Category: Gifts (Page 3 of 7)

Gifts

September 15, 2015 / Patty

I was lucky enough to recieve some gifts from friends this summer too. A friend who I chat with many times a week but usually by email, found a pincushion pattern that she wanted to try out so I was the lucky winner on that one and one friend I had made a pincushion caddy for and in turn she created me a beautiful pair of hand knit socks.

It’s always such a treat to receive handmade gifts from friends. (Actually it’s a treat to receive any kind of gift. It always makes me feel special.) I love creating gifts for people and in turn I love to receive the Starfish Alley m as well.

This beautiful wool pincushion was created with love and care by my friend Gretchen.

I feel honored and blessed to be on the receiving end.
For my friend Terri, I made this pincushion caddy similar to one she had see on a website.

As a thank you she gifted me with these hand knit socks. What a lucky gal I am!

Fall is in the air!

September 14, 2015 / Patty

Fall is in the air here in Edmonds. After an unusually warm summer it’s time to get into the fall routines. I’m working on that for sure.

I have done lots of odds and ends of sewing here but really haven’t had the inclination to post much. I’m looking forward however to some updates here and continue to make a record of my finishes. I’ve got lots of plans for the fall so we’ll see how I do.

One of my finishes this summer has been a second baby quilt. This is for the friend of daughter #2 who is expecting her daughter #2. When I started this I really only expected to test the block idea and size but after I had finished several of the blocks I decided that I really like it and it would be perfect for this new baby. I did struggle with the binding for a bit but finally settled on this green stripe. At first after it was done I thought I had made a mistake because it’s so much bolder than I had anticipated but I do think I like it and it does go with the fabrics.

As I was searching for this picture I also found many others.

Another project from earlier in the summer was another pillowcase. This was also for a Girl Scout friend.

For the love of Pinterest

June 8, 2015 / Patty

For the love of Pinterest.. I’ve heard this so many times. It fills my head with ideas and I get excited, pull fabrics, print patterns, make plans and often before I’ve finished one project I’ve started another. There are so many that I would like to do that sometimes I also get bogged down in the ideas and the planning and forget about the doing. This time however I even did the doing part! I’ve made jar cozies/carriers for 16 oz mason jars. Once again I almost got lost in the choosing fabric stage but I pushed through, and made my decision and was very firm with myself about not going back and choosing something better, or more appropriate or any number of other things.

My kids have fixed overnight oatmeal with oatmeal, a liquid and berries, putting it in the fridge overnight and taking it with them to work in the morning. I’ve also given them each several of the colored ball jars that are popular right now and I know they use them for storage and transporting food etc. When I saw these on Pinterest it was a pin from the sewmamasew website, I knew this was what I needed to make next. Like many projects of this type, the cutting preparation is really the most time-consuming part. I cut four of them at a time although when I was done I realized I needed more of the insulbrite cut but I can easily do that part tomorrow. The sewing was fast and fun and I can see making more of these. If I can figure out who to give them to.

Graduation Time of Year

June 2, 2015 / Patty

It’s graduation time of year again. I don’t really have close to me relatives graduating this year but do know two ladies that I want to recognize. Graduation is a big accomplishment if it is high school or college. The first lady is a high school graduate and like I’ve done many times over the last several years I’ve made a zip bag. I love to make these and they are so handy to have around. I have odds and ends in my purse, like Tylenol, eye drops etc. I have one for my cell phone, I have one for my Kindle and I have one for all of my charging cords. The usefulness can go on and on. I hope this lady will like her zip pouch as she heads off to college and finds it useful for some of life’s odd and ends.

The second lady is older and a college graduate. She has put herself through school while working full-time and I have lots of admiration for her and her hard work. She is also a Girl Scout volunteer and for many years has volunteered one week of her vacation at a summer overnight Girl Scout camp. As I puzzled about how to recognize her I decided I could make her a pillowcase that was designed especially for camp. Her camp name relates to a small animal and there are many interesting small wildlife creatures at camp so I thought this was a fitting recognition and something that she will use, enjoy and it will not show any dirt. At camp this is always a bonus even if you do sleep inside!.

So for this year, graduation sewing is done. Next on the agenda is a couple of aprons and at least two baby quilts. One of those quilts has been pieced so now it’s just layering, quilting and binding.

Baby Baby

May 21, 2015 / Patty

Baby baby, can’t you hear my heart beat… well not mine I guess but I’ve had lots of fun in the last couple of weeks sewing for my niece’s new baby girl. She actually will arrive in this world June 4th but I really didn’t want to wait. There are still more babies on the horizon. Not my own grandchildren yet, although maybe someday, but children of folks that I do know.

I made this new little girl a lovely “girlie” quilt. When I first started I knew the colors I wanted to use but when I cut the first pieces out it seemed too intense so I ended up cutting the strips of fabric and resewing and cutting again. I’m quite pleased with the result. It has produced a lovely quilt that is not too jarring but very sweet. It has this cute pink dancing bunny flannel on the back.

For the new baby there is also a tag blanket, a new burp rag and a darling sweater that my friend made for me to give her.

Baby sweater

I had some leftover blocks and decided that I needed to make some fun gifts for the big sister too. Now the big sister is two and a half and loves to help her mommy. She is also a great imitator and has a wonderful imagination. I just knew the big sister needed to have a new baby doll of her own. With that baby doll, she needed a few necessities to take good care of the baby so I also made her a doll blanket for that precious baby, as well as a few diapers with velcro, some diaper wipes, and a diaper bag. She also has a soft colorful blanket to cover that baby doll so she won’t get cold.

A few more odds and ends

April 18, 2015 / Patty

Here are a few more odds and ends. Mostly pictures.

I’m still making and decorating towels.

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Also some embroidery

And a custom yoga bag for an oversize yoga mat.

A bit more control

April 17, 2015 / Patty

Finally I seem to have a bit more control at my house and I want to start sewing more and posting more. With the challenges the last two years it seems like it’s been a struggle sometimes to just get through day to day. With cancer and chemo for daughter, broken foot, broken femur and knee cap for husband plus three months of no working and no mobility and my mother deteriorating and passing all at the same time plus many hours of work, it’s been day to day work with a bit of sewing but not much else. I actually have made a few things and am going to search for pictures and add some other posts. It’s something I look forward to.

Last summer I did make two chemo caps for a friend who was losing her hair. These are fast, fun and quick to make up and I did making enjoy them.

And then I made a couple of gifts for my niece’s daughter, an I Spy bag and a small carry all bag that she could put her books and “important things” in and take them with her.

And then a fun zip bag for a friend from some Laurel Burch fabric from my stash. I do like making these bags.

Now I have to search for more pictures. I’m usually quite organized about where I store things but this past year has not been as good so now I’m on a search and organize mission. so until next time..

A long time coming..

November 20, 2014 / Patty

This post has been a long time coming. Sometimes life just gets in the way. So far this year hubby has broken a foot, and then broke his leg, was in the hospital and in rehab and not walking for 3 months. Just before he got the ok to start putting weight on his leg my mother passed away. Now we’re approaching the holidays and I’m trying to get things in order. I think it may be awhile.

I have done some sewing but not much really. I did make this cute apron for a young woman getting married. I find that often these younger folks not only don’t do as much cooking but have never owned an apron but are grateful to have one and find they are really quite handy. I like aprons and have many and will continue to make more. It was a bit of a shock to count the number of apron patterns that I own and I told a friend that if she caught me looking at apron patterns to remind me I was on restriction!

Quick graduation gift

July 9, 2014 / Patty

I knew a couple of young ladies that were graduating and needed a quick graduation gift. I’ve made pouches for young ladies this age before and found they have been well received. They seem to be useful for odds and end and all kinds of other things. I made these a tad bigger so they could be used for charging cords. I don’t know about you, but it seems like I am taking more of these with me when I travel places and it’s hard to find a convenient place to store them where you can find them again. I hate to keep looking for my things and try to keep them all together and be consistent about where I put my belongings so this is important to me. These young ladies will not have mothers with them to keep track of their things when they leave for college in a few weeks so I’m hopeful that these pouches will be useful.

Oh So Long…

April 11, 2014 / Patty

Oh so long since I’ve been here. I keep thinking about posting and when I get to the computer there are always so many things to do that it slips by again. I’m really getting anxious to start sewing again. Daughter 2 is back on her own and feeling better after chemo and I’m trying to get organized and get my life in order again. Not sure if that will ever happen but I am optimistic!

The month of December was chaotic in many ways. I took a road trip with one of my brothers and got back about the 10th of December. This really limited my getting ready for Christmas events. Never did seem to get organized. One of the things I did spend several months doing however was making folded star Christmas ornaments. I cut all the pieces and kept the supplies next to my rocking chair and every night I made ornaments. I really enjoyed the process and the combinations. As with any project there are some that I liked better than others and some fabrics were better suited to this project and it took me some time to figure it all out. I could continue making these but not sure what else to do with them once they are all complete. I think most folks I know now have one. I guess I could finally open the Etsy story I have registered and sell them. Something to think about and that will remain to be seen. For now however, here is a picture of all that loveliness.

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