What's everybody sewing for Christmas?

Finishing up some little things for the GrandD who is 3...........

I am really in the market for good Christmas ideas......anyone like to post their favorite? I would find it inspiring!

I don't normally post, just lurk here, but I do have to tell you that I found a free pattern for Raggedy Ann pins that I am turning into tree ornaments. I absolutely love them and have made 10, and have another

20 in progress! They are just cute as can be!

I'm also waiting on some other patterns that I just ordered from Cotton Ginny's website to see if I can accomplish any of those in time for Christmas too....I hope they come soon!

Dannielle

My 12 yr, old son just made a "shaggy" pillow cover for one of those "Kooshy" pillows as a gift for his 16yr old sister. It actually worked out chaper and far less messy than making the whole pillow from scratch....plus now she will be able to remove the shaggy pillow case to wash it. Usually he makes bath bombs. Joy in Michigan

AWWWW....... It's so nice that you remembered me and my girls! I have plans for 3 red dresses. Stretch Velour bodices, and vintage brocade-like silky polyester for the skirts. Matching headbands this year too! I got the vintage vintage/poly stuff from my dads aunt, there is about 4 yards 60" wide!

For me I am making a skirt to wear to parties, christmas dinner and maybe new years. The great part is all the parties are different groups, so the only person who will know I am re using an outfit is me! It is going to be ankle length, bias cut suiting with criss-cross ruffles, this one from anthropologie.com is my inspriation (if I had silk chiffon I would use that, but budget.....)

am not sewing any gifts for anyone else, I am so busy at work, I am working almost double what I normally do because I am the only non-university person who works evenings. This month is all the Final Exams for the students, and a few of them will be out of town around christmas with their families so can't come to work. It is so hectic at work! And Bobbie what are you making? I can't wait to hear!

Thanks!

Michelle Giordano

The RA pin pattern for ornaments sounds adorable, Dannielle. Is it online, by any chance?

I'm knee deep in quillows...three for my teenage grandsons who recently moved to NYState, a big climate change from Alabama, and one for DH who has worn out "his" couch throw. All but one are of theme fabric, but made wider by pieced borders. The other is squares of deep rich colors, bordered in garnet & gold in honor of DGS's favorite football team.

One thing I've learned to do when making quillows: instead of leaving an opening in a side seam for turning the quillow right side out...leave the opening in one of the backing's piecing seams. For me, it's a lot easier to slipstitch the backing seam closed than to finish a side seam so that it isn't noticeable. Most of my quillows are widened by borders, and I just leave the opening in one of the border seams.

Doreen in Alabama

Yes, it sure is! The pattern is located at:

Instead of a pin back, I amusing the same embroidery floss to make a loop hanger, taking it onlythrough the back layer of the fabric. I am using DMC 221 floss andBarn Red paint by Apple Barrel for the nose and mouth. I have to gobuy some blush for the cheeks, but that will be the last step I have toaccomplish! I have yet to try to make a quillow. I love the idea, but just haven't managed to figure out the patterns yet. Maybe I will attack that after the holidays!

Dannielle

I'm making 10 (yes 10) blouses for my sister in Calgary - she doesn't like buying blouses that are the same as all "full figured gals have to buy" from the only store in Canada that sells large sizes so I have adapted a number of patterns into her size. She loves any kind of bright cheerful prints so whenever I find anything with hawaiian flowers, or nice silk designs, she gets a blouse. I've sent her 40 other ones just this year!!! People ask me why I make her so many - well, gee, everyone has to wear something every day right, well, isn't it nice to have a very large selection to choose from?

I also make Christmas wreaths in different themes. I've made them where Santa is a chef, a fisherman, a computer geek (complete with a little computer that's a radio on the wreath), a doctor in scrubs, a pilot (I cut up my husband's uniform pants for this one), a cowboy sitting on a little hay bale, a car enthusiast (our friends are really into corvettes, so I found a '59 the same as theirs and had Santa wearing a corvette themed shirt and vest for this one) and a logger wearing the grey wool shirts they all wear out here, also one for a hunter, etc.

Well, I won't bore you guys anymore, just keep up the good work everyone!

Bobbie

> I am not sewing any gifts for anyone else, I am so busy at work, I am > working almost double what I normally do because I am the only > non-university person who works evenings. This month is all the Final > Exams for the students, and a few of them will be out of town around > christmas with their families so can't come to work. It is so hectic at > work!>

That is too cute! I don't think I could make 40 blouses in a year, (I will say no time, but secretly its laziness lol)

Michelle Giordano

I am busy embroidering squares of a Christmas lap quilt for DSIL, who lives in Wisconsin and has been in the hospital with a bout of pneumonia. The squares pieced together will be backed with M M fleece of royal blue(one of her favorite colors). After that, I still have three cloth books to finish for DB's DGD and a friend's 2 new DGC. Actually, I have a dress for myself cut out of a pretty Christmas fabric that I want(ed) to wear to church Christmas Eve, but doubt it will be complete to wear this year, but hey, next year I can wear it to my 75th birthday dinner. How's that for keeping busy, besides getting ready for DD and family of 5 who will arrive on the 26th for a week? Emily in beautiful cool Houston

Thanks, Dannielle! I have a friend who has collected RAs most of her life, and will love that.

