This past year has been very difficult for my family and for me personally. We are not alone since I think the past year has been difficult for many of us. I am looking forward to a new year and a fresh start and I hope it will be a better year for all.
For those of us who love to sew and craft, I wish much sewing and crafting time during this coming year. 
Happy New Year!
Happy Sewing!
I want to wish everyone a wonderful Merry Christmas! After all the hustle and bustle is over, maybe you can sneak in a little sewing time for yourself, too. 
Merry Christmas!
Happy Sewing!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! It simply amazes me that we are at the end of the year and already in the gift giving season. This year, I know that many of us are concerned about saving money and for those of us who sew, quilt, knit, or crochet, I think that goal might be accomplished. 
If we’re honest, many of have fabric stashes, and if we don’t have fabric stashes, we certainly have fabric scraps. A lot of fabric scraps can be used to make some wonderful gifts. We’ll be having fun in the process of creating beautiful gifts and not only will we be smiling, but there will be smiles on the faces of those who receive these gifts.
One gift item that seems very popular is a blanket. Fleece blankets are super easy to make and can also be a no sew project. When I make fleece blankets, I usually buy two yards and serge around the edges, slightly rounding the corners as I serge. For a no sew project, simply trim the edges with pinking shears and you’ll have a nice blanket. If you are thinking of making a lap blanket, you might want to use 1-1/2 yards of fleece fabrics. Even though you might have to purchase fleece, the fabric stores often have great sales on fleece during this time of year.
A reversible flannel blanket is also very easy to sew. Today I’m going to talk about the easiest and quickest way to make a reversible flannel blanket. Tomorrow, I will show you how to sew a reversible flannel blanket on a convnetional sewing machine.
When I sew reversible flannel blankets, I usually use one yard of fabric, which makes a nice size receiving blanket for a new baby. However, if you wanted to make a larger blanket for an adult, two yards would make a nice large blanket and about 1-1/2 yards would make a very nice lap blanket.
It’s sew much fun to pick out different fabrics for the blankets! Because flannel shrinks after it is washed, I highly recommend washing this fabric before you sew with it. After you have pressed the fabric, place wrong sides together and serge around the edges. Sometimes the fabric tends to shift as you serge around the blanket so you might want to try basting around the edges of the blanket before you serge. The basting threads can be removed when the blanket is completed.
Blankets can be sew much fun to make! The blanket above is a baby receiving blanket, but if you are sewing a blanket for an older child, you might choose prints that reflect their interests. Prints for adults could be something as simple as floral or geometric prints.
More detailed tutorials (including pictures) for sewing reversible blankets:
www.sewseamless.com/Page46.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page47.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page48.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page49.html , www.sewseamless.com/Page50.html and www.sewseamless.com/Page51.html
I know that many of us are concerned about the economy this holiday season, but I can tell you from experience that you can still sew smiles on many faces, including your own, and it takes very little money.
A few years ago, society’s economy was booming, but the economy in my own household wasn’t doing very well. And yes, that was during the holiday season. That particular year I had many gifts that I needed to give, but we literally had no money. This wasn’t the first time that this had happened to me, so I knew what I had to do. The first time I had no money during the gift giving season, I finished unfinished craft projects and gave them to those on my gift list, but this last time, I didn’t have so many unfinished projects. However, I had tons of fabric scraps and a machine that embroidered. I came up with an idea that allowed me to give gifts to everyone on my gift list and that particular gift was the hit of the season. When I think of that, I still smile. At the time, I was unhappy at first, but I kept reminding myself that I wasn’t out in the madness of the local mall and I was doing something that I loved. These were small items and I think I gave them to at least ten people–maybe more. Yes, there were smiles on many faces that year.
This year, even if you don’t have much money, you can sew smiles. All it takes is a little creativity.
Happy Sewing!
Not long ago, I mentioned that one of my online friends was facing a very serious situation in her life. Her 15 year old daughter needs a kidney transplant. There had been many frustrations in dealing with the hospital, so they made the choice to transfer to a different hospital. This turned out to be a great blessing in so many ways. Marielle was taken to the hospital by ambulance a few days ago and doctors worked to stabilize her condition, which they did. As a result of this, many in the blogging community began to spread the word of this need once again.
