Penny Widdison Stitchery & other stuff

How our story began: In 2020, Hoomum (AKA Penny) was introduced to the wonderful world of the wool.i.am gang mice on Instagram. Then she met a whole community of makers: of tiny clothing, of 1/12 scale furniture, of dolls house accessories and so much more.

The mice are hand knitted using the softest alpaca wool by Susan Ashford (aka wool.i.am or Mama Sue, or AuntyMammyMousieSue). A full sized mouse is only 10cm tall but has a very big personality, then there are medium sized mice, and even smaller the teeny tiny baby mice. Mama Sue is always busy knitting, creating new mice to send all over the world... Some mice live in small groups and others in large extended families but there is always a hoomin somewhere to keep an eye on their antics, hide the cheeses, Tunnocks teacaykes and any other snack.

Our story started with Miss Lizzie Mouse PhD. As a retried academic, she arrived in May 2020 all ready to set up in her sewing room. Lizzie had grand plans to enjoy her hobby with hoomum sitting quietly stitching away, or reading her books. Very quickly though, the love of her life, Professor Julius Cheeser (also a retired academic) joined her having completed his final lecture tour. He arrived with a plentiful supply of cheese and wine (we think he did a quick shop while travelling through France), to ensure special snacks were on hand. Being a very thoughtful husband he also brought Lizzie a beautiful silk gown she could wear to their college formal dinners. (click on the first image to read more of the story with extra pictures).

Lizzie loves to spend time in her sewing room pottering about with this and that. She enjoys embroidery of all types and other activities that involve chocolate, cake and/or a glass of prosecco while partaking of chitter chatter with her friends*. She loves to go shopping and especially like to have new dresses and outfits made for her. Now that Julius is home, they enjoy relaxed times together, wining and dining, lunching out, going on outdoor adventures and travelling. They like to visit Mook, Millie and Nibbles, their relatives in Scotlandishland and lots of other small hoomins with their families in London.

*Any similarity to any hoomin that you may know is purely coincidental. The stories of Lizzie, Julius, the twins and the rest of the mouselets is a figment of Penelope's imagination...

Lizzie and Julius had barely unpacked their cases and joined the instagram community when it was announced there was to be #wooliamgangcampingweekend.... Goodness me. Hoomum better get cracking to make a tent and a sleeping bag so they can join in the fun. "Oh Hoomum while you have the sewing machine out, could you make me some summer clothes please? ... Could Julius have some new shirts too?" Oh and could you send off to the Mouse Tailor for .... Goodness me!!! What has hoomum let herself in for, bringing home these two mice... (Read all about the clothes in Lizzie's wardrobe from the link above)

Julius and Lizzie have settled into their retirement, just as their hoomins did several years ago. Whiling away the days, enjoying quiet time in the garden, lunches out.... But what is this??? The Hoomins celebrating their birthdays back to back. Oh No! Not the whisky. Don't do it Lizzie! This could mean trouble...

Thank goodness Lizzie recovered from her encounter with the whisky. Now there's time for more adventures with our lovely couple.

Originally, Lizzie and Julius had a very small house on one shelf in Hoomum's sewing room, comprising a small sitting/study room and her own little sewing room. Then a small kitchen and a very small garden were added. Julius enjoyed pottering about in the garden but really he felt a bit left out as he wanted his own study where he could read his books and enjoy a sneaky snack of cheese. They both wanted a larger garden and somewhere for the family to stay... Lizzie and Julius persuaded Hoomum to find somewhere bigger for them to live. And wasn't that very clever thinking because now we have nine mice not just two...

The original mouse house - no wonder Lizzie & Julius wanted some renovations...

Use the links above to read how the Mouse House became larger, to meet the new members of the family, and enjoy the adventures of Lizzie, Julius, Philly & Peter, the twins, baby Cam, Little Finn Cheeser and Penny Mouse.