French Press Felted Slippers

As I may have mentioned, I think these are the cutest darn slippers EVER. And indeed, they have become MY slippers. Perhaps next year I can knit up a slew of them and gift them to my lovely family & friends :). They are incredibly quit to knit up and I was even able to get them to felt up in the front-loader. No hand felting was necessary. And just in time too - our temperatures have taken a deep dive this week.

I used Cascade 220 (don't remember the specific color), which is so economical and so yummy. I did a single crochet trim and used some more of Grandmom's fantastic vintage buttons. Amazingly, I still have half a jar full of those buttons to use! I think these little knights were just too fun to keep in the jar.

Tying Up Some Loose Ends

I'm really great at starting projects and then letting them linger, almost completed. I get to the point where I can see the finished product and then I just loose interest. Especially if the item will not be used for several months. Exactly what happened to this adorable Double Breasted Seed Stitch Jacket.

I got the entire jacket put together and then couldn't find the right buttons. It sat around until I finally got back to it this week. And truthfully, I think this is my most favorite baby item yet. It's functional, adorable and who could resist these fantastic vintage buttons I discovered on Etsy from AddVintage? Seriously, no boy should be without this hoodie. Can't wait to see our little man in it!

The Breville Pie Maker

I'm not really the chef in these parts. I'm much more the baker. But when I saw this slick little piece of machinery for the kitchen, I was immediately struck with the benefits it would bring our family. Now, I'm not one to be all about the very specific kitchen equipment. I firmly believe that any kitchen item should have at least three good uses or be used for it's one purpose almost daily in order to be allowed admittance into our busy lives. Otherwise, I just don't have much use for it, you know?

However, this little machine just may be the answer to hours spent in the kitchen every Christmas Eve. At our house, we have a tradition of making fried pies - a recipe my grandmother developed - and that process can be very time consuming. This year, we have the luxury of this little machine. And let me tell you, we've already had success with some delicious salmon pot pies, ready in 16 minutes. My hubby the chef was extremely pleased. And everybody gets their own crust. I can't wait for my in-laws to arrive so we can do individual chicken pot pies. If the upside of having a timesaving device for the holidays is also to have a convenient way to serve up supper, I'm all for it. And all for just $80.00. Oh and family, if you're reading this, you'll need to get your own - ours is staying right where it is!

Xmas Gift Sewing (2)

My new sewing machine is getting a good initiating these days! I think I finally have the basics figured out, and this was a great, simple project to do just that.

I'm a headache sufferer, and there is nothing quite so comforting as my "happy eye pillow." I use it whenever a headache befalls me. It's essentially a silky beanbag, filled with buckwheat hulls and lavender. It smells lovely, darkens the room and puts just the right amount of pressure on my eyes. I love it.

So this Christmas, I decided to make a few of my own from Richard's old ties and some fabric scraps I had loitering about the studio. (If you are not as remiss in cleaning out your closets as we are, you could always scope out the local thrift stores for fun ties and pocket squares.) I found all the filling ingredients at my local, natural foods store - and they were all in the bulk aisle: read, nice and cheap. I estimate each Happy Eye Pillow cost me about $2.00. So not only do I have a green gift, but it was super cheap too! What could be better?

If you are looking for a pattern, check out Amanda Soule's book, Handmade Home. She recommends thrifting for vintage scarves for the outsides. I may just have to try that too!

Baby Blankie

I never had a baby blankie. My lovie was my teddy bear. But my sister had her blankie, and so did my son. And I just love a soft blankie for baby. I picked up some double sided printed fleece at the big-box store (there is SO much to choose from this time of year!) and some satin blanket binding, and voila! I have a new blankie to spread on the floor at play time for baby Jack.

It was so dog-gone easy, I am almost embarrassed to say I sewed it. So I'll tell you I put it together myself, and leave it at that. I'm certain there will be another. It's just too easy not to have extras!

Xmas Gift Sewing

Have I mentioned that knitting gifts this year is not going to happen? I believe I have. So while I still have the ability to sew, I thought I'd whip up a set of fleece mittens and a scarf for the guitar teacher. (Seriously, it's been a long time since I hung out with 20-something single musician guys. It was not easy to figure out what we might be able to give him this year.)

When I saw this fleece in the remnant rack at the local big-chain fabric store, I knew I was on to something. And then when I found the simplest pattern in the world for mittens (and it was free), it was a done deal. So for a whopping $7.00 we have a hand-made gift for the guitar teacher he might actually use. I love it when a plan is inspired.

Birdie Rattles

More baby sewing is afoot, even with the onset of the gift-giving season. I've been swooning over more of the patterns in Sweet Booties, as mentioned here, and decided that I just had to work on the Birdie Rattles next.

For this project I was able to used repurposed fabric (read clothing I can no longer wear for various reasons) and was delighted to find a color palette that seemed boyish. This, is the (very high tech) recycled material that created the interior rattle mechanism:

I have to admit, the sewing was a little more involved than the last couple projects I've done, but in the end, I think it was totally worth it. I even decided to use my snap setter to attach snaps at the ends instead of tying them as the book recommends - I think it'll be easier once I have a babe in one hand and a shopping cart in the other. Time will tell. And who doesn't love birds? I can't wait to try them out!

Bootie Love

A sweet friend and sister loaned me the cutest book for baby sewing: Sweet Booties! And Blankets, Bonnets, Bibs & More. The projects are just irresistible. I decided to tackle these little newborn booties first, using some scraps from a flannel receiving blanket I made for a friend last fall.

It's so wonderful to be using the fabric in my stash for new baby stuff! And these are going to be so fun on a little pair of kicking feet this February.