Sometimes I mention that I get frustrated with being connected via cell phone, text messaging, and e-mail and I often remark that we are so connected that we’re actually disconnected. This is true in many ways, but in this case, technology has proven to be a wonderful asset for Lisa and Marielle. A couple of days ago, I noticed a comment on Lisa’s blog from a television reporter in her town. This reporter did a news story on Lisa’s blog and Marielle’s situation. I don’t know if the news story jump started what had already been going on in the blogging world or not, but as of yesterday, Lisa received word that a match for a kidney had been found! Many people from every state in the United States and other countries had offered to be tested to see if they could be a match to donate a kidney. As of yesterday, they don’t need any more donor forms!
Although Lisa couldn’t mention the potential donor’s name just yet, it turns out to be someone she knows through Ebay. How wonderfully ironic. Marielle is home, but must regain some strength and get better physically in order to undergo the kidney transplant in a few weeks. If all continues to go well with the testing of the potential donor, Marielle will get her new kidney just after Christmas. What a wonderful Christmas gift!
As you know, I encourage creative people to share their talents by donating handmade items to those who are less fortunate. From what I gather, Marielle’s potential donor must be someone who sews because Lisa mentioned that she had a fabric stash. This potential donor is willing to donate much more than a handmade quilt or pillowcase for someone in need. She must be someone very special indeed.
If you haven’t been following this story, you can read about it on Lisa’s blog: www.thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com Lisa and I met via my blog a few months ago, and this past summer I got the chance to speak with her on the phone for a few minutes. We don’t know each other well, but I can tell you that Lisa is one of the most courageous people that I know. She is truly an inspiration to me.
Although times have been tough for all of us this year, we can still be grateful for the small, simple things in life. Today, treasure the memories of being with your family and enjoying a good holiday meal. Ladies, if you don’t enjoy sports, perhaps you’ll get to do some sewing while your hubbies watch football on tv. Or perhaps you’ll enjoy spending time with your young adult children who are home from college. Just for today, try not to rush so much and really take time to live in the moment and enjoy the day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is going to be a very busy day for many people. Thanksgiving Day is tomorrow and many of us will be traveling while others will be staying home and doing some extra cooking and baking. During this time, I often wonder if the real meaning of all of our holidays gets lost in all the hustle and bustle and extra work involved. Thanksgiving usually signals the beginning of the holiday season and immediately following this day, we all begin the rush into the gift giving season. At the end of the season, how many of us will have truly enjoyed time with our families and friends? Or will we arrive at the end of the season physically exhausted because we have lost the true meaning of the season.
In life, we all have choices to make, and I think that the holiday season is a great time to reflect on our past choices and think about making new, perhaps better choices. Thanksgiving is a time of thanks, but how many of us really take the time to give thanks for what we have? Don’t we usually complain about what we don’t have instead of being grateful for what we do have? I have a tendency to complain about things myself, but when I stop and really look at life, I should be grateful for lots of things. I have two wonderful young adult daughters. And even though I don’t really like the house that I live in now, I should be grateful that I have a roof over my head. This past year or so has been difficult for many of us, but I don’t think that we can place all the blame on our leaders or the financial institutions. Didn’t we make some choices along the way ourselves? Some of us may have purchased homes that we knew we could not afford, but because of the trend at the time, we made the choice to purchase these homes and now we are paying the price–literally and figuratively–for those choices. Unfortunately, instead of admitting our part in this process, we are playing the blame game.
Because gas prices were so high over the summer, many of us made the choice to travel less, which really isn’t such a bad thing, in my opinion. This may have forced us to slow down and take a look at what is truly important in life, and maybe we realized that having fun doesn’t have to mean traveling many miles from home and spending lots of money. Staying home with your family and watching a movie on tv can be a very enjoyable evening, and it doesn’t cost anything. Watching a beautiful sunset or sunrise with someone you love doesn’t cost anything. These are memories that will be treasured forever.
