My New Great Niece and the Holly Dicken's Festival

My chenille blanket arrived and my new niece is now wrapped up in some love from me! 

 Isn't she a doll?

This weekend we did a little Christmas shopping and 

on Sunday we ended up in Holly for the Dicken's Festival.  

We try to go every year.  

There are characters from A Christmas Carol strolling around some were singing, some were acting.  Always fun.

There was a live nativity too.

I think this was the first year there was no snow. 

 I usually pick up a few "creepy elves" for my daughter but there was not a creepy elf to be found.  Sad.  I did spy a "Pansy bowl". 

 Have you ever seen them?  

My grandma had one, hers was green.  

You put Pansies in all the slots and eventually you end up with a beautiful Pansy ball. 

 I would love to find one of these.  

This one was close but the slots were a little big and it was not quite domed enough.

I did find this adorable reindeer but not creepy enough and my daughter said 

we are keeping to elves or angels or Santas.  

So I left him in the store.

I tried these odd felt animals but she said no go with those either.

I found the cutest apron. 

 I think, in the future, I may try to make one similar.  

Wouldn't this be adorable with Dresden plates along the hem?

Of course hubby liked this cuter apron. 

 He really wanted to get it for me, but between you and me, I think he had ulterior motives ; ) 

 It was kind of sassy!

On Saturday we did some thrifting in our shopping extravaganza and

 I found this great cake stand, still in the original box! 

 It is called Spirit of Christmas made by Portmeirion.

 I think it looks pretty Scandinavian, don't you?

Well that was my weekend, almost, in a nut shell. 

 I did get a couple of things cut out and ready to sew. 

 I REALLY need to get the Christmas decorations put up, the tree too. 

 Most of the Christmas shopping got done though and that's a great thing.  

I am making some things this year and we are cutting way back, obviously, 

since hubby is still unemployed.

How was your weekend??

~XOP~

Sewing For A Special Little Someone

I was in JAF minding my own business and WHAM, 

I see the cutest, most adorable receiving blanket made out of 2 pieces of flannel.  

Well, that looks easy. 

 How fun would that be with a cute print flannel on one side and solid flannel on the other. 

 Into the cart it went.  

This was super easy to make too. 

 I took my yard of fabric and folded it in half once then again. 

 I did the same with the second yard then stacked them one on top of the other 

and lined up the folded edges. 

 I then trimmed off the selveges and along the cut line so both pieces would be the same size. 

 I unfolded them pinned them right sides together and sewed all the way around with a 1/4" seam, leaving an opening for turning. 

 Then I topstitched twice all the way around (this closed the opening too!) and Voila!  

One super adorbs receiving blanket.

You already saw the quilt, or part of it.  

I don't want to show the whole thing as I would like it to be a surprise as to the finished quilt,

 but here is a sneak peek.  

I did a two color binding on this one too.

Lastly I had one chenille blanket made for her but while at JAF the super adorable mermaid fabric somehow found it's way into my basket!  

So I just had to pick up the flannel to make a more girlie version for this new little sweetie. 

 I have not washed it yet but here is what it looks like pre-fuzz.

OMG this is so sweet IRL!  

And that Art Gallery Oval Elements made the cutest binding.  

It reminded me of little life saver floaties, like you would use on a boat.  

I had the perfect Aurifil thread color to machine stitch the binding down with too.  

I have a binding tip to share with you tomorrow.  

It made putting this binding a snap!

Trying to decide if I want to do some appliqued Onsies too.  

What do you think?

~XOP~