Christmas Table Runner

Before Christmas I watched, The Great British Sewing Bee Christmas special  and was inspired to make a christmas table runner as a gift. It was super easy, used up small bits of fabric and allowed for lots of creativity and options! I want to make more of these for all sorts of occasions and seasons! 

I kept this one pretty simple with just the presents, tree, and an ornament. I used a green glittery satin fabric to make it more festive though I think it would be better to use a cotton to get a crisper finish without the little wrinkles. 

The Presents are flannel and fleece fabric with different kinds of ribbons. The tree is the same green satin and the ornament is a cotton flannel. Both red backgrounds are flannel but the white is cotton, since the white has since wrinkled, even with ironing, I think next time I would back the cotton square with interfacing.

I would love to try making a longer one with four or even five squares and perhaps one time quilting the squares might make an interesting design. There is so much you can do with a table runner, anything you can cut out you can applique onto a square!

Quick Weekend Sewing

This weekend I got some time and I printed out the new Laurel pattern from Colette Patterns and started that when I got almost done except for the sleeves. I had to stop because it was looking like a sack on me and not flattering at all. So far it had been a great quick sew but I needed to stop and think about what I wanted to do with it next because adding sleeves was not going to improve it for me.

I almost hate to post this picture.... because it really just didn't turn out well but I'm determined it will! I thought I could make a shift dress work but I think with my body type it's just not meant to be. So my plan is to try to basically cut it in half since it's a bit long anyways and gather the front half of the skirt and probably add two more darts going down the front bodice. Then add it's sleeves.  Though I'm indecisive about this plan too, but I've promised myself next weekend I'll get back to it and take some course of action to make this better!


So I put it aside (for now), and decided to do something quick and simple. I had bought this purple minky fabric because I found it for a good deal a couple weeks ago. Did I need minky or have plans for it? No, but I can't stop myself with this fabric! I love it too much!  Then I thought to make them into pillow cases, used some dark purple cotton for the edges and made these up! I think the measuring and cutting the fabric probably took longer then to sew these together. Very simple, and I love how they look, never mind that my room is full of pinks and blues....

All seams are surged so they're easily washed which is great! I had some pink minky fabric too, but not enough to make a pair of pillow cases. Maybe the pink could be made into a cute throw pillow?