All Done!

Well, i did it, and in the nick of time. I celebrate Christmas four times - once with my honey at home before we go home to our parents' places, once with my family, once with his, and again with his extended family. Then, on January 7, i celebrate Orthodox Christmas too! At least there we don't exchange gifts, so i didn't have too too many to make!

I ended up making something for all 20 people on my list. Some things were small like transfer images on cloth hankies, while others were larger projects like 6 placemats. All in all, each person/cat/dog got an individualized gift and i think are quite happy with it.

I wrote about it on my blog, and have pictures on flickr, but i think it's the inspiration of this group that helped me kick it in gear!

And, luckily for me, my sister also made me gifts too - she made me a lavendar/flax seed massage pouch and a fabulous purse! Thanks sis!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Holiday Sewing Done

Actually, I finished before the holidays, but I didn't want to post pictures on the net before my recipients received their sewn gifts. The first picture is of the oven pad that I made for my Texas granny. It is sewn from some fabric that I got in Colorado on a recent vacation. It is an interesting design. It is like two hot pads connected by a padded section.

This picture is of two hot pads and three tea towels. I made these for my mom from some fabric that I picked up on the Big Island of Hawaii on recent trip there. She used to live in Hawaii and loves all thing Hawaiian. She loved these as well.

I also made three tea towels for my Kansas granny. These are made from vintage reproduction fabrics. She loves blue.

These three projects were made from a pattern that I ordered on-line. If you are interested, it is called Vintage Potluck.

They were pretty easy projects to make, although the pattern didn't give real detailed instructions and probably isn't suitable for someone's very first project.

I had a lot of fun making them and I always say that I am going to start earlier every year, but I never do. Maybe we should do Christmas sewing in July!

UPDATE

Remember my LIST? Thanks for all your cheering and well wishing - I'm almost finished and wanted to share a few pictures with you.



These are just a few of the things from the list - the rest are already wrapped (before pics - oops!). More info on the blog!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe
Etsy

My knitted gifts

Here are a few of my gifts for those I like and love. The Pink Princess handbag is drying from felting, then you have the Black Beanie and the Stacey Hat and Scarf Set. Hope the reciepents are happy with thier gifts.

a knitter's gift

Here is a total knock-off of an admittedly fabulous sock bag. My friend uses long metal needles for making her socks and requested one tall enough for them not to stick out. So, I modified the "stuff bag" by Mary Mulari. It is rip-stop nylon, I made it larger in diameter, taller, reinforced the bottom, added the strap for the yarn guide on the inside and wrist on the outside (sewn into/thru the seam.) I used the snaps that you hammer on, I like them better than the sewn on kind. I am so excited, I hope she loves it!!

Christmas trees

I spent today making some little Christmas trees to give out at a Sorority Christmas dinner. I started a little production line in the morning and by this evening I had 8 completed trees! Fun and quick. Come over to my blog to see more info!

Coming Along Nicely

With the assumption that the recipients of my gifts will not find this particular blog, i wanted to share with you my progress. About 80% of the gifts i had planned to make are completed and waiting to be wrapped. I just have to finish knitting a shawl, do some transfer work on some hankies, make some soaps and dog biscuits, and also see what is on some of my family's wish list so i know if i could make anything for them. So, i think i'm coming along rather nicely. Unfortunately for my partner, i can't really make his presents because he's around when i'm crafting. I'll have to try to sneak around him!

Already finished are:
1) Two tea pot cozies (one is pictured here)

2) Six placemats

3) Cat tunnel

4) Baby bloomers (for our nephew, who's dad Loves Star Wars)

5) Knit Scarf

6) Hot Plates and Oven Mitts

7) Table Runner (pictured folded to fit frame)

8) Sock Monkey

Back to the grind i go!

The LIST...

Who's feeling overwhelmed by their LIST of things to make for Christmas/Holidays? Want to feel better? Check out my list and please lend your support - I'm going to need it because I am entirely CRAZY!!!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe
ESTY (out of time? BUY something handmade!)

