A Little Christmas Gift...

With all of the beading, sewing and crafting that I enjoy, you'd think that every gift I give is handmade.  Alas, that isn't the case.  Although I put a lot of time and materials (read:  money) into the things that I create, sometimes I feel like they just don't measure up to what other people give.  I question whether my stuff reads 'expensive' enough for gift-giving.  It holds me back from gifting a lot of what I make. 

However, I'm hopeful that the little Christmas gift I just finished measures up.  I'm attending a brunch on Sunday, and we're supposed to bring a gift in the $20-25 range. 

I found this project in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine (Nov/Dec 2009).  Designed by Kelly Mueller (www.thewoodenbear.com), it looked like it would take only a couple of hours.  I dug through my stash to find some coordinating Christmas prints.

Fabrics from my stash!

Unfortunately, I didn't have everything I needed, so I made a quick run to Cloth and Bobbin, a small but mighty quilt shop in Narberth, Pennsylvania (www.clothandbobbin.com).  I found a dark green background fabric, a yellow print, and two white on white prints.  They were kind enough to cut fat quarters of what I needed! 

 

I made a copy of the full-sized pattern that was printed in the magazine, and applied fusible webbing to my fabrics. After tracing and trimming the pieces, I fused them in place on the background fabric, and was ready to sew!   

 

Tracing around the pattern pieces on fabric backed with fusible web.

Another reason I love my Bernina Artista 635 -- it has a great blanket stitch!  I can't imagine doing all of the blanket stitching by hand.  What would take hours took me about 20 minutes by machine.   I was able to vary the length and the width of the stitch.  It was much easier to sew around the mustache with a shorter, narrower stitch.  There were two faceted glass buttons in my button jar, and I searched through my embellishments and got lucky -- I had four red jingle bells!  I only needed three to tack on the ends of the praire points, but they do give the pillow an added punch.  The finished pillow is roughly 14 inches by 12 inches.  It took nearly 20 ounces of poly fiberfill to stuff firmly. 

 

 

If I can find a kitchen tea towel in green, I may add the applique to it and include it with the pillow.  So, tell me, do you think this gift is worth $20-$25??

Happy sewing!!