Last of my Christmas Scraps

Last push to get all the Christmas scraps used up, once I'd had enough of making stockings!

This is a reasonable sized 'wrap' for Christmas wrapping - about 35" square.

This side is made up of scraps, put together in blocks and then sewn together.

I backed it with something else Christmassy, which isn't really substantial enough to be used on its own.

Perfect for this project!

My final project was to complete this selvedge project.

I'd joined the Christmas selvedges together on a backing piece of wadding, and once I'd got two pieces of a reasonable size, I was able to make them into a Christmas themed zipper pouch.

Lined with the same fabric that I used to back the wrap.

I'm pleased with how it turned out, but not in a hurry to make another!  

I'm quite pleased to be done with Christmas for the moment!
 

What Else Would I be Doing?

Surely everyone deals with their Christmas scraps in February?!?  No? Just me?

There were lots and lots of scraps from DD1's fabric bag business - and it was time to deal with them all, in her effort to be as close to zero waste as possible.

So, I drew up a stocking template on paper, and mounted it on some scrap cardboard.

Roughly cut the shape out of some scrap fleece, and then added the fabric scraps / strips using the 'quilt as you go' method to the front.

Then it was time to trim it and flip it over to admire it!

Repeat that seven times, add fabric for the back and lining, sew them together (pouch construction over the years helped me be able to do this fairly competently, I'm pleased to say!), along with a hanging loop, top stitch the edge - and this is the result.

I'm really pleased with these seven stockings, that FabWraps will be able to sell next Christmas.

On to deal with the rest of the Christmas scraps now!

 

Overnight Necessities!

When a girl might spontaneously stay away overnight, her mother thinks that there are some necessities that she should travel with - and a toothbrush and clean knickers come top of the list, with antiperspirant not fair behind.

After discussion, DD1 also wanted to add in her own toothpaste and her preferred brand of shower gel, handily available in a travel size. 

So, I grabbed a fun kitty print, made some pleated pockets, and produced an overnight roll for her.

 With a hair elastic and a button to close it, it makes a neat roll to be dropped into a handbag, just in case 'plans change' and there is an overnight stay involved!

We are both happy with the outcome!

Not the whole bird....

I'm taking part in the Quilters Guild 'Imagine a Bird' - and they ask that full images aren't shared ahead of a particular post that they are going to make, so here are just some snippets.

First of all, above, is the background that I've made for my piece.  A technique that I've seen other leading quilters use, layering up different neutrals, that I enjoyed creating.

Then you can see little glimpses of my work in progress - the bird that I am going to applique onto this background.

This was my first guess at a bird breast - but the colour wasn't working!

I was much happier with my second choice!

And the eye!  I thought that it was going to work, but it really didn't!

I've reversed the colours, and it's looking better than it was.

A fun project that I'm enjoying at the moment, although I'm having some adventures with threading needles, perhaps part of the reason why I haven't been doing as much hand sewing over the last couple of years.  More on that another time.