Merry and Bright

I have some Christmas sewing I'd like to share with you!

I made a Christmas 'stamps' mini quilt. These little fabric stamps are sweet as can be, and very easy to make--you just need some scraps, plain white fabric and a bit of fusible web. The tutorial by nanaCompany is here.

Rather than quilt the whole thing in an all-over design, I used the stitching around the image and the white pinked edge as my quilting. The two rows of stitches around all the stamps hold the layers together just fine. It lets the stamp images stand out more...and truth is, I just couldn't bear to sew through Santa's cute little face :)

It didn't turn out too badly for a first try. I'd like to do another, with pretty feedsack fabrics, to have out all year.

I pulled out all my happy red and green and Christmas-y scraps and pieced a pair of pillow covers for the couch. They're hand-quilted with red embroidery floss, and have a simple envelope-style back, in solid red.

 They're so bright and cheerful!

 More cute retro Santas.

And some more sweet little cottages (like these I made for fall; a link to the free tutorial is in that post).

"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house..."

"The children were nestled all snug in their beds..."

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night."

I so enjoy Christmas sewing, but I'm done...and ready to move on to some quilts!

And now if I may, a couple cute holiday kitty photos:
This one from two years ago shows the typical Christmas shenanigans around here. All those ribbons and bows were in the bag when I left the room.

You better not pout, Gracie...

Thank you, friends, for reading and for leaving your comments, I have appreciated each and every one! I wish you all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a 

happy and healthy New Year!

Lynn

Linked up to Finish it up Friday

Christmas Houses

I made a bunch of little houses for Halloween, so how could I resist making some for Christmas?

 Some. *rueful laugh* I use that word loosely.
I made 33 of them. Because I am clearly some kind of crazy.

I just pulled out all my Christmas-y green fabrics, and all the reds...

...then started cutting out houses and roofs, and putting them all together in pretty combinations...and ended up with enough for 33 houses. Oh, boy.

Sometimes I don't plan my sewing very well...I just go with it.

For these I used osnaburg, a soft unbleached nubby cotton. I like the texture it adds.

 And how could I not make a couple with little sock monkeys peeking out of a window?! Remember the line of sock monkey fabrics by Moda a while back? I have some, and they are adorable.

I so enjoyed designing them all, applique'ing every door and window, and hand-sewing every tiny button doorknob...but 33 was a bit much to do at once.
Actually, 'at once'= many many many days.
Yeah, I won't do that again.

But it's all good, After all, Santa's elves have to live somewhere.
One was given as a gift, the rest of these are for sale. They went to my stylist's hair salon, where they will hopefully find many new homes and Christmas trees to decorate.
Want to make your own? I changed some details for mine, but you can find instructions in Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman.

Enjoy all your holiday sewing!

Lynn

Linked up with Needle & Thread Thursday and Finish it up Friday.

Harvest Home

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

The little houses are made from this tutorial. Since I intended for them to sit on a shelf, I made them bigger and without a hanger. All the prints and colors make them a bit busy, but I had so many pretty fall fabrics, I didn't want to leave any out. Besides, I wanted them to be bright and cheerful for this often gloomy time of year.

The tutorial for the set of pumpkins is here. For the leaves, I used pieces of a thrifted ladies wool jacket that I bought at Goodwill and dyed green. Dying (I used RIT) can be such a crapshoot, but that green on cream-colored wool turned out so nice. I have gotten A LOT of mileage out of that one blazer!

Reflect on all you have to be grateful for, share your blessings, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lynn

Linked up to Finish It Up Friday.

Haunted Houses

But haunted only by friendly, slightly mischievous spirits, of course.

I first saw cute little houses like this in the book Scandinavian Stitches by Kajsa Wikman. She makes such sweet, colorful, charming things (her blog is here).  I fiddled around with the design a bit--sizes, details--and made one just right for me. I love those little windows and rounded doors, button doorknobs and crooked chimneys.

I made some little houses last year for Christmas decorations, to keep and give away...but really, how could I resist making some for Halloween? And how could I not make a small neighborhood??

Applique'ing the windows and doors is so much fun, and so is picking out combinations of fabrics for each house---the wilder, the better. I like to make them with a high contrast of colors and fabrics, so they stand out and look more whimsical.

You never know what you might find in your neighbor's woodpile...

(Linked up with Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday)