Sew4Home's Neck Pillow

I should say Relaxing Neck Pillow cuz that's what the Sew4Home people call it.  We shall see about the relaxing part later, but I am really pleased with how easily this thing went together. The free pattern and tutorial are available at their site.  Just click on the link above.  I wanted to see if this would be something I would want to make for gift-giving.  The answer is absolutely yes.

It's a quick project that looks like it took a lot more time and effort than it does.  The site says it can be done in a half hour.  I doubt I could do one that fast even if I used the twill for handles as they suggested rather than making them from fabric.  Some of you cracker jack sewers may well be able to turn it out in that half hour time frame though.   Off to try out my new pillow. 

Preparing for the end of the year by starting at the beginning...

Raise your had if you think I can reach my Christmas sewing goal by starting now?  Well, for all you doubters, I have started.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but I need to buy  more ribbon.  Need some wide silky or grosgrain red here.

One wrapping sack down, countless more to go.  I even boxed the corners.

I wish this fabric showed up as well in  photos as it does in person.  The color are vibrant and it's covered in shiny silver glitter.  If someone knows a camera trick, please share.  Here is close-up that kinda shows it.

Yay for Joann's remnant piles! 

A thank you to sewing muse Sandra for the challenge!

With all the busy-ness, I never showed you my Christmas tree.

Still love the tulle with lights for skirting.
  

OOOOHHHHHH, isn't that pretty?!!! Yes, but I'm glad it's all put away now. There is just so much fa la la I can take. 

Take care, y'all.

I Made Them Cookies

Sandra of Suddenly Sandra suggested that I join her Yahoo Christmas sewing group after I failed to remotely reach my Christmas sewing goals for the big day.  This is the response I got:  Your request to join was not approved.  Did I just get cut off like a tacky price tag on wrapping night by those sorority sisters?  Yup.  Sandra suggested I try again and offer cookies.  Well, I was desperate.  I haven't reached a Christmas sewing goal.....ever.  I made the cookies, but my passive-aggressiveness might be showing through.

 Fortunately they let me in before seeing the cookies.  I got some icing to make the white/black eyes and mouth like the emoji that did not work AT ALL!.  This is what I used.  The directions say to cut off the top.  That would have made for big old blobs.  The tops are flat, not pointy.  I tried poking a hole instead. 

The icing came out, just not quite the way I was hoping for.  It was impossible to smooth it out.  Okay, there may be some artistic issues at play here, too.

I ate my mistakes.  Yes, life is hard sometimes.  The icing may have been a pain to put on, but it tasted great.  Thanks for reconsidering, ladies!  Those rumors about me are only about three quarters true.

So THIS is How Reindeer Fly

This is from my favorite machinery embroidery design company, Embroidery Library.   They have a bunch of quick holiday designs on sale right now.  Check them out!  (No, not connected to the company in any way other than a happy paying customer!)                     

Caterpillar Stuffy Fail:-(

Stuffies should not be scary and, yes, those legs are centipede-scary, aren't they?

Problems?

• Obviously the black ribbon legs were a huge mistake. Nothing says centipede like a lot of blacks squiggly legs!

•  Also, while I like the fabric for the body, it needs segments.  Caterpillars must have segments.

 I do like my ribbon antennas, though.  I have got to use up some of my overwhelming ribbon collection.  Did I really just call it a collection?  That's not good.  Supply!  I meant supply!

This began with me trying to steal Sandra's Hungry-Caterpillar-book-with-stuffy gift idea.  I love both of her versions of the caterpillar.  You have to check hers out to see how good this might have been if I had just not decided to, once again, reinvent the wheel.

I can't even bring myself to donate this one.  It would be cruel.  Mine will terrify some poor child who happens upon it lying in the thrift store waiting for it's forever home. 

Until someone comes up with a kiddie book about a lovable centipede, this will will have to go the way of all centipedes--hidden in the far depths where they belong. 

Finally Got the Man Cave Pillows Finished!

The girly pillows have been finished for a few weeks,

but being as it's supposed to be an official man cave (I do let the guys use it on occasion), it needed this pillow to finish it off.

 

He fits right in.

One project down.  About a million more to go!

Update:  I wanted to add a little more about how I did this before posting it to Threading My Way's pillow page.  First, the pillow patterns I found on the web have those nice lines across like the actual emoji, but then the pillow is quite flat.  I wanted a fluffier pillow.  I ended up drawing a pattern by hand.  The downside to an overstuffed version is that you can't get sew in those lines.  After sewing that bit of a line at the top it was obvious lines further down would not work. 

To fix that first problem on the next pillow (because a half dozen people wanted one after seeing mine), I want to put together a sandwich with a little stuffing for the top piece. That will allow me to put in the lines.  Then I will sew on a back panel that can be fully stuffed.  I think that should give me both lines and fluff.  We shall see!  

Now that I think about it, everyone who wanted a pillow was way younger than me.  I may be having a Peter Pan moment--or life.  Too late to change now.

The Saddle Cover

How does one end up with a saddle in the kitchen?  My niece asked me to make her a saddle cover.  Looking online, I found that they are fancy-schmancy things shaped to the saddle.  If you are gonna use the cover for riding in the rain in addition to a dust cover, I can understand the need for the shaped design. I know my niece.  Riding in the rain is never happening.  That eliminated the need for any special shape.  Saddles are kept inside which in my mind eliminates the need for ties.  It's not going to get blown off!  Once again I managed to get my sewing project down a simple rectangle.

I used a laminated fabric from Free Spirit designed by Parson Gray for the top.  It's from the Curious Nature collection fittingly named Trade Blanket Smoke.  I feared that the laminate would be difficult to sew, but it was a breeze with the Teflon foot. 

The other side is a piece from my stash that I believe is from Joann's Soft N Comfy line.

It was finished and sitting in the front hall for pick-up in less than two hours.  I actually finished this in July, but my Adobe Photoshop has been so difficult to use that I haven't been able to get pics for the blog.  It's one of the main reasons I've been blogging so little.  Putting the new Windows on my computer allows me to use another program that is simple and quick.  I love Microsoft!