Christmas Gifts

I made table runners for Christmas gifts...

This shows a bit of the backing for each.
3 runners... Same pattern... Different colors

Christmas Ornaments

I decided to make Christmas ornaments to use as bows this year. They knit up quickly and look very cute. I am a little sick of making them, so I'm going to take a quick break before I get back at it next week.

tulle academy

Last night after happy hour I headed over to my new favorite store. My friend Ang has two daughters and fell in love with the tutus they had for sale there. They were pretty expensive and I could figure out how to make them just by looking at them. Instead of shelling out $45 each we went to Hobby Lobby.

For $35 and 1 hour (well, 3 hours counting the time spent in line at Hobby Lobby) we were able to make two beautiful tutus. It was especially fun because Ang is not a crafter, but making these convinced her to take a sewing class with me next year.

snowflake garland

I'm hosting a big Christmas movie watching potluck on Sunday and was looking for ways to decorate without having to buy anything. I came across this idea on the internet and am really happy with how it turned out! I just cut out snowflakes from old magazines and junk mail and then sewed them all together with an embroidery needle and some red thread. It was a little time consuming, but the payoff is that I am now a freaking whiz at paper snowflakes. Seriously, I'm accepting challenges if any of you are takers!

Skirts

So those Halloween pillowcases weren't from my stash, but I did use the leftovers! This is the Lazy Days Skirt from Oliver + S (link on the post title), which is simple but awesome because of how it uses ribbon to hem the bottom. I really like that it takes about 20 minutes to crank out a skirt (even if it still takes me a few days to get them done). Quick gratification, which is what I'm all about these days.


And since I have quite a few Halloween fabrics from making pillowcases for the kids and their cousins, there are a few of them. Bigger ones in the basement for next year, and more for friends. The skeleton one is actually from last year, and Brinda has been wearing it non-stop. Except before Halloween. Did I mention that neither of my children would wear these before Halloween, but now they are in rotation again? I have contrary children.


And here are more. I'm telling you, I really like this "pattern." It takes all of 1/3 of a yard of fabric, since I prefer them short and sassy.

Pillow Crazy

We have these tiny pillows from when I was little, but only one pillow case. And Brinda loves to sleep on them, but leaks strange colors while she sleeps. (How do children do this?) So, voila! Pillow cases out of my stash. (If I keep working, in twelve years, my fabric stash will be gone, and then I'll move on to Mom's.) This odd red with the famous buildings is Brinda's favorite of my stash fabrics.

While we're on the subject, here's Tucker and Brinda's Halloween pillowcases. I made them last year and they were the first Halloween thing Tucker wanted to get out.

I can't make Blogger unturn my photo.

Snack bags

I'm as behind as Annie. Early this summer I got tired of asking "Whose bag of fishies/crackers/bunnies is on the floor of the truck/garage/toyroom?" So I made these. Each kid has their own, so I can identify it. An additional benefit is that I don't buy snack baggies anymore.

The outside is whatever scraps I had that the kids picked out, which explains the different sizes, and the inside is rip-stop nylon. The closure is velcro from end to end. They work well for dry food, but I'd like to get over my fear of sewing on vinyl and try that for things like apples. Has anyone ever sewn on vinyl?

I wash and dry these with no problem. I'm not sure how food safe they are, but I'm willing to risk it.