filling in the blanks

Time to fill in the blanks of what I made for Christmas presents this year. First of all a couple of blouses for Debbie. They're made from one of my favourite blouse patterns - New Look 6407, view E.

I've made this blouse before for Debbie (blogged here) but it was a bit short in the body for her so I made these 3" longer than the pattern. Hopefully there won't be any displays of midriff when she wears these versions!

This one is a brown flowery cotton:

And this one is a creamy flowery cotton:

The only other thing I made was a diary cover for Joanna. I made a patchwork one this time using lots of fun scraps and used my letter stamping blocks to make her name and the date - there are no numbers on my blocks so I put the date in Roman numerals. This is the front:

The back:

And the inside showing the flaps which hold the diary in place.

Thankfully, both girls loved their mum-made presents.

Finally, I also made these.

They're called "Linzer Augen" which, apparently, translates as "Lens Eyes". Now, whether that means "spectacles" or "contact lenses", I'm not sure. What I do know is that they are delicious! I found the recipe here - it's in French but is easily translated using google translate. I halfed the recipe as I didn't want to make - or eat! - 60 biscuits!

not long to go now

Not long to go until the big man gets here. I'll be checking on his progress on the Norad site as usual. I think it brings out the kid in me getting excited as he gets closer and closer! I've just checked and, as I type, it's saying he takes off in 1 day, 9 hours and 49 minutes. Crumbs, that's a bit scarey is it not?

I don't have anything to show today as the few things I have been making are Christmas blanks. I'll show them after the big day.

Instead, I'll just show you something I made in my Photoshop. (I didn't draw the Santa and Rudolph - they're part of my collection of graphics.) Many years ago, I used to make signatures on a forum which is now defunct. I wasn't sure if I'd remember how to do anything but I did. I even remembered how to animate so that I could make Rudolph's nose blink on and off. Go me! :oD

Anyway, the image says it all.

Have a wonderful time! :o)

the pompom's on the sheepy hat and a new skirt

I finished off the sheepy hat last week. The pompom just sets the whole thing off nicely, I think. The hat is soooooooo cosy!

I made myself a skirt this week. I used this pattern - Butterick 5466, view A.

Actually, to be truthful, I've made it twice. Why? Because my first attempt - where I looked carefully at the pattern's measurements to decide what size to make - was far too big for me. I wouldn't have minded so much but the skirt was lined and it involved a lot of careful unpicking to get it back to a stage where I could take it in. Serves me right for not trying it on during the making but my measurements were *exactly* what the pattern said the bigger size would finish at so why would I doubt them?

Anyway, I took it apart, cut it back, re-sewed it, tried it on, re-lined it and finished it off and here's how it looks on a festively decorated Diana.

I have my suspicions that it might still be a bit big for me but I'll just tuck my polo necks in for now. I refuse to take it all apart again!

2 tutu trees and a sheepy hat

I haven't achieved much this week - compared to normal anyway - as I've had a bit of a head cold and haven't been much use for doing anything. It's gradually getting better - or at least I hope it is - so I should get back to normal productivity soon. Hopefully!

I did finish off my purple tutu tree with a yellow felt star and the tree is now in place on top of the piano. I might be a wee bitty biased but I think it's fabulous!

I started one for Joanna on Tuesday and then the head cold hit me and I had to leave it but I managed to get it finished it today. She has plans to hang her Christmas earrings on hers too. As she says, they'll be easy to find if they're on the tutu tree!

Over the last couple of weeks, I've been knitting. And not just any knitting - I've been knitting on circular knitting needles!! I was so apprehensive of using them as, although I can knit with 4 kneedles, I hate it. With a passion. I didn't know how well I'd get on with circulars but I managed really well. I did get myself into a bit of a tangle a couple of times until I watched on a video on youtube about how to use the magic loop method of using circulars and then it was much much easier.

I first saw this hat on Pinterest and so wanted to knit it. It's a free pattern too which made me want to knit it even more! :oD

Source: via Anne on Pinterest

I chose slightly different colours of aran weight yarn - simply because my local yarn shop didn't have blue for the sky or black for the sheep!! I actually used chunky black for the sheep because I didn't think they would look right with any other colour of faces or legs!! They're called blackface sheep for a reason after all!

I finished all the knitting last night and here is my version. These colours are pretty close to reality.

