More Christmas Gifts

Having an embroidery machine this Christmas was great. I was able to embroider on most of the gifts I gave this year. Here are a few towels I made using different fleur di lis versions. It was fun trying many of the styles and colors.

Busy Making Gifts

I always get in a little bit of a panic after Thanksgiving. It seems Christmas is so close and I have so many projects I would like to complete along with decorating, cooking, and the usual stuff like working, washing clothes, cleaning house........

I've been determined to try and get some of the sewing projects done this week. Here are a few pictures of some of the items I've been working on.

I made two of these for 2 little Saints fans. They were made using the Annette Reversible Sundress Pattern.

These were made for sisters using the David Pattern. The pattern was designed for boys but as you can see, works well for girls also.

I added a snowflake to the bottom of the pants leg.

It's hard to see in the picture, but I added their names in the bottom of the snowman.

Flat Iron Holder for a Christmas Party. We are bringing handmade gifts to exchange. I printed the pattern and rolled it up to include with the gift.

Projects for Holiday Mart and Christmas Gifts

These are a couple of Ava Sundresses that will be available at the Holiday Mart on November 14th. Both of the dresses are made from Fabric Finder's pique fabric. The fleur di lis was a free design I downloaded from sew forum.

Their are so many projects I would like to do for Christmas gifts this year especially now that I have an embroidery machine. The problem is finding the time to complete them all. I am happy to say that I did manage to get a few cups embroidered for co-workers.

Southern Holiday Mart - November 14th

Mark your calenders and get your Christmas list together for this shopping event featuring handmade items made by people from local and surrounding areas and other states. Click on the link for more information and to get a sneak preview.

SOUTHERN HOLIDAY MART

Time: November 14, 2009 from 6pm to 9pm
Location: "The Shop"
Address: 8249 Brittany Rd
Sorrento, Louisiana

Come shop with us this Holiday Season. We will have something for everyone on your list. All items are handmade by different creatives in the surrounding area. We have some merchandise from guest designers from different states that will be at the event as well. So SAVE the date and join us for a little kick start to your Holiday Shopping. By shopping handmade you help local crafters in your area.We will have signs out so you know right where we are.

http://southernholidaymart.ning.com/

More Sewing - Christmas Gifts

My oldest daughter and I had a sewing marathon last Christmas making totes for gifts and enjoyed it so much, we decided to have another Christmas sewing day this year. I like the idea of having this as an annual Christmas tradition.

Although, I have my sewing room back, I don't have it fixed up in a way that I can spread out. I still use the kitchen table when I have alot of projects like this. As you can see, we are messy sewers and have stuff everywhere.



I generally throw scraps and thread on the floor and clean it all up after I'm done. I mainly did the cutting and organizing and my daughter did the sewing. She doesn't sew alot but seems to enjoy it and is catching on well.
Here are the items we made today. We started about 1 or 1:30PM and finished about 6PM. The top row are the ones my daughter made for her friends. She still has the buttons to sew on. I made a couple of bags for gifts but the matching set on the bottom is for me.

The long item is a flat iron holder. I tried 3 times to get the fabric used to cover ironing boards but Hancock's didn't have it in stock so I bought an ironing board cover and cut it up. We were able to make five of the flat iron holders with the one ironing board cover. These are great for traveling and the flat iron can be put away warm since the inside is lined with the fire resistant fabric.

The little bag is just a small lined bag that could be used for makeup, toiletries, pantyhose, socks, lingerie or a number of other items.

We used pony tail holders for the loops to hook around the button. The pony tail holders stretched so it was easier to get it around the buttons and held better than ribbon. I bought the pack that had all different colors.

I wish I had thought about taking pictures during the process so I could post a tutorial. If we make more, I'll try to remember to take pictures and get measurements to post. They were easy and make a great gift.

Babysitting, Shopping and More Christmas Bags

I babysit for my friends precious little girl last night. She is so sweet and such a joy to babysit for. She likes being held and cuddled and I loved every minute of it. I dressed her in my new pattern and followed her around taking pictures. Here are a couple of them.

This was a rocking chair that I had as a little girl. I pulled it out of the closet and she loved climbing in and out of it with her stuffed bunny.

