Finishing Up...

I am finished with my Christmas and birthday gift sewing...woohoo!!!  I have one more thing to make that will not get done on time to give for Christmas, but what a good feeling to have all the rest of the gifts done.   

There are a few things that I am unable to show because the soon-to-be recipients are on Facebook and read my blog, but here are a few that I am able to show you. 

Love making these...so easy and fun!

A few more cloth napkins.

Chocolate brown linen napkins...I may keep these for myself!

I also made these to put in my Etsy shop...

Soft brown corduroy pants for an 18" Waldorf-inspired doll.

While reading blogs yesterday afternoon, I ran across this tutorial by Kelly of KelbySews...and decided to make a few.  Yeah, just for the heck of it.  

4x4x8 inches

4x3x7 inches

super cute & super easy

see the bright pink zipper & lining?

I think I will quit now.  Because I can.  (But, don't be surprised if I make one more smaller boxy bag today.  ~grin~)

I will be spending Christmas Day with my boys and their families.  I hope that you all have a lovely holiday with those you love.  

Merry Christmas!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Merry Christmas!

 

Tag is a happy boy...

he has two new toys.

A warthog (his 5th one over the years)

and a duckie!

Thank you to Aunts Julie and Jill.  

Merry Christmas to you all!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

All Done!!!

YAY!!

I am all done with sewing Christmas gifts.

I feel very good about everything I made.  

And, I made all gifts except

the 2 gift cards I bought for my grandsons.

I never did get around to making

any hot pads/potholders, though.

I guess I can work on them at my leisure

and give them as gifts throughout the year...

or save them for next Christmas!  

Here are the last of the napkins...

Here is a photo of some of what I made.

When I took this photo, I had already mailed

out some gifts, and was not finished making others. 

Here are the stats:

97 napkins

6 aprons

22 kleenex cozies

1 zippered pouch

1 sweatshirt jacket

All fabric used came from my stash

except for 1.5 yards for napkins

and 1/2 yard for sweatshirt jacket facings.

I used 24 yards of fabric for napkins, 

4 yards for aprons and

mostly scraps for kleenex cozies.

I generated a few more scraps

for myself in the process.

That is a lot of fabric!

And, truth be told...not all of the napkins

are going out as Christmas gifts.

I may have overdone it a bit.

Or not.

I was just so happy sewing

and listening to music

that I made napkins out of any fabric

that I either had no immediate use for,

or just plain thought

would make great napkins!

Truth be told,

there are some sets that

I am going to keep for myself!

How's that!?!

And, what this means...

is that I have the next week

to do whatever I want!

Like, finish one quilt top

and start another!

I need to find a way to baste some quilts...

don't want to move all those flimsies with me.

Thank you, God,

for giving me the ability

(and fabric!) to do this.

Amen.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Almost...

Believe it or not, I am almost done showing these.  Not sure why I think you need to see every single napkin I sew!  haha.

 

 

 

And, another Christmas apron...

I sewed a few more sets tonight...will show them tomorrow.  And, that will be it!  

We got snow today.  

I'm not sure what Tag is looking for...

It's almost Christmas.  Finally!


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

A Few More...

I am almost done sewing Christmas gifts.

I am surprising myself...
that I am getting all my gifts done.
On time!

Of course, it may have something to do

with the fact that I am retired!
~grin~

All packages needing to be mailed have been sent.

Most of the remaining gifts will be picked up by my

son, Matthew, who will deliver them

to family members for me.

The rest will be given out as I see the recipients.

Here are a few you haven't seen...

And, look what Naomi Janome made...
twin aprons!

See those loops?
Know what they're for?
To hang a dish towel through!

(I still have yet to start on those potholders!)

When all gifts are done, 

I am going to have used

over 20 yards of fabric!

Can you believe that?

I am so very fortunate to have

had this great stash of fabrics to

pull fabrics from!  I only had

to buy for 2 sets of napkins!

Not bad, hey?

How are you doing with your

Christmas gift-making/shopping?

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Just More of the Same...

No potholders.

Yet.