It definitely needed blocking and the pattern advised using a ball so out I went to the garage to see what I could find. The football we had was a bit big so I chose a rugby ball instead.

And this is how the hat is looking at the moment. It makes me giggle every time I see it - it looks like an enormous boiled egg with an equally enormous boiled egg cosy on top! LOL

I've made a pompom for the top and, boy, that little endeavour took me back. I don't remember the last time I made a pompom. Hopefully I'll get said pompom sewn on tomorrow.

pinnies, a bag, a skirt and a tutu tree

I finished off the pinnies I was making last week and they're now being worn by me and my girls. This one was made from a remnant which had 50p written on it. Not bad, eh? (Apologies for the fuzzy photo!)

I love all of these and plan to wear them (along with all the others I have) all December!

Who wouldn't want to cook/bake or even wash up wearing one of these?

I fought my way through the making of the pvc bag. I do love it but am determined to remember not to buy any more pvc for sewing. It's such a task sewing it!

I love the lining fabric too. It sort of reminds me of the Coca Cola font and therefore the "Holidays are Coming" coke advert which I *love*!

I made myself a black jumbo cord skirt. This is a pattern that I made for myself years ago. I had to take it in by about 1½" - go me!! It's hard to get a good photo of a black skirt in the dismal days of December!

I used some fun dice fabric for the facings. Nobody will see them but I'll know they're there!

Douglas used an old wooden knitting needle to make the trunk of my tutu tree. That's what I'm calling it - much more fun than calling it a "net tree"!!

I did all the rest of the work and this is how it's looking at the moment. The decorations are my just some of my vast collection of Christmas earrings. Aren't they fab?

I just have a felt star to make for the top and should get that done tomorrow.

make it so

Enjoy!

padding the dummy and other things

I can't show everything I've been making this week as some of them are "blanks" for Christmas gifts. I've taken photos, though, so, after the big man has been, I'll dig them out and fill in the blanks.

In the meantime, here are a few miscellaneous shots from my camera.

First of all, this is Diana the dummy in her new spotty outfit. I wanted her to look more like me - bigger in the boobular area and not so flat over the tummy section so I padded her out with wadding and bump (curtain interlining) and this is how she looks now. She's got a few lumps there (a wee bit like myself! :oD) but she measures the same as I do now so she'll give me a more accurate idea of the fit of things. Hopefully!

I dug out our Christmas mugs last week, washed them and hung them on the mug hooks. Three hooks are empty because I'd already used the mugs before I thought of taking the photo! I have to say, I find the 2 mugs on the right really annoying. The pattern is only printed on one side and, to show said pattern, they need to hang differently from all the other mugs. I don't think I have OCD but it annoys me a lot that they're like that! ;o)

Yesterday morning we had snow. It did lie for about quarter of an hour but, thankfully, it was wet snow so it didn't take long to disappear. Phew!

I was tidying my Christmas fabrics and found a few that I could make pinnies from so I cut them out yesterday and started sewing them today. Only the tapes to sew on now and I can start wearing my share! Yay!

I also found a piece of Christmas pvc fabric in the pile so I cut it out for a shopping bag. I know I'll be letting loose with a few wee sweary words as I sew the pvc but hopefully not too many. I need to remind myself when I see pvc in the remnant box, how much I *hate* sewing with the stuff!!

Our Christmas concert yesterday went quite well. There were a few "moments" that should have been better but the audience didn't notice and clapped loudly. Hopefully we'll have made a lot of money for the "Save the Children" charity. Douglas did take some photos for me but he was so far back in the hall that you can barely see the choir never mind the bow ties and mini bow tie brooches I made. Oh well, maybe next year! :o)

blog more often!!

Why don't I blog more often? I ask myself this question quite a lot and I don't ever get a sensible answer from myself! The thing is, when I do blog - in today's case 12 days (!!!) after the previous blog post - I have so much to say/show that it takes ages to write the post. And who wants to read screeds and screeds of "here's what I made" posts? Not me, that's for sure! So, I'm really going to try to blog more often. We'll just have to wait and see if that happens!!

Okay, so here are some photos to show what I've been doing since I last blogged.

I finished the 2 Christmas stockings for the raffle at our concert only to get to the rehearsal last week to be told there wasn't going to be a raffle table. After a bit of (inward, small) sweary words, I just let it go. If I'd said anything, I'd probably have been roped into organising it and no way was I doing that. It should have been done weeks/months ago, not 2 weeks before the concert takes place!

