The Handmade Gifts of Christmas

Several friends and family members received homemade gifts this year.  This is my favourite part of Christmas--figuring out what to make and then getting to work in the sewing room to get it all done.  I would rather sew than spend time at the mall shopping for gifts. 

I made this pillow for my brother. As long time readers know, our Dad passed away last year and I decided to make this pillow using his shirts.  The background fabric is Essex Linen in dark grey-my Dad often wore gray flannel pants so this seemed like the perfect background fabric.  My brother lives far from here so I actually just mailed the pillow cover to him and suggested where he could buy the right size of pillow form.   I would like to make myself a pillow too. 

My husband and I were in need of some new pillowcases for our bed.  We have lots of squirrels in our backyard and my husband grew up in a home surrounded by oak trees, so this fabric is very appropriate and fun for our new pillowcases.

My daughter picked out the fabric for her pillowcases in the summertime.  I had hoped she would  forget about it, but she hadn't so was not really surprised when the pillowcases were under the tree.

Almost everyone received a bowl cozy.  I was in full bowl cozy production for a while, with special fabrics picked for each one.  I forgot to take pictures as I was making them but here are the two I made for my husband and I.

I've been hoarding this blue fabric for a while--obviously a favourite in my stash.   The outside of the bowl cozy is little birds.

This past summer, my husband and I were in Scotland for three weeks and I purchased some Scottish fabric in Inverness.  My husband's bowl cozy features Highland cattle.

Everyone in my husband's family and several of my friends received bowl cozies this year.  There will be no more burned hands when getting a bowl of soup out of the microwave!

My slow stitching projects continue to be a welcome break in the midst of the busy-ness of the season. There was some early morning stitching with Finn early in the week...

as well as some car stitching.  No change in colour yet, but soon. 

My daughter and I had some crafting time yesterday afternoon.  She received this kit from her Aunt, Uncle and cousins for Christmas and got started on some of the stitching. The kit is from Diana Watters Handmade.  I made a couple of Christmas ornaments with her kits last year. 

I worked on my snowflake ornament. I found some beads to add to it when the stitching is done.

In the meantime, all of the excitement has worn Finn out!  He took a lot of naps yesterday to recover.

He is up and playing now.  There will be a long walk later today.  Sunday morning, I will be linking up with Kathy and the other slow Sunday stitchers--take a look to see how everyone is relaxing during the holidays.