Christmas Sewing

I haven't posted a lot on Instagram of what I've been sewing lately because I was mostly sewing Christmas gifts. And, while my kids don't check Instagram (my oldest, after all, is only 7!), I still felt weird about posting pictures of gifts. But, I did a lot of sewing for Christmas. I give my girls a sewn gift every year for Christmas; it's a tradition I really love.

So, for my older girls, I made matching aprons. A while ago, they were fighting over the one too-small apron that matched one I have, so I decided to make new aprons for them and one for me that matched. I picked up some fabric at a local quilt shop's sidewalk sale. I totally scored: I got some Art Gallery Fabric yardage for $5 or $6 a yard. I bought enough for a quilt back, too. Anytime I can get a beautiful print for around the same price as Kona solids or less, I like to buy a backing. The girls' aprons were quick to whip up (although I still need to adjust the neck strap to be a little smaller for them). Mine took a bit longer, because I wanted to do a different style than I what I used to sew. I looked around for a pattern, but aprons are kinda out of style right now. Their popularity really peaked a few years back. And I really didn't want a pattern that sewed the skirt separately from the bib (bodice piece?). I think they look weird. So, in the end, I decided to trace an apron that fits well that looked like I could easily sew it. It was bound with bias tape, it really couldn't be that hard. It wasn't, and even though I wish the fabric were a little heavier (the apron I love is made of canvas not quilting cotton...), it's comfortable and the pockets are great. And it matches my daughters' and they're thrilled about that. :-)

I really considered making teeny tiny aprons for my twins (because everything small is adorable!), but I really felt that was a waste of time. And fabric. I mean, really. So instead, I made them shirts. I bought the Pippa pattern from Sew Kate Sew.

It's a quick sew and I'm pretty pleased with them! The neck line is a little gapey, so I tried to make it smaller on the second, but I think I made them one size too big. I went by the measurements, but the measurements put it at the top end of the 18 month size (my girls are currently 15 months...) and I'm not about to spend a bunch of time sewing them something that won't fit for more than a few weeks. So I made the 2T size...at least, since it's too big, they'll grow into them...and they're still wearable. Just a bit big. Bonus: I sewed these shirts from leftover knit from other projects, and I still have enough to make another shirt out of the tulip print. Yay!

The last gift I made was a last minute addition to the line up. I decided to make a wallet for my husband. After I made my own wallet (from the Dog Under My Desk Get Carded wallet pattern), my husband mentioned that he wanted one of his own. That was a while ago, and I didn't think he was serious, but when I found that I had time, I went for it. This pattern isn't too time-consuming, and since I've already sewn it, I knew I could do it fairly quickly. I picked out a black print and a turquoise print for the lining, and I had a turquoise zipper that just so happened to be a perfect match for the lining. I finished it up in an afternoon, and he was definitely surprised.

We'll see if he uses it. :-)

Christmas sewing can be stressful, but this year, it really wasn't. I picked doable projects, which had a lot to do with it, of course. I love this tradition. It's a way I can really give to my girls.

2017: The Year of the Samplers

What a year! This has been a wild year. My twins turned one in September, and having twin babies has been amazing. Amazingly difficult, amazingly wonderful, and truly an amazing blessing. I never could have imagined how wonderful twins would be. And how exhausting.

Of course, twin babies means that my sewing time was limited.

There is a time and season for everything, right?

Still, I've managed to sew quite a bit. I finished only two quilts and two mini quilts, so it doesn't show, but I did.

I bound the two quilts at a neighborhood sewing retreat. The first is my Shimmer quilt, and it lived on my couch this past autumn.

The second is my Vintage Holiday Christmas quilt.

The first mini quilt I finished is my Beauty and the Beast mini quilt meant for a Disney Mini Quilt Swap I had to drop out of, due to my killer twin pregnancy. I started it in 2016, but it got put on the back burner.

The second mini quilt I finished is a gift for my brother who moved across the country. I thought it would be nice to send them a Christmas table runner, and I hope they love it!

I completed three bags and a wallet. You can read about my diaper bag here,

and I made two mini shoulder bags you can read about here (they match; one went to a dear friend who lives in France and I kept the second).

And I made a wallet to go with it.

I made myself a shirt. I want to start garment sewing more (I find clothing shopping aggravating: I'm tall, and struggle more than I would like to find clothing that fits well). It was good practice: I used a pattern I've sewed before, and fabric I had in my closet for years, so it was a good project, and I'm mostly happy with it. The fabric wasn't an ideal choice for the pattern, but it's okay.

I finished a quilt top, a Swoon 16, but haven't finished a very ambitious back using hundreds of tiny HST cut offs from the top. So it's waiting...

I finished a leaders and enders top as well, the Argyle Medallion pattern from Scraps Inc. Vol 2, and it's currently at a quilter's. I can't wait, I'm having it custom quilted and I just know it's going to be amazing. I used all scraps, except for a few strips of low volume prints for the flying geese since I didn't have enough scraps the right size.

But, I've declared this the year of the sampler because I've got a number of samplers underway.

I finished my Summer Sampler quilt top and am trying to decide whether to get it custom quilted or use an all-over pattern.

I'm preparing to start free motion quilting on my six-inch sampler (my first time doing a larger-than-mini quilt!) and I've kept up with the Bernina Block Party. I also have a number of blocks sewn for my Patchwork City Sampler. And, I made a bunch of six-inch blocks out of Sweetwater fabric for a contest on Instagram (which I totally won!) and I plan (eventually...) to turn that into a quilt. So, that's a total of FIVE sampler projects this year.

It's been a big year! I sewed more than I expected to. And I look forward to 2018! I have a lot of garment sewing planned, and that'll definitely be a stretch for me!