Doreen in Alabama

For me, I'm making an ankle-length tibetan chupa skirt out of hunter green corduroy. I plan to wear it with a long sleeved black v-neck.

've made this skirt before and it makes up into a sleek A-line skirt that is very slimming, with the wrapping and overlap at the rear allowing for a normal, long-legged fast stride.For my daughter, a slinky show shirt made up in black lycra with silver glitter with a black, embossed faux leather yoke. For my son, some soft flannel pillow cases made up in crazy prints he admired at the fabric store (he's easy to fit and please, clothing-wise)

For my husband, a new leather case for his hatchet.

Kathleen

Thanks Bobbie! ;)

I've not done a great deal of sewing recently. :( I started substitute teaching in October. Before that it was stuff for the house. curtains, etc. I started subbing in order to pay for all the permits that I will need to restart my sewing business here in the new house. I'm actually enjoying it a great deal! :)

I do plan to do a little bit of sewing for Christmas. My SisIL asked for a new polar fleece jacket. So I will have to see about that. I also have some fabric to make her hubby a new do-rag. Primary colored parrots!! He will love this since he has a parrot (altho his is gray.) Thought I might line that with flannel so it could be his winter do-rag. lol Usually I line them with baby terry so they will stop sweat from dripping in his eyes. Then I have a few different wild flannels and knits to make jammies for my kiddos.

Hopefully I can carve out some time and do some fun sewing soon. I've just not had time between Thanksgiving with my in-laws here (which was Marvelous BTW.) And working and dealing with 2 people who have orthodontic appliances sprouting from their mouthes now. *sigh* We've been eating a lot of soup this week. :(

Sharon

I've been wanting to make the same for my ex, but I'm not sure of her size - specifically the size she likes as opposed to the size she would be recommended based on her physical size. I'd like to base one on a fleece shell she already has, but haven't figured out how to sneak one out of her house to use as a model.

Mike

Well.... Have you looked through the pattern books? Most of them have some unisex fleece jackets. You know what the jacket she has looks like right? And you know her approximate size and what size she likes. So you could guess from there and get really close. How do your jackets fit her? (yes, I'm constantly stealing my Mike's jackets. lol) If she likes how yours fit, you could use one of your own as a model too.

Good luck.

Sharon

I am currently working on a christmas dress for my 6 yr old girl. My first "real" dress for her. (Usually I just do costumes). It is turning out better than I anticipated.

's daisy kingdom by Simplicty 4451, but in red colors.Then i'm off to do the 8yr old's dress. Kristina

Well....this year is actually still pretty messed up. I haven't even started on the traditional flannel pants yet. Think I should have enough time if I can finish up some quilts that are making me bonkers (baby quilts for a friend who is expecting her first grandchild). I

*have* made the children some new clothes as they have both gotten quite a bit taller. DS needed new sweatpants, so he got 2 new pairs with more to come, and DD got some new jumpers a jacket, and a tunic top with 2 pairs of coordinating pants.

I also made 3 purses - 1 for me, 1 for Mom, and 1 for Mother. Momma said that she probably wouldn't use one if I made it for her, so that saved me a little time. Um...made Dad a wall quilt based on the cover of his first novel, probably will fine tune my work for the future ones. Um.....pretty much it. Have some other wall quilts that were supposed to be Christmas presents, but doubt that I will get ot them for this year .

So....you asked, and there it is....lol. Good thing I read periodically through Google or I wouldn't h ave seen this post - I unsubscribed to my newsgroups because there's too much going on right now to be "bothered" with them.....family visiting, plans being made for them to move in, other family wanting to visit...ARGH!!!!!

Larisa

And I see you have a new screen name! I didn't know who you were until the end! Subscribe again soon or we will miss you!

Michelle Giordano

I have a pattern to work from - one with several sizes in it. I was going to steal one of hers to compare against the pattern outline. I guess what I could do is find an excuse to be at her place when she's not (I have a key, since I'm still on retainer as the fixer-upper guy) and grab one of her jackets from the closet and simply measure a couple of key dimensions. I prefer working from a sample to working from dimensions, though - just my paranoia about getting the size right.

She's funny about sizes. For someone well into her 40's, she's got a great figure (she's a marathon runner/cyclist/skier) but she avoids clothes that show it off - she doesn't like her figure for some reason. Hence, it has to be bigger than her size, but not too big.

It's a nice fleece for the winter - a distinctive light blue with little snowflakes all over. It actually looks better than it sounds. Polartec

200.

Mike

That is gorgeous, Kristina. Are you doing the same for the 8 year old? My youngest DGD turned 7 today and she would love that in pink. When I tell her I am sewing something, she always asks, "Is it pink?" She is in the state of SC and I am in TX, about 1250 miles away. Emily