This Thanksgiving, I think it would be great if we all took a little time to relax and really enjoy spending time with our families. I think it would be a wonderful thing if we could all be grateful for the little things in life–the truly important things. Memories will be made this holiday season. Make them good memories and treasure them because they will warm your heart when life gets tough.
I hope that everyone has a wonderful, safe holiday this weekend. Enjoy time with your families and friends and if you are getting away, remember to enjoy the little moments. If you are staying home and taking a sewing vacation, I wish you much quality sewing time.
Happy Sewing!
Merry Christmas!
I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful holiday with family and friends. My wish for you is that Santa brings you lots of fabric and sewing tools for Christmas!
Merry Christmas!
It was the night before Christmas and, in a room in the house,
I was frantically sewing, not asleep by my spouse.
The stockings weren’t hung by the chimney with care
Because all of them needed some mending, repair.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds
With pillowcase dreams still alive in their heads.
I was still sewing, with quilts in my lap;
Oh, how I wished I could take a long nap!
When the sewing machine sputtered, it made such a clatter
That I began to wonder what was the matter.
The needle was new, the tension was fine;
The machine was threaded correctly, but I might be in a bind.
I still had to sew all through the night
Because unfinished gifts the next morning would create such a fright!
As I sat there still stewing, the machine started spewing!
It spewed needles and thread and made such a racket
That I truly thought I might need a strait jacket!
When I thought about all the gifts left to sew, I looked out the window and saw some snow.
Wait, it’s snowing, but what is that falling?
No, not the white stuff, but pajama pants calling!
It seems there’s a storm, but not of white snow;
We’re having a sew storm with more pajama pants to sew.
“A sew storm!” I cried. “Oh, what a sight!
But now I’ll have to sew with all of my might.”
But wait, my machine was still spewing,
Oh dear, what was I doing?
I ran into the sew storm
With flannel softly falling
And wondered who I heard calling.
Then I soon began to feel that I had nothing to dread
Because there stood the jolly man dressed all in red.
Santa was there to help with the sewing,
But wait, where was dear Santa going?
I followed the man, a right jolly old elf
And then I saw them sitting there on the shelf.
There was Bernina, Elna, and Singer, Janome,
Pfaff, Viking, and Babylock, too.
They were sitting there waiting, all ready to sew
But I didn’t know if I could go on with the show.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But lots of Santa’s elves who all seemed so dear.
The elves were all sewing and the storm seemed to be slowing.
All those pajama pants I had left to sew
Tomorrow would be finished and wrapped with big bows.
It soon became clear that Santa’s work here was done,
So he turned to leave before day had begun.
I thanked him and thanked him,
But he said not a word,
And yet as I listened I heard
The words that he said as he drove out of sight,
“Happy Sewing to all, and to all a good night!”
Happy Sewing!
Merry Christmas!
Because this is the holiday season, I’ve mentioned lots of gift ideas in my posts this month. Most of these ideas have been related to sewing in some way–sewing pillows (www.sewseamless.com/Page24.html), shorts (www.sewseamless.com/Page33.html), pillowcases (www.sewseamless.com/Page41.html), and blankets (www.sewseamless.com/Page46.html). Along with giving gifts that we sew or craft ourselves, I’ve also mentioned giving the gifts of time, friendship, and hope, which I believe are truly the greatest gifts you can give someone.
There are many people in the world who feel especially lonely and hopeless during the holiday season, and while these people would appreciate receiving a new blanket or robe, they would especially appreciate receiving the gift of someone’s time. There may be a nursing home resident who never receives visitors and would love nothing more than to have someone visit them regularly. Or there may some less fortunate child who has big dreams, but feels that his or her situation is so hopeless that they could never achieve those dreams, but if someone gave just a little of their time and friendship, perhaps this child would then have some hope that their dreams could be realized one day. Sometimes I think we all get so rushed and hurried with our lives that we tend to think more about “stuff” than about other people and the fact that we’re all human beings with feelings, hopes, hurts, disappointments, and joys in life.
