I blogged earlier about being "ready" for the stress of preparing handmade gifts this Christmas. Well, I gotta say I waited too long to really enjoy the process as I had hoped. I really didn't make too many, although I did have fun making the things displayed here. I do hope to plan better next year because I DO love to make things for people. Below are some things I made.
I made this wreath for my sis in law and her family. I scanned in some older photos I had (her children are now grown) and I photoshopped them to create the black and white old-looking photos. I bought the frames at Kohl's, got pretty ribbons and picks, used a little glue gun, and here is how it turned out:
I really like it - and so did she! I hope it just stays together well for years to come. If not, she has a glue gun!
I made a few of these for neighbor gifts:
Good ol' Target pails with some tasty goodies inside. Les made the little ornament hangers draped over the front. Fun times!
The main thing I made this year was my first quilt! I blogged earlier a teeny bit about learning how to do that. I had saved remnants of clothes over the years that I made for my daughter since she was teeny. My intention was to one day make her a quilt from those fabrics when she was older - maybe ready to graduate high school, or get married. She is now nearly 17. I decided now was a good time. My friend Carrie very patiently helped me select the pattern, showed me how to cut the pieces in a quick way with a rotary cutter and a rotary mat, and then showed me how to FIX the pieces after I completely messed them up. I made the quilt front, and then Carrie showed me how to make the border, the quilt back, and how to bind it. I went to her house to use her wonderful long-arm to quilt it together.
Here are a few photos of the process. Here it is ready to be pinned on to the rollers:
Carrie fixing the wonderful machine....
TAA DAAAA!!!
Ooooh!! It is soo cozy!
The happy recipient, which makes it worth every moment of sewing when she was little, fixing every mistake made while learning this process, and definitely worth completing the project.
I made this wreath for my sis in law and her family. I scanned in some older photos I had (her children are now grown) and I photoshopped them to create the black and white old-looking photos. I bought the frames at Kohl's, got pretty ribbons and picks, used a little glue gun, and here is how it turned out:
I really like it - and so did she! I hope it just stays together well for years to come. If not, she has a glue gun!
I made a few of these for neighbor gifts:
Good ol' Target pails with some tasty goodies inside. Les made the little ornament hangers draped over the front. Fun times!The main thing I made this year was my first quilt! I blogged earlier a teeny bit about learning how to do that. I had saved remnants of clothes over the years that I made for my daughter since she was teeny. My intention was to one day make her a quilt from those fabrics when she was older - maybe ready to graduate high school, or get married. She is now nearly 17. I decided now was a good time. My friend Carrie very patiently helped me select the pattern, showed me how to cut the pieces in a quick way with a rotary cutter and a rotary mat, and then showed me how to FIX the pieces after I completely messed them up. I made the quilt front, and then Carrie showed me how to make the border, the quilt back, and how to bind it. I went to her house to use her wonderful long-arm to quilt it together.
Here are a few photos of the process. Here it is ready to be pinned on to the rollers:
Carrie is getting it started and showing me how to work the machine.
I am hugging the wonderful machine.
Carrie fixing the wonderful machine....
TAA DAAAA!!! 
Ooooh!! It is soo cozy!
The happy recipient, which makes it worth every moment of sewing when she was little, fixing every mistake made while learning this process, and definitely worth completing the project. 
WOW! I am so impressed...what a beautiful and heartfelt gift. It is BEAUTIFUL!
ReplyDeleteAll of your projects turned out just beautifully, but I am especially impressed at how gorgeous and intricate your very first quilt is!
ReplyDeleteLearning how to quilt is on my list of things to learn someday, but I always imagined starting out with a simple baby quilt...not something as detailed and ambitious as yours! What a special treasure for Leslie!
Good work, I am so impressed.
ReplyDeleteLara I couldn't have handled the quilting when my kids were little, so have NO guilt over waiting a little while...! This quilt pattern looks tough, but in reality it was a pretty easy one. It was the cutting and measuring that I messed up on.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible quilt! I know Leslie will always cherish it.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is seriously gorgeous! Good job!
ReplyDeleteI am so impressed with the quilt! And thanks for the yummy treats :)
ReplyDeleteLeslie looks so happy and warm with her new quilt :o) You did such a beautiful job. I love your preztels! I want some next year...hint hint.
ReplyDelete