Surviving the Holidays

Eldest finished up another session of Floor Hockey last week.
Here he is as center in the red.

He sure loves to play. I don't think that it is hockey so much as running around with a stick, but whatever.







Happy belated Turkey Day.
I begged off the turkey this year.
1. I don't like turkey
2. The expected company canceled.
3. 12 pounds of turkey is too much for 5 people, 2 of which won't eat any anyway.

So I made a chicken.

You can see here what the Mister and his Mom worked on after the feast. It must have been another discounted puzzle, it ended up a couple shy of 550. Or it could have been INBA feeling short of attention and running his hand across the table and sending pieces flying. One cannot be sure. Oh, yes, that is pea pod with a pod top. Oh, Yes, the pea has arrived... more later.


One may as well go on and on about the holidays.. here is the intended for the niece.
I must admit, I am very proud of the Sven.
I have since finished it. I am not so keen on the invisible cast on for the sleeve... not really seeing the benefit of that. Quite a pain, it was, to knit that little cuff onto a whole sweater that I had to turn so frequently. Maybe that is just me.





So much for Clandestine
The Mister, so happy to be playing with new picture software that came with my lovely new printer... uploaded my pictures and gave the MIL a slide show... including the sock that I am making for her. Oh, please, he knew it was for her. Oh, please, don't even act like it was my fault for taking the pic in the first place. Whatever. The point is, she never looks at my blog and now she is expecting these socks(on the right,) which I must say I want to keep for myself. The other sock is my newest sparkly sock (schoeller & stahl, Fortissima Colori Socka Color Disco, #9051.) I have not cast on the second because I needed to use the US2s for INBA's red socks... the things I do for my children.
I have cast on MIL's other sock, so she will indeed get a pair... but I just have such a hard time giving away my socks. I guess maybe I need to make ugly socks for gifts. But then I won't enjoy making them. I just don't know how to resolve this.
Cheesy Holiday
So I am part of the Newcomer's Club for the place that I now live. And at some weak moment I agreed to be on the board of said club and organize some activities. Anyway, the President decided that for our meeting next week we should have an ornament exchange. So, I made this darling little mitten. Mostly just so I could use my fair isle book. I want to keep it, too.
Can you believe how downright selfish I am?




So Go for A Walk.
I need a picture for the holiday cards. I did not make a studio appointment like I have been talking about doing for a month. Still need a picture, have to try to get one myself.

Unfortunately, this is the mood the boys were in.

"Is that a nice smile?"
"Yep."
"Never mind."




"Could you uncross your arms?"
"No, I don't want to walk anymore."
"I will stop taking pictures if you give me just one nice one."
"I want to go home."
















Oh, sure they sat nice on a rocky cliff and looked at the creek way down below...











But isn't this little (9lb, 23inch) boy going to be gorgeous in a peapod?

Oh, such an angel!!! It is killing me not to be on a plane to some place warm right now!!

Congratulations!!!

A little drawstring pouch

Could this be considered a Holiday Jumpstart sewing project? I made this little bag to hold a gift (actually a pair of handknitted socks) for my friend. Check out here if you're interested in the socks too.

A place to stash your stuff

I found a tutorial to make these corkboard wall pockets at the Craft Apple. They are easier to make than you might suspect and quite practical. I bought a set of four corkboards so I will have four gifts when I'm finished. The only change I'd like to make is to the top--I'd like to use the slip stitch instead of the running stitch to attach the ribbon hanger to the corkboard, that way the stitches will be less visible.

holiday jumpstart on advent calendar

I've been busy with this cute advent calendar made from mini stockings. I am using 8 different fabrics and different trims on each one to make it unique. My kiddos are excited about getting a treat every day from December 1-24. I will be excited to get all my ideas into finished projects!

Susie

Seasonal Table Topper

Hope it is not to late to post my finished Halloween Table Topper. This is the front view. The most time consuming part was cutting out the green and purple squares and sewing them into strips for the border.



This is the back side. I used a small pumpkin print for the center and a black fabric with tiny white flowers for the border. This side I can use through Thanksgiving. I am pleased with how it all came together and fits my table nicely.

You can find me over at Alpaca Rose.

simple and sassy

my sister requested a green purse for Christmas. after digging through my stash, this is what i came up with. i will be using the pattern from this sew simple magazine. what do you think?

this picture is kinda crummy. the middle and bottom fabric match the plaid perfectly.... the greens look off, but they're actually not. there is also a blue flower in the floral print that is not showing up. it's the same color of the blue stripe in the plaid.

Culinary themed gifts

I've been a bad sew-i-knit-alonger and this is my first post here in ... months. Nobody kicked me out of the group though, so hopefully it's OK. I wanted to share a couple projects I am working on for my cousin's Christmas present. She is currently enrolled in a culinary program. I made her this apron (pattern from Amy Butler's In Stitches) and am working on matching pot holders.



This potholder is my first quilted project. Quilting is fun... I'll post again when I'm finished.

On My Way

After a bit of a stump with ideas for holiday presents, i am officially on my way. I have finished a couple of small projects, but i'm excited about what is still to come. After spending the afternoon yesterday sitting by the fire and reading over my various craft books, i have decided on a few gifts. I still have more to think of, but i will wait to see people's gift lists first.

For instance, i'm going to use this beautiful silk fabric to make a tea pot cozy for my partner's grandmother.

And this awesome pre-Star Wars fabric will be made into a framed canvas art piece. My brother-in-law Loves Star Wars and just had a baby boy. I'm going to embroider his name into the fabric and then frame it.

And, i finished a yo-yo belt for my sister, as well as these cute ballerina cake topper magnets.

My other ideas include making placemats for my mom with Indian block print stencils, a felt record dog toy for my brother-in-law's dog, and a book purse for my sister. I will post again soon to share my progress!

A table runner, pieced, appliqued, and quilted. While this is actually a wedding present, it is the thing I sewed this month,and took so long that it will certainly serve as a Christmas present for this couple as well.

Still finishing things up...Thanks!

I'm still in gear and busy finishing things for the holidays. It's so much fun to mark items off my "LIST"

Here's what I've been working on lately:

More Embroidered Tea Towels:



And I finished the quilted bibs for my shop:



I'm so excited to get things underway! Read more at my blog!

Thanks!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

I am now organized for holiday crafts

An Amy Butler pattern now has me on my way to getting all those holiday crafts & gifts done. More pics on my blog.

XMAS APRON AND MITTENS

I have been sewing and knitting for one year. Last summer I found this wonderful web and I loved the idea of a sewing along. This will be my first Sew? I knit! proyect. I would like to have my own made-by-myself xmas apron for this holiday and I also plann to sew some round xmas mittens.

Lolita Blahnik from Viento del este, viento del oeste

Patchwork Bibs

An idea hatched during the quilt-it challenge and only brought to fruition this week. I've actually been planning these in my head for a LONG time, - they are turning out really cute and are super fun to make. I'll have them forsale in my etsy shop as soon as they are finished (early next week).



I'm also making some of these up for my new nephew (well for his mommy) for Christmas - so I've hit two birds with one stone! Thanks! If you'd like to know more about the bibs click on my name to visit the blog.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Cheery Cherry Towel

One Down and many more to go, but Christmas projects are underway. Thanks for the kick in the pants!



I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Love this time of year....

A "jumpstart" on the Holiday Jumpstart. I am so glad this is the theme for this round. Perfect! I try to create handmade ornaments for the five of us each year, including names and dates for our tree. A tradition I started for us when my 18 yo was first born and celebrated his first christmas. I have one last ornament to finish for my family for 2006, then on to presents and handmade cards. Happy Fall to All!

My Quilts

I made two quilts. One for my living room and the other for my newest niece. I have moved my blog to wordpress but have to use my old blogger address to post to this group until I figure out how to link my new blog to SewiKnit.

My battery died while I tried to take the baby quilt pic. Will post Saturday.