Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Crafting Holiday Style

I've been wanting to make some gifts for family and friends for the holidays, and today I finally was inspired to dig into it. After rooting through bags of fabric scraps I had several nice Christmas print calico and an idea was beginning to form in my mind--a festive garland, something that is durable and decorative and can be reused every year and even be a family holiday heirloom. I cut out some triangles and just went with my creative groove. After adding some decorative trims, I sewed everything up onto a some sweet vintage, red acetate seam binding, and added the final touches--some golden and Christmas style dangles (upcycled earrings and mini wooden toy trains and such). I am totally pleased with the results.








After completing the garland, I was inspired to start rooting around for more holiday fabrics to work with. I found a few bags with unfinished sewing projects some unknown, fellow crafter had never completed (this is one of the things I love most about being the scavenger that I am--discovering other people's unfinished or abandoned projects and giving them new life/bringing them to completion). I was excited to find a set of tree appliques, already cut out and assembled, just waiting to be sewn together, so of course I did!





To the person who cut out and pieced these so lovingly together, I thank you for your beautiful works and the opportunity to bring them to completion with my stitches. They will both be finished into sweet little gifts for someone in my family. I think I'll sew seam binding around the edges and a couple loops at the top so they can be hung using a dowel rod, or bamboo. Or maybe turn them into pillows? We'll have to wait and see where the creative roads take me this time. <3