Debbie is doing a table at a craft fair on Friday so, amongst other Tartan Bee stuff, I've given her the 2 stockings. Maybe she'll sell them, maybe she won't. If she doesn't, I'll just list them in my Etsy shop.

The next thing I made were a couple of white blouses. The first one is my old standard McCall's 5359. It fits me beautifully and might well be the blouse I wear under my red jacket for the concert.

This next one is a Vogue pattern - Vogue 8747, view A. I was a bit concerned that the bust wouldn't be big enough but, when I made it up, the gathered bit is actually a bit big for me.

I've tried the blouse on under my red jacket and it looks fine so it's another possibility for the concert.

I made a wee tree ornament for Joanna to add to a gift she's sending to someone in the US. It's all made from scraps of tartan so appropriately Scottish!

Last Friday, Douglas, Joanna and I headed to Glasgow. Joanna and I went to the Country Living Christmas Fayre and Douglas headed to the Science Museum. A good time was had by all. I didn't buy much but I did spend £1 to get this bag from the Scotsman newspaper stand.

It also had some oaty snacks and a packet of quick porridge as well as the newspaper in the bag. The handles were too long for me so, when I got home, I shortened them and added a bag lining. Others may also have paid £1 for the bag but mine is now unique!

Joanna asked me to trace her next stichery for her. It's going to be awesome!

I took a notion to make myself a mini bow tie brooch to wear on my red jacket.

It was quite finicky to make it so I didn't really want to make one for all 14 of the ladies in our choir. I puzzled over it last weekend and tried a different method of making them and it worked so here are the 14 mini bow tie brooches all waiting to go to tomorrow's rehearsal.

On Monday afternoon, Joanna and I headed to Stirling. We were going to a talk given by Diana Gabaldon - author of the Outlander series - and Neil Oliver - tv presenter with his first novel released. The talk was to be at Stirling Castle. I took this photo when we got to the car park. Isn't it fabulous? I love it so much, I've set it as my desktop picture on my computer!

The talk was absolutely fascinating. Both authors had stories to tell and were very interesting. I was definitely glad we went. This is Joanna after getting Neil Oliver's autograph.

And here she is with Diana Gabaldon. Both authors must have had sore hands by the end of the night after signing all those books!

Joanna had asked me to make an Outlander bag for her to give to Diana Gabaldon but I made it a bit special. Nobody else has one like this!!

Okay, I think that's me caught up now. It's taken me more than 45 minutes to write this post. Lesson learned. Blog more often!!

another week of makes

Another catching up post from my camera.

First - the 8 bow ties I made for the men in the choir I sing in. I took them to the rehearsal last week and everyone was delighted with them which pleased me no end!

I also took the flower I made for our musical director. She was over the moon with it which also pleased me no end!

For our concert, the ladies have to wear something red or something white or red and white. (This is on our top half - we wear black skirts or trousers on the bottom half!) I had decided to just wear a white shirt and my red cardigan. Then I thought about a piece of red fabric that's been in my stash for an embarrassingly long time. I dug it out and decided to make a jacket with it. The pattern I used is from way back when - possibly the mid 90s?

I've made it before albeit in a smaller size - so I was fairly happy that it would fit me (in the next size up). I changed the length to make it about 3" shorter. I know I haven't shrunk 3" since the 90s so I must have been happy wearing the longer length back then! Anyway, it fits me and I think it will work well as my red top half. I'll still wear a white blouse underneath it.

I decided to make a couple of Christmas stockings for the raffle which will be held at the concert. This is the first one all quilted and cut to shape. (Apologies for the bad photos. Winter photos are not good. Actually, my summer photos weren't that great either! *sigh*)

This is the second one which has now been sewn together, quilted and cut to shape. They now just need backed and lined and they'll be ready for raffling.

I was watching a video on youtube my Jennie Doan of the Missouri Star Quilt Company. It's a scrappy 4-patch star block and I was totally intrigued. I just knew I wanted to try it out in Christmas fabrics. So I did.

This is my first one:

And, of course, I had to make another one.

The pattern was so easy and quick to make. I can see myself making a few more of these ... after I've finished those stockings. No really, Anne. You HAVE to finish those stockings before you make any more of those scrappy four-patch stars.