One Christmas when my children were small, they had whined and complained and fought, and were very demanding in what gifts they wanted that year. As a result, I wanted them to experience giving to someone else who couldn’t afford to buy “stuff” or perhaps didn’t have any family and felt lonely during the holiday season. We told both girls to choose what they wanted to do for someone else; my oldest sewed a heart shaped pillow out of some left over fabric; my youngest baked cookies. If I remember correctly, they made homemade cards as well. There was a nursing home in our area, and we took the girls there to give their gifts away. One woman especially touched me because as we walked into the room, her face lit up. My daughter gave her the pillow, and this woman seemed so delighted that this pillow was for her. Although this is a vivid memory for me, what I remember the most are the woman’s words. She said that God must have sent us to her that day, and then she went on to tell us a little about her life story and why she felt especially lonely during the holidays. She thanked us over and over as we left that day, and I would like to think that my daughters learned a lesson about giving to others as well. My youngest was probably a little too young to remember, but it must have made an impression on my oldest daughter because she now has her children give something to less fortunate children or others in need every holiday season.
I have often thought about the woman in the nursing home over the years, and I’m ashamed to say that I didn’t take the time to visit her regularly after that day. During those years, life was busy with the hustle and bustle of raising children, and I hadn’t quite learned the lesson of the importance of giving time and friendship myself at that point in my life.
Since that day, I have learned that while we all enjoy receiving gifts that we can touch and see, the gifts that we will remember the most are the gifts of hope, time, and friendship. This year, as we look forward to the beginning of a new year, let’s all determine to give a little more of ourselves, and slow down enough to take the time to care about other people by showing kindness in simple ways.
The gifts of time, friendship, and hope are free no sew projects that are some of the most valuable gifts that can be given, and these gifts will truly keep on giving throughout the year.
I’m sure that most of us are busy either frantically sewing holiday gifts, shopping for those last minute stocking stuffers, cleaning house in order to get ready for holiday guests, or beginning our own holiday travels. The holiday time of year is often portrayed as a wonderful, magical time of year, when, in reality, this is often one of the most stressful times of year for many of us because of the extra work that we have to do in order to prepare for the holidays.
Because of the extra work load, many of us may find ourselves exhausted and stressed out. Instead of being on our best behavior, both with family and friends, and people we may meet on the street, we may tend to be impatient with others and even a bit grumpy. I think this is sad.
When we think of holiday spirit, we may think of the spirit of generosity and kindness, which really should be present in all of us year round. I have a neighbor who personifies holiday spirit. This man is 78 years young and very robust and healthy, and also very kind. My husband began to notice that on trash days, our trash cans somehow mysteriously were returned to their rightful place after the trash had been taken away. We soon discovered the answer; this wonderful, generous man returned our trash cans to their places every trash day. He doesn’t just do this for us either; in fact, this man does this for about three of his nearest neighbors. This may seem like a small, insignificant thing for someone to do, but I believe it embodies the spirit of kindness.
This year, I would like to see all of us decide to make a sincere effort to show kindness to others during the year, and not just think of others during the holiday season. Kindness can be shown in many ways. For those of us who sew, it might be nice to go to the after Christmas sales at the fabric stores and stock up on fleece to make fleece blankets. Wouldn’t it be a great feeling to donate these blankets to elderly residents of a nursing home after the holidays, at a time when it isn’t expected?! You might even meet a resident there that you could adopt, and perhaps visit once a week or so. This small gesture could make a huge difference in someone’s life.
Another way to continue holiday spirit throughout the year is to sew clothing and other items and donate them to a favorite charity, such as Mission of Hope (www.missionofhope.org), which is one of my favorite charities.
I really like the concept of “pay it forward”. If someone is especially kind to you, return the favor by doing a kind deed for someone else. Just think what a different world this could be if we all decided to show kindness every single day.
This year, I would like to encourage all of us to keep the holiday spirit alive throughout the coming year by giving of ourselves and our time.
Happy Holidays!