It is beautiful here this morning. There is a blanket of winter white covering everything. Which means that Rylie is going to want to go outside and make snow angels...she has been lying on the floor practicing and showing us how it is done. LOL I've even seen her throw all the toys out of the toybox, onto the floor and practice making angels in the middle of the toys. She is such a character and has so much imagination.
The other night were were eating and she took the mustard and ketchup bottles and was making them talk to each other. Her dad laughs and says she is weird like her mother. I say she has a great imagination and shows just how creative she is going to be.
Anyway...onto the projects. These are a few homemade projects that I found at the Better Homes and Gardens website and thought I'd share with ya'll here. I think homemade items make some of the best gifts. I didn't have time to make homemade jam this year so I am going to have to come up with a few new items myself.
Felted-Wool Santa Pillow
This cozy pillow is whole lot of fun to have sitting on a sofa or bed. Layers of felted wool bring Santa to life, and clear seed beads add a little sparkle to his cap and bushy beard.
What You Need
Freezer paper
Felted wool: two 14-x-14-inch squares of light blue, one 13-x-16-inch piece of white, one 5-x-9-inch piece of peach, one 5-x-8-inch piece of red, one 1-1/2-x-8-inch piece of olive, one 3-inch square of gold, and scraps of black
#8 pearl cotton: peach, black, red, and light blue
Polyester fiberfill
Disappearing-ink marker
Sequins: red and iridescent silver
Clear seed beads
How to Make It
Cut the Felted Wool
Position the freezer paper, shiny side down, over the patterns.
Trace the patterns the number of times indicated.
Cut out the shapes on the traced lines.
Using an iron, press a freezer-paper shape, shiny side down, onto the front of the respective fabric; let cool.
Cut out the shape along the pattern edges. Peel off the freezer paper.
Applique the Pillow
Position Santa's beard and hat on the pillow front; tuck the face behind the beard.
Pin and baste these pieces in place with sewing thread.
Pin the cheeks, eyes, eyebrows, and nose pieces on the face.
Temporarily place the mustache and hair pieces on the face to check the placement of the facial features, adjusting the positions as needed.
Remove the mustache and hair.
Sew the inner edge of the beard to the pillow front with peach running stitches, securing the face at the same time.
Attach cheeks with peach running stitches, stuffing each lightly with fiberfill before completing the stitching. Use black to blanket-stitch the eyes to the face.
Attach eyebrows with peach running stitches. Use peach to blanket-stitch the outer edges of the beard to the pillow front.
Lift up the bottom of the nose to reposition the mustache over the cheeks; tuck the mouth under the center. Attach the mustache with peach running stitches, securing the mouth with the stitches.
Attach the nose with peach running stitches, stuffing it lightly before completing the stitching.
Position the hair fringe to overlap Santa's face and beard; baste the top edge in place.
Blanket-stitch red along the edges of the hat and about 1 inch inside the hat on the left side to resemble a bend.
Blanket-stitch red along the top edge of the green hat cuff. Position the hat cuff on the hat and attach the bottom edge with red running stitches. Remove the basting stitches.
Freehand-draw strings from the tip of the hat with a disappearing-ink marker.
Embroider the strings with red stem stitches and add lazy daisy stitches at the ends. Attach the point of a gold star to each string with a red French knot.
Add a red sequin to the center of each star. Note: To attach a sequin, thread a beading needlewith sewing thread. Bring the needle from the wrong side of the fabric.
Finish the Pillow
With wrong sides together, pin the pillow front to the pillow back.
Use a 1/2-inch seam allowance to machine-sew the front to the back, leaving an opening for stuffing. Stuff the pillow with fiberfill and sew the opening closed.
Add blush to Santa's cheeks and nose, up through the sequin, thread on a seed bead, and return to the wrong side of the fabric through the sequin.
Add the remaining star to the hat cuff with a red sequin.
Use the disappearing-ink marker to draw curls on the beard and mustache.
Stem-stitch the drawn lines with light blue. Scatter iridescent silver sequins along the curls and in the hair fringe.
Easy-to-Make Felt Purse
Every little girl would love this adorable purse made from snowy white felt. Make it in an evening for the little one on your list.
What You Need
1 yard white wool felt
3 sheets 8-1/2-x-11-inch paper for pattern
Tape
Scissors
1 skein red cotton floss
Needle
Red felt
1 button
1/2 yard cording
Crafts glue
How to Make It
Wash the white felt and let it air-dry.
To make the pattern, tape the long end of one sheet of paper to the long end of the next; add the third sheet of paper in the same way.
Use scissors to cut the top piece of the pattern into a V that will become the purse flap.
Place the paper on the white felt and cut all around.
Fold the bottom third of the felt over the middle third; stitch the sides together using a blanket embroidery stitch, to create the purse pouch. Also stitch around the V for a cohesive look.
Cut four petal shapes from red felt and glue them to the point of the V.
Stitch a button in the center to finish.
To make the handle, cover the cording with a scrap of white felt and glue the ends shut.
Stitch the handle neatly to the back side of the bag.
Handmade Holiday Napkins
Make your holiday table sparkle with these simple embroidered napkins.
What You Need (for One Napkin)
12-inch-square linen napkin
Embroidery floss: red
Embroidery needle
Red fine-tip permanent marking pen
Finished Embroidery Designs: 3-inch square to 4-1/2-inch square
Download Embroidery Patterns
How to Make It: Trace Design
Choose an embroidery pattern and decide where on the napkin you want to position it. Consider placing designs in one corner, all four corners, or centered along a napkin edge.
Tape chosen embroidery pattern to a light box or sunny window. Position a napkin right side up over the pattern; tape in place. Trace the pattern onto napkin with a red fine-tip marking pen.
Embroider Napkin
Embroider the outline of the design with a backstitch. To backstitch, pull needle up at A (see diagram). Insert it back into fabric at B, and bring it up at C. Continue in same manner. Use two strands of embroidery floss for all stitches.
If desired, add a border of running stitches just inside the hem. To make a running stitch, pull needle up at A (see diagram) and insert back into fabric at B. Continue in same manner, loading several stitches on needle at a time. Leave about a stitch width between each stitch.
Add French knots to the snowman and "Believe" designs. To make a French knot, bring the needle up at A. Wrap the floss around the needle twice without twisting it. Insert the needle into the fabric at B, 1/16 inch away from A. Gently push the wraps down the needle to meet the fabric, then pull the needle and floss through the fabric slowly and smoothly.
Press the napkin from the wrong side when the embroidery is complete.
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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