The Sewing Place

Christmas Craft 2022

Ohsewsimple

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #15 on: July 03, 2022, 12:17:23 PM »
I often think I’ll do something and never get round to it.  Then I wonder what on earth I could make for anyone and if it would be appreciated.  Probably not, apart from mum. 

Ellabella

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #16 on: July 03, 2022, 12:24:13 PM »
Looked at this thread and thought not for me but the remembered that every year I think I should have made a Christmas tree skirt to hide the metal base of the artificial tree.

I only put the tree up the weekend before Christmas so it’s then too late to make anything.

Thanks @datcat23 maybe this thread will spur me on to finally get round to making one :thumb:

Sheilago

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2022, 12:25:46 PM »
Yes…I will no doubt make some things, but it’s MUCH too soon. Ask me in October !  :laughing:

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #18 on: July 04, 2022, 22:44:54 PM »
Oh I forgot one thing I was planning ........ sorry @DementedFairy  ....... I plan to make some more xmas bunting.   
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Celia

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #19 on: July 05, 2022, 09:44:36 AM »
I don’t want to think about it but OOOh Christmas bunting appeals to me as I hate putting up decorations but feel a bit bar humbug if I have nothing.

What do you do just bunting in Christmas fabrics?

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #20 on: July 05, 2022, 12:32:29 PM »
What do you do just bunting in Christmas fabrics?

I have a husband with a rabid aversion to tinsel, which is what my childhood was filled with, but I still want dangling stuff from the roof.  And bunting tends to collect less dust than tinsel does.  I just pick up a fat quarter of some coordinated fabrics I like, and cut a size of triangle (or curved rectangle, or rectangle or any shape) that get me a good size.  If you have an overlocker, then roll edge hemming the long sides, and then slotting into some double fold bias binding.  Alternatively, you can do a double sided stitch and turn version, if you want a set that may be seen from either side.  I am tempted to use my embroidery machine, to do some sweet panels to alternate with coordinating fabrics. 

A friend has some designs for hand embroidered mini-bunting, if you like that sort of thing.  I don't benefit from recommending this at all.  But if you google search you come across lots of tutorial options. 

Embroidered swag / bunting

I actually found a previous photo, so here you go, an example.

flags 1 by Dani, on Flickr
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Celia

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #21 on: July 05, 2022, 12:53:29 PM »
Great @datcat23 thankyou   Oddly I think I feel better thinking about this now than when it gets nearer to Christmas  :thinking:

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #22 on: December 19, 2022, 20:23:24 PM »
Hey folks, how is your xmas sewing going?

Yeah I know, a bit late.   :facepalm:

I can honestly say, I didn't make anywhere near as much as I was planning.  DD apartment disaster really put a brake on my sewing time, and I haven't make anywhere near the amount of stuff I was planning. 

I did complete one gift last night.  A set of packing cubes for the MIL.  She does a lot of short term house sitting, and I thought a batch of packing cubes might be good for her.  The tops are enbroidered with butterfly's, and the fabric is a series of australian themed quilting cotton.

Packing cubes by Dani, on Flickr

Packing cubes by Dani, on Flickr

Packing cubes by Dani, on Flickr
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

SewRuthieSews

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #23 on: December 19, 2022, 20:55:22 PM »
@datcat23
These are great, we have some basic Ikea packing cubes in navy blue, but there are never enough, I like the idea of making some for myself for travel in pretty themes and DH can have the boring blue ones.

Did you have a pattern that you followed?

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #24 on: December 19, 2022, 23:30:13 PM »
@datcat23

Did you have a pattern that you followed?

I just googled "packing cubes sewing tutorial", and followed one that came up.  I wouldn't reccomend it ..... the measurements were off a bit, and I am sure it could be done better.   But there are quite a few different tutes out there, you are sure to find one. 
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

WendyW

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #25 on: December 20, 2022, 02:36:28 AM »
Being an expert procrastinator, I'm amid a flurry of Christmas projects. I still have a few clothing items to finish up for my granddaughter's doll. My grandson is getting his "doppleganger", as my daughter calls them, and I just started sewing it today. (This is a toddler-size doll that wears the child's clothing, and has their hair and eye color. My husband's grandma made them for all her grandchildren. I made them for my children, and now for my grandchildren. My grandson has been asking for a year when he will get his.)

