Log Cabbin Square

These were quick, easy and fun to make! Just simple Log Cabin Squares but with each ring the same color. They're going to look great in my finished quilt. Since it's been so crazy I haven't had time to do any tutorials lately, but I'll do better in January!

Advent Calendar Finished!

I finished the advent calendar just in time for Christmas! I'm so glad it's done. But it turned out really cute, and I'll love to get it out every year for Christmas. All I'll need to do is add a new stocking each year we have a new baby. So not too  much work in the future.

Lunch Bag

This is the last project I worked on for Christmas. Dave's side of the family does a name exchange each year and I drew my Sister-in-law Anisa. She had pinned a lunch bag on Pinterest, saying if I ever got her she wouldn't mind my making it. So, I made a few changes to the pattern (added a zipper to hold up better and changed the dimensions to fit my favorite tupperware, etc).

I love the results and plan to make one for Dave in January. When I do, I'll make a tutorial so anyone who wants one can make one. The challenging part was making sure the pattern of the material was facing the right direction for the whole thing. I should have just bought more material so I didn't have to worry so much about cutting.

More Advent Calendar Ornaments

It's been a crazy week for us! We have so many projects and so much baking to get ready for Christmas. But I was able to get a few ornaments done for the calendar. I think I need one more snow flake, and maybe some ornanments.

The Morning Star

I think I've fallen in love with this square. I'm contemplating making a full quilt out of this square for our bedroom. It's just 4 big squares, 4 elongated snowballs, and one small center square. Looks more complicated than that, doesn't it?

Stocking Stuffer Dolls

I whipped up two of these this weekend! I have two nieces that are big enough to want a toy for Christmas, but not big enough for the play dough we got for the "big kids". So the solution was some cute little dolls. I must admit, Logan loves to grab the arms of these ladies and shake them so the legs dance around. I think I only have one more gift to make and one more to buy for Christmas.

I found the pattern on Martha Stewart's website. I just added a collar and pig tails to ours. They were an easy sew. I didn't expand the pattern to 150% like recommended, I just added 1/4 inch to the pattern pieces to allow for sewing.

The Stockings are Hung

We've completed our Christmas decorating for the year! Since we don't have a fire place in our house, the stockings get hung on the bookshelf. I made our stockings out of fake leather, a layer of Warm and Natural quilt batting, some material appliqued on the front, and some fuzzy white stuff for the cuffs. I like the way they turned out and I love that they're the only ones of their kind.

This one is mine. Just some berries and leaves appliqued on.

This one is my son, Logan's. The snowman and scarf are appliqued, the eyes are just black embroidery thread, and the buttons.

This one is my husband, Dave's. The Christmas tree is appliqued on and the ornaments are buttons sewn on. He isn't happy with this stocking though. He wants Logan's snow man. Sigh... only one kid and it begins already.

Advent Calendar Ornaments

We've been working on more of these lately! My goal is one a day and we're caught up so far. I want to maybe do some snow flakes next week and a few regular ornament looking ornaments. Or maybe a few presents to go under the tree. We'll see what catches my fancy

Celtic Headbands

my boy refused to pose in a headband... so you get a doll!

I've been working on Christmas gifts for the nieces and nephews lately. I think it's good for my son to learn to give, so I've put together a little something for each of them. We have quite a few young baby girls on our list, so I've put together a few headbands for them.

They were quick, easy, and made of scrap t-shirt material so the only cost was my minimal time.

Supplies:

Knit material (4 pieces 1 x 10 inches)

The edge of a sleeve

Cut the 4 pieces of material. Pull on the ends of the material so they curl on themselves, like the picture below.

Fold one piece of material in half, lay it on the table, and make a fish with the material (like below).

Take a second piece of material and weave it through the fish, making a second fish.

Pull the knots tight, straitening up the ends as much as possible.

Cut 1 to 2 inches off one end. This will allow the knot to lay on one side of the head, rather than in the center.

Cut off the sleeve edge, right down to the sewing line. Cut off 2 pieces 1 1/2 inches long.

Take the two ends of the knot and place them inside a third piece of material. Sew across the material to hold the two pieces together.

Take the 1 1/2 inch sleeve piece and fold it around the piece you just sewed together.

Sew up the seam. If you know the circumference of the baby's head, you can now cut the piece to the size of the head and attach it to the other side of the knot. Or, if you would prefer, you can attach the 4th piece to the other side of the knot so mom can tie the headband on.

Now your headband is ready to wear! If you want a thicker knot, you can make the bands thicker. I did this for one for me. I also like it backwards when it's thicker, so you can see the two sides curling on each other.

Advent Calendar!

I've wanted to make an Advent Calendar for a few years now. I bought all the supplies for it last year, but just didn't get around to it. I swear, Christmas is the busiest time of the year! So this year I vowed to get it done in time to use it. Today (December 1st) I finished the calendar and 3 of the ornaments! 

I know, cutting it close, but I'm so glad I made my goal. Now I just have to make a few ornament each week, and I'll have it done by Christmas! It seems doable anyway! I decided not to put numbers on the pockets, but I might change my mind and add some later. I wanted the kids to be able to pick whatever pocket they wanted.

I also decided to line the pockets with a silver material. This will make it so the felt doesn't stretch out over time. I

It was a lot of work to brainstorm and lay out, but I love the end result! I might even sell a pattern on how to do it next year. We'll see if there's any interest. Now to bust out those ornaments!