Christmas stockings

This was a Christmas present for Ben and Shannon and Co. My goal for some future Christmas is to make/diy all the presents I give. I don't know when that's going to happen since I would have to start in January to get them all done, but someday beware...

These actually weren't too bad to make. I looked at some tutorials on the internet, and then just made them on my own using our stockings as a pattern. The main fabric is all from a set of fat quarters in a line of designer fabric I ordered off Etsy. The cuffs are a mix of fabric I already had and extra fat quarters in the set. They are fully lined (already had that fabric from Mom's destash), and they have low loft batting in between layers. The only exposed seams are where the cuffs are attached, but they are hidden by the fold over cuff. That seemed much easier than trying to sew everything inside out and turn them. I used white ribbon for the hanging loops. I realized after that some of the loops are twisted, but I wasn't going to take them apart to fix that. They aren't perfect, but I'm really pleased with how they turned out.

If you would like a set for your family you can either request them when I have your name for Christmas, or pay me $125. That's the going rate for a set of five matching stockings on Etsy. If I were to ever open my own Etsy shop, I know what I would sell.  That will never happen though because instead of trying to make money, I tend to focus more on trying to not spend money.

My favorite three. Notice the slight puckering on the green one? I should have made the cuffs a tiny bit bigger.

Slippers and a blankie

It has been quite chilly here. When Russell didn't where footies to bed, he would just get up and run around barefoot until I got him dressed. I felt bad because my feet were freezing, so I made him a little pair of slippers so his feet won't be freezing.

 I used this pattern I found online due in part to it seeming quite easy and like it would take no time. And, it didn't take a ton of time. I did all but the snaps in a nap time. However, I don't like the pattern. The sole is larger than the outer/sides part of the slipper making the backs of the slippers slant inwards toward the opening, and Russell's heel/achille's tendon doesn't slant like that. I also opted for a snap instead of velcro. I think I couldn't find any. To make the non-slip bottom I bought some of that fancy shelf liner stuff and just sewed it right along with the sole pieces. The shelf liner is for another project, too.

He is pleased to have them, and they came in handy while we were in Arizona where most houses have tile floors and yesterday where the hottest our apartment got the whole day (including while we had the oven on really high baking things two separate times) was a balmy 65 degrees.

I have also been working on using fabric I have. When Grandma Scoresby died I inherited some pre-cut fabric squares of almost the same alphabet flannel my blankie growing up was made out of. Actually, I think I found them, and then just swiped them because I wanted them. Don't tell anyone.

Since they were pre-cut, I was going to make a rag blanket and had bought some yellow flannel to go along with them. Then last year I found some bubble blankets that I really like and wanted to make one. When I finally came across this one, I decided to make it because there weren't too many bubbles. I thought I could overcome my piecing/quilting dislike, but I still don't like it. I didn't quilt it nearly as much as the pattern says, and used the pre-ruffled trim to finish the edges.

Anyway, 10 months after I started, I finished it. I'm happy with it. It got rid several things I had been hauling around for years, plus it got one unfinished project out of the finish pile. Ben tried it out this afternoon to see if it would keep him warm. He had no comment.