As if I didn't have enough to do this month, I decided to make a quilt and other items for an "Angel Tree" recipient. Our church took on the task of buying gifts for 35 poverty-stricken teens from the local high school, with families choosing an individual teen to buy for. The requested gifts were very basic and modest, but the church asked us to go above and beyond and shower the kids with goodies. My teen requested a vintage-style journal with pens and markers. I decided to expand the theme to include a case for the markers, a pen-holder to attach to the journal, and a quilt to wrap up in. I also tossed in a variety of other little unrelated items.

I chose this quilt pattern for the ability to do it very quickly! The fabrics all came from my stash. Each goose took a single fat quarter, the blue was a sheet, and the two coordinating florals used in all the items were Moda yardage I found at a thrift store for an incredible bargain. I'm not in love with the quilt colors, but I wanted to use the Moda, and the colors are NOT my usual tastes, so I had few fat quarters in my stash that would even begin to coordinate.

Angel tree quilt by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr

Journal and case by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr

Journal and case 2 by CraftymamaMN, on Flickr
« Last Edit: December 20, 2022, 02:42:38 AM by WendyW »

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #26 on: December 21, 2022, 20:31:08 PM »
Its not quite craft stuff, but its for xmas.

When I was a child/young adult, caramel tarts made from condensed milk (also known as Dulce De Leche), were an essential part of the xmas table.  But to make the caramel back then, was a dangerous exercise.  Basically you put cans of condensed milk into a big pot of water, and then put it on the stove, on a slow simmer, for hours.  But, put the cans on their end (instead of their side) and/or forget to keep the cans covered with water, and you can guarantee an explosion of epic skin burning and ceiling staining proportions.  The pull tab lids on cans pretty much put paid to this method, as they would pop open under the pressure.  So Nestle put out Top'n'Fill .... premade caramel, with no dangerous stove action.  And for years it was great.... until it wasn't.  Nestle stopped producing it here, and instead imported it from spain.  Now it is runny, and tastes vaguely like powdered milk.  Not acceptable.

Recently, while looking at how to make this in my Thermomix, I came across instructions for making it in the can, in the slow cooker.  The water isn't boiling, so there is less pressure on the can.  Yes it takes 10 hours, but worth it for a thick caramel that will set in the tart case enough to slice.  I am quite happy.  Because of the pull-tab lid on the can, you can't store in the can, but a sterilised jam jar does just fine. 

Slow cooker caramel by Dani, on Flickr
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Elnnina

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #27 on: December 22, 2022, 21:36:27 PM »
You are making me feel hungry Dani, and your lovely caramel looks scrummy.  Over in the UK Carnation brought out something similar to what you were wanting, and it is called Caramel and I made a Banoffee pie a while back and it was delicious and naughty especially as we are both diabetic!!!  I also believe there was a French name they used to describe this but cannot tell you what off the top of my head, but it may well be the name you have used.  Like you having condensed milk as a child was oh so lovely and a real treat especially when this was available after WW2 and rationing was lifted - we still had to be careful though.

I also like all your other crafts that you have been making, particularly the cubes, perhaps one day I will get around to making some of these I certainly have a need to have something to separate certain items.

datcat23

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #28 on: December 25, 2022, 08:42:23 AM »
Quote from my mother-in-law ..... the recipient of the packing cubes.

"I have long felt that its important that I stop my bras from associating with my knickers too closely."    :laughing:

Apparently she likes them.
The barefoot seamstress:  smelling vaguely of lavender and mothballs, and desperately craving chocolate.
2024:  Mending:  2  | Fabric used:  2.5m | Items made:  1  |  Quilts:      |  Fabric destashed:  25m

Ann

Re: Christmas Craft 2022
« Reply #29 on: December 25, 2022, 11:28:25 AM »
@datcat23, you did an amazing amount of Christmas crafting this year. Job well done.

I started Christmas sewing in January and stopped when DH got ill and then started again in October. It was a bit of a rush to get everything done but I accomplished the list of items I wanted to make. I will start again in January and try to make a couple of items monthly so I don't have to rush this year. I am working on my "to-do list" so I know what I want to give and make.
Stash Busting 2023
Goal: 50 metres