I made small gift bags like this for my co-workers and decided to make larger ones and use them instead of stockings for my grown children. I am not spending alot on Christmas this year and my children love the stockings even though they are adults. I don't have an embroidery machine so I printed their names on printable fabric and appliqued them on the bags. Since I used fabric and it can be reused every year, it's better than wasting the wrapping paper. The fabric was 30% off at All Brands. I think it is 60" wide and I made 8 bags out of 2 yards. The ribbon was on sale at Hobby Lobby for half price ($1.00 per roll). I used two rolls of ribbon. The fabric was about $20 and ribbon $2 so the cost of the bags was about $2.75 - $3.00 each.Here are a couple of pictures. After the baby left, I left to do a little Christmas and grocery shopping. I got home about 1 or 1:30 and started making the bags. I was done at about 4 or 4:30. And tonight I am going to my company's Christmas Party. What a busy day!!!!

Pillow Pals for Christmas Gifts

I made these LSU Pillow Pals to be given as Christmas Gifts to two very special little girls. They are sisters - one with blond hair and fair skin and one with dark hair and olive skin. I made the hair, face and hands to match their skin and hair color to make it more personal. My mom spent the day with me Sunday so she helped me stuff them and put them together. It's always fun to work on a project with someone. My mom is getting older so I treasure the moments we share.

I added the tulle skirt on the larger one for the older girl. I'm thinking about adding a tshirt for the youngest.

Well, I have two gifts done. It's a start. 44 Days till Christmas.

Packages for Troops

One of my co-worker's wife coordinates packages to our troops. The last couple of years, employees where I work collect things and send them to a unit overseas. We get the name of a unit and what they need from her and send the items in the priority mail boxes that cost $9.95 to send anywhere in the world. We always get a letter from the unit expressing their appreciation. It has to be tough to be away from home and loved ones especially during the holidays.

Maybe you can do that at your work place also. The boxes have to be sent usually be the end of November to make it for Christmas so time is getting short.

Sewing to Save Money

During these tough economic times, sewing is a great way to save money. Here is an article I came across that gives tips on how to save money sewing.

Sewing for children has special advantages. The amount of fabric used to make something for a child is small. Many items can be made with a yard or less of fabric. When you have small children, the window of time to sew is limited but there are many easy to sew patterns that can be completed in a couple of hours. Like YCMT, many patterns can be downloaded instantly upon payment and are designed for the beginner. My patterns and my friend Aimee's at Sew Sensible are easy enough for a beginner. When you see your child in the outfit you made for them, you get such a feeling of satisfaction and pride. Warning though, it can become addictive LOL.

During this time of year, making gifts for Christmas can be very cost effective. Last year I made totes for the ladies I work with as well as outfits for a few of the children. Bibs, blankets and soft toys make great baby shower gifts. This year we are thinking about making curling/flat iron covers and possibly some makeup bags for gifts.

Once you get the hang of it, you can even make money sewing. Making things to sell at craft fairs and sites like Etsy can bring in some extra money. YCMT has several articles on their blog about selling at craft fairs. Here is a link to the four posts. Article #1, Article #2, Article #3, Article #4.

Christmas Decorations & New Sewing Projects

I'm very excited about Christmas. As you can see here, we have lots of gifts under the tree waiting to be opened. This weekend I will be preparing the food for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve I make a big pot of seafood gumbo, potato salad and baked ham for family and friends. It's a great time to visit and enjoy each other's company.


Because I have been sewing Christmas gifts, my Etsy shop hasn't had many new items listed. I did manage to make a couple of sets of "Mommy and Me" bags this past week that I recently posted. This turquoise and brown fabric has been one of the more popular ones for me this year.


I also purchased more fabric to be used after the holidays. I'll be making more totes but also have some new ideas for little girl dresses I want to try.

Busy Week

The past few days have been very busy. Saturday, my daughter Betsey, graduated from college. After attending the graduation ceremony, we had a family get together at my house. Here are a couple of pictures, one of Betsey with her 92 year old grandmother at the family party and Betsey and Sunny before the graduation ceremony. I am so very proud of Betsey and her accomplishments.





After that, I attended my work Christmas Party. Sunday I finished up my Christmas shopping and Monday attended the jewelry show with my niece. To top off the day, I bought a set of dishes for my home at Tanger Outlet. Evidently, all of the Mikasa stores in the US are closing as of December 31st and everything in the store is 40% off on top of the already discounted outlet price. It was a great deal. Here is what they look like.




I've been trying to do a little sewing also. After the holidays, I plan to start sewing for my Etsy shop and a possible booth in the Spring. I've been buying some very cute fabric that I want to make some Annette Reversible Sundresses out of and some totes. Some of the totes have already been given as gifts and I've sold a couple more as a result of the gift. I plan to make a line of "Mommy and Me" totes that will include a large one for the mom and a smaller replica for the daughter. Here is a preview of one set I finished last night.