shepherd) and resized it slightly to suit.  I made the miniature bear out of white felt which is easy and quick to hand sew, turned the pieces the right way out (this was the fiddly bit) and carefully stuffed the pieces and sewed them up.  I used small white buttons on the outside of the arms and legs as an anchor for the threads stitched through the body to make the limbs pose-able, then stitched the nose and eyes with black embroidery thread and stitched on the little ears.  For Knut I made a scarf out the multicoloured 4 ply wool I had used to make Susie's cardigan (blues and greens/yellows), for the similar polar bear I made for Dee as a thank you for the Chat n Snap I knitted a scarf from the wool I used to make Florence's cardigan.  I also made the bear in a light tan coloured felt, with a big red ribbon bow.  I did take this bear to the CnS but didn't put him out on the table to sell, I just wasn't sure how to price him (he is a bit fatter than the polar bears, he ate more honey than they did!).

This is a photo of the 3 bears just before I went to the CnS.

Dee's bear, the tan coloured bear and Knut

Each little bear is small, when standing up it is only 8 cm (just over 3 inches) tall.  In Anne's parcel I put one of my little skipping ropes (in a presentation bag) and Knut the polar bear.  It looks like Knutie has been made welcome by the Sasha Commoneo Crew who have also tried out the skipping rope.