Scandinavian Stitches Pixies

Just like those who leave up their Christmas tree, I find it hard to put away Christmas.

I have several Gooseberry Patch books with Christmas crafts and recipes that I like to take down from the shelf and browse during the holiday season. This past December, I shelved my sewing machine for the month. In the New Year, after I put away my decorations, I looked at my Christmas fabric and what I most wanted to sew was Christmas related.

After the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I enjoy the calm and quiet of January. Christmas sewing in January seemed like a lovely idea.

Ten years ago, I made apple coasters from the book by Kajsa Wikman, Scandinavian Stitches, published in 2010 by Stash Books. At the time, I wanted to make the project named Tomte Stuffy before Christmas, but never found the time.

A tomte is a kind of Scandinavian elf or gnome. Kajsa’s version are cuter than the faceless, bearded gnomes that have become so popular. I’m going to refer to them as Christmas pixies.

I sewed one, but couldn’t stop at just one! I knitted a scarf for the pixie dressed in corduroy. I used felt for two of the caps, which were hard to get the tips out when turning. I used linen for the faces and hands, and powder blush for their cheeks. I didn’t change anything about the pattern; I even liked their minimal faces which I embroidered.

I enjoyed pixie production! I already had a bag of fiberfill, so was glad to use some of it. The stuffing of body parts takes time and patience. I found it was best done away from the machine while watching TV.

They were a little tricky to sew. Long legs!

I sewed a felt pocket on the corduroy dress. The shape is halfway between a heart and an apple.

My pixies spent the rest of the month and half of February looking adorable sitting on a chair, giving me some post-Christmas cheer.

Initially, I checked out the book Scandinavian Stitches from the library, but I recently bought it. I especially like the way the projects are organized into seasons. I have a few ideas for more projects, maybe with some changes. I think it will be sooner than ten years. I might like working on a winter project in the summer.

Finishing up the last day of 2018

It’s the last day of the year!  Anything I didn’t get done will just have to wait.

I finished the year with some Christmas crafting.  I am using some of the Christmas fabric I got for free from the closing of my neighborhood thrift store a few years back.

I made a wall hanging from this Santa panel.  I got the idea to add fiberfill as I machine quilted, to pad out parts of Santa’s body.

That turned out to be not the best idea because the quilt wouldn’t hang straight.  The bells at the bottom were not enough to weigh it down.  I should probably put in a bottom sleeve with a dowel, that might just do the trick.  Maybe next year.

I used two different fabrics for the binding. So pretty!

I ended up using a hanger with clips to display the wall quilt.

I may have messed up on a simple project, but, hey, it’s still Santa, and seven dalmatian puppies!  Can you spot them all?

I also went old school, and made some decorations with just paper and scissors.  Snowflakes! The fun part is unfolding them. I ironed the snowflakes, and put some on a string for display.

Wishing you many happy hours making, creating, and crafting in the New Year, 2019!

Twas the Night Before Christmas Sewn Up

I was sorry when my neighborhood little thrift store closed at the end of last year.  I had found lots of old patterns, fabric, and clothes to refashion there.

There were some boxes of stuff for free out front, and like a parting gift, I came home with a pile of Christmas fabrics.  They are mostly printed panels which makes for quick projects.  Every year I plan on making a project or two.

This year I made pillow covers and a stocking.

How cute and festive are this doe and buck?

I paired them with this thrifted corduroy fabric and two red zippers from my stash.

This was my first time making zippered pillows.  I used this tutorial from Design Sponge to get going on the sewing.

I shortened the zippers, and prepared to sew them in the bottom of the pillow. The idea is to make the zipper a few inches shorter than the side of the pillow, sew the little bit at the start and end of the seam, changing to a basting stitch for the length of the zipper.  Then I pressed this seam open, and centered the zipper on it. In hindsight (ha!) I would have put some fabric glue to keep the zipper in place over the seam and prevent shifting while sewing both sides of the zipper down.  Next I unpicked the basting stitches to open the zipper. To finish, simply leave the zipper partially open for turning and sew the other three sides.

I didn’t bother to buy pillow forms.  Instead I just put these on two 16 inch couch pillows I already had.  Very convenient! I also like that they’re not overstuffed like the pillow form I used last year for my quilted tree pillow because the flatter surface is better for showing the design.

A stocking  shape was printed on Reindeer Tales fabric.  I only had to cut out the two sides and sew.  I also added a white craft sherpa fur that I doubled for the top of the stocking and used to make a hanging loop.  The stocking is huge and won’t hang right unless it’s stuffed with tissue to keep its shape, but it’s cute as a gag stocking for someone who has been very good!

This photo shows the vast size of the stocking.

 

Both the corduroy and faux sherpa created annoying bits of fuzz all over the place.  I made liberal use of a lint roller to keep my work surface clean.

Thank you to my model, Sparky, for making these projects look better.

I wish you happy holidays, happy sewing and making, and to all a good night!