Still finding the need for more napkins.

 

 

 

 

same fabric...folded opposite ways.

Did make another apron, though.

With a coordinating set of napkins.

And, more Kleenex cozies.

 I really should be done with napkins.  I really need to work on a few other things.  

Hope you're having as much fun as I am making Christmas gifts!!!



"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Napkins...Again...and More!

I have now made 46 napkins...WOW!  That's a lot of fabric...and all from my stash!  I think I might be done with them.  Oh.  No, that's not true.  I have an order of fabric coming to make 4 more napkins...a special order because the fabric was better than anything I had for this set.  

Here are the napkins I've made in the past few days.

Top 2 were added to the bottom 2 that I showed the other day.

Now this is interesting...I received this fabric from Cathy a few boxes ago.  Not sure what I would do with it, so it was put away.  

I looked at it at different times when choosing fabrics for projects, but always dismissed it.  (sorry, Cathy.)  However, when I was going through and choosing fabrics for napkins, I thought, "hey!  these might work well!"  And, you know what?  I think these may be my new faves!!! 

More sewing.  I made a few more Kleenex cozies...

It is time for me to move on.  Get set to admire (I hope!) the potholders and aprons I will be making!

How are you doing on your Christmas gift sewing?


"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Addicted to...

Napkins!

I think I am addicted...

I have made 33 napkins to date.

Cannot help myself...

I keep coming up with fabric

from my stash that

will make great napkins!  

What do you think?

~grin~

I may make a few more to go with these...

These may be my absolute faves...

 

These are made with prairie cloth.

There's a nice old-fashioned feel to them...

 

  

I am having fun with these,

but it is almost time to

move on to the next part of the

kitchen-themed gifts.

More fun ahead!

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

Napkins...

Spoiler Alert!  If you are a relative of mine and you rarely read my blog (you know who you are)...this is not the time to begin reading on a regular basis! 

While sewing napkins the other day, I decided that I should make more to give as Christmas gifts.  So.  I pulled fabric from the 'hmmmm' pile and started cutting and sewing.  Do you have one of those piles?  You know...fabric that just really doesn't fit with anything else you have or would have, but you don't want to get rid of it...but what will you ever use it for?  I made 14 napkins...some for Kaylynn and the rest for Joyce's young grandkids.   Everyday cloth napkins.   

                 

 

And, I made these...

I ventured out today, but just to pick up a few groceries.  I am not brave enough to face the crowds on this day.  Are you?  Did you get some great bargains?




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11

A Good Day of Sewing...

If you follow me on Facebook, you'll know that yesterday was a good day of sewing for me.  I cut fabric to make 9 items - Christmas gifts - and finished all 9!  I am sure that is a first for me..finishing all that I have on my list.  ~grin~

I used 3 fabrics, and made an apron, more Kleenex cozies, and more napkins.  None of them are difficult or awfully time-consuming.  In fact, I was trying to figure out how much time it actually took me to make them.  I'm guessing an hour for the 4 napkins, about half an hour for the 4 Kleenex cozies and no more than two and one-half hours for the apron.  

Here they all are together...

 

And, separately.

More Kleenex cozies for sister Joyce.  I am now half done with the dozen I plan to make for her.  

More napkins...it's interesting how these two fabrics looked kind of blah until I was finished...and now I think they are perfect fabrics for napkins!  ~grin~

There are several ways to make napkins, and believe me, I've tried them all.  What works best for me is a single layer of cotton or linen with mitered corners.  

The apron.  Since I did not show any photos of the one I made on Sunday, I made sure I had photos of this one for your perusal.  The very first thing I made when I took sewing classes in high school was an apron.  The lessons I learned from Miss Roach have stayed with me all these years.  The old adage...do it right.  I may not be the best sewist in the world, but I do my best.  

front

back

apron tie detail

hem detail

Thus far today, I have done nothing...except look at fabric and cut for 4 more napkins.   But, that's okay.  I think today is a knitting day. 

I need to get to Hobby Lobby one day soon.  

Hope you are having a great day!




"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.". Jeremiah 29:11