Working on holiday items

It is so satisfying to work on smaller projects!  I tend to "work large," as my friend Susie says.  Bed- or throw-sized quilts seem to dominate my productivity.  After I finished the recent sampler, I resolved to work on a few things that got finished sooner.   Hence, I made Blue Ocean and then got out my Christmas fabrics.

I started with a draw string bag for a guild challenge.  Each person brought a fat quarter and then drew a different one from a bag.  We have a month to make something using most, if not all, of that piece of fabric with only one additional fabric as an accent.  (Sorry this photo makes it look a bit droopy - I'll stuff it with some tissue paper before I take it to guild)  I received this gray leaf fabric which I like but not as the sole fabric in anything.  I decided to make a reversible gift bag with a Christmas lining that could be used as the outside.  I needed it big enough to hold a book and sweater that I'm giving my Colorado sister for Christmas.  She loves using cloth bags instead of wrapping paper.

Next, I made a very cute pillowcase for my Dutch great nephew Daley who is now two.   I used the "burrito" method to make this with French fold seams.  It was easy, so I might make a few more to give as gifts.  I'm not sure if Daley is using a "big boy" bed yet, but, if not, this can be for next Christmas.   He is growing like a weed, and I enjoy the little video clips my sister sends me from the Netherlands.  I hope to get a package ready to send her in the next couple of weeks.  I am sending smaller gifts this year as the price of international mail has gone through the roof.

I finished off some mug rugs, leaving me 13 to give members of the Friends of the Library for all their help over the years.  I hope that's enough but may make a few more before our November meeting just in case.

And finally, I'm working on a French braid table runner using a pattern I got from Beth Ann Williams.  Hers used fall batiks, but mine uses 2.5" strips of various Christmas fabrics.  I have lots that were given to me by someone who isn't sewing anymore.  Beth Ann divides her into piles of dark, medium, and light, but I went with red, green, and light.  That method helps mix them up so that no color dominates.  Making one of the three strips takes about half an hour of easy sewing.