My handmade Christmas Prezzies 2013

I was very busy sewing this Christmas, mostly for my youngest niece who is 18 months old.

I made her a runway collection!

This consisted of:
Blue tank top, flowered and green pants/shorts and flowered cross-over top (flower fabric from Spotlight) - Butterick 3846, size L;
Pink dress - The Warhol dress, free pattern from MADE with an added ruffle at the hemline;
Flower print sun jacket - Kwik Sew 2596, View C, with added sleeves, no peplum and altered at the front so it is open and cool;
Ruched leggings - also Kwik Sew 2596 with a piece of elastic stretched and sewn at the lower outside seam to create the ruching.

Here she is in some of the pieces:

Kwik Sew 2596 (altered)

Kwik Sew 2596 (altered)

Butterick 3846

Butterick 3846

The Warhol dress- MADE

I also made owl cushions for both nieces. I looked at Google images and came up with my own design. I can't find the photo I took of the finished cushions, but here is Miss 18 months unwrapping hers (yes, she is always the centre of attention!):

and again later at home

For my older niece, I made this dress from light and airy, blue patterned cotton. I used Patrones magazine 30 (a recent edition full of children's patterns), dress No. 2. I had purchased the fabric for me, but thought it would be perfect for Miss 8, which it was. I raced back to Textile Traders for some more at the first opportunity!

The neckline and armholes are bound with a strip of lycra, folded in half, stitched to the inside of the dress first and then folded over the edge and stitched again, a variation on this method. The same turquoise lycra is used for the ruching.

I also made a skirt for my sister (not photographed) and these shoe bags for my (hard to buy for) brother-in-law.

Everyone seemed very happy with their meggipeg prezzies and the hard work was all made worthwhile (actually it made my year) when I received this letter from my niece with a picture of her wearing the blue dress and hi-top sneakers I also got for her.

Cosy winter suits for big BOYS

It has been really cold in Perth this winter. OK, I realise that a max of 15-18C during the day is not cold by North American or UK standards (I've spent several years in Canada and England so I know), but it still feels freezing! Every morning the boys come downstairs and immediately switch on the heater. I prefer not to have the heater on in the day so I made them some fleece all-in-one suits to keep them warm while they have breakfast and generally cavort around.

I used this Kwik Sew pattern, which I've used before several times, both to make fleece suits and to make a Yoda costume for my youngest (several modifications obviously necessary). It's a great pattern, easy and successful every time.

I had previously made these suits for the boys a couple of years ago. These old suits fitted everywhere except for the length and foot size, so I used the original pattern size with added length and bigger feet.

This is the kind of pattern you have to trace off the main page so it was quicker to do it this way (and used less fabric).

The boys requested appliques for their suits. Mr 5 wanted a sword from an X-Box game (thanks teenage neighbours!) called Soul Calibur. It's a blue crystal-encrusted sword that I made with blue lycra and silver fabric with black stitching detail. The main suit was made with black fleece. Here he is making his porridge.

 That's a sticker on the front :)

Mr 8 wanted a spider web with a skull and crossing swords amongst other things. I decided the spider web would be cool on its own (not to mention a lot easier!). I made it with white wool. I just sewed it freehand doing a star shape first, then the spiral part. I sewed the sleeves to the back before I did the applique so it could continue on to the sleeves. The suits were sewn together after the appliques were finished.

'Do I have to have a photo Mum?'

I made the cuffs different colours for each suit as it helps tell them apart when hunting for them on a messy floor in the semi-darkness. I made the sole from brown lino. It seems to be very hard wearing. I found it at the local fabric store. It looks like leather so I'm sure I can find other cool things to make with the scraps.

The suits have been worn every day since I made them a few weeks ago. A great success!