Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Christmas gifts for my niece and nephew

Yet another post from the "wait to post photos of gifts until after Christmas" category.
I made gifts for both my nephew and niece and wanted to share them, especially as they are all firsts for me!
The first is a pillow and cover for my niece. I have had these FQs of Birch Storyboek fabrics sitting around waiting for a perfect project ever since I received them from Green Bag Lady. Turns out a gift for my little niece is perfect! I made her a pillow form and an envelope-backed pillow cover. I used the tutorial from Cluck Cluck Sew, but left out the appliqued front. I did applique a letter P on the back for her name though. 

 The second project is a felt crown for my nephew. I started this on a whim about a week and a half before Christmas because he mentioned he wanted a crown to go with his tutu (see below). So I made him a very boyish crown with his initial, along with a rocket ship, the moon and a star. My sister and I browsed a lot on Google images (and there are some great ones there if you crochet) but I based mine on the ones made by Maureen over at Maureen Cracknell Handmade. I have wanted to make one ever since I saw hers.

 The third project is a tutu for my 3 year old nephew. His friend had one at her house and he adored it, so my sister mentioned he would like one. I found a really easy tutorial at Skip to my Lou. It is still a bit serendipitous to me that a headband fits a toddler's waist. I mixed some purple, fuchsia and white to make a rather riotous tutu. My nephew loved it and wore it with the rocket ship crown, which was adorable.

These were all so fun to make, and it was nice to challenge myself with new projects and mediums. I like having these excuses to break the mold!

Monday, December 26, 2011

Little Apples quilt: a finish and a gift for my mom

I did not want to post pictures of my finished Little Apples quilt until after Christmas, because it was a surprise gift for my mom. But now I am happy to share, because this is the quilt I am most proud of yet! It is the largest one I have ever made- I went to a local shop, Modern Domestic, to quilt it because their space is larger and their machines are much nicer Berninas compared to my little Brother.






My mom loved it! This was the gift I was so excited to give this Christmas, and I am so happy to give it to my mom. 

Quilt stats:
Finished size: 60" by 52"
Pattern: "Valentine" from The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker (p. 71) by Elizabeth Hartman
Fabric:
Top: Little Apples jelly roll (won from Diane and sponsored by Julie) with sashing in Kona Medium Grey (won from Bec and sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop in this haul)
Binding: Heath for Alexander Henry
Backing: Rendezvous by Khristian A Howell for Anthology, Kona snow, some random black dotted stuff from JoAnn's and leftover Little Apples strip
Quilted: on a Bernina 450 using a fan or sunbeam pattern (?)- no idea what to call it, but credit to my husband for suggesting it!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

progress!


Stockings! I have been wicked busy sewing for Christmas- thus, very little blogging but lots of progress on projects and presents. This means, on the off chance that someone who will receive one of these gifts is reading (and my readership is pretty low, but a fair majority are family!) I have to wait to show pictures until after the gifting days- so check back for some wonderful finishes after Dec 25!

As for the pics I can show though, I finished two stockings, one for me and one for my two year old son. I made mine first because I had never made one before and had to make up the pattern. I am glad I did, because it is about half the size his ended up being! Way too small for someone with lots of stuff in a stocking!

I vaguely used the free All the Trimmings Stocking pattern available from Denyse Schmidt Quilts, but mostly just for the construction guidelines. I don't have a printer, so I just eyeballed my pattern. I love how they came out! For mine, I used the Heirloom fat eights I won from Stitching by Starlight. Thanks again, Angie!

Hopefully they will hold up well to stuffing on Christmas Eve!

Happy holidays to everyone reading this, and I hope your sewing and crafting is well received, as gifts or in your own home!