Hand-Sewn Christmas Presents Day 5: Owl Heat Packs

This gift was for my sister-in-law who really loves owls.  I found the idea for Owl Heat Packs on Pinterest, but drafted my own pattern, because I can.  This project took a lot of time, but because of the quilt I've been making for Baby, I didn't have to buy a lot of new materials for it.  

I was pretty nervous about how the faces would look, so I cut the pieces out of felt and placed them on the fabric to get an idea before sewing them down.  And I about died of cuteness.

I tried to use all natural fibers, since these will be microwaved a lot, but I had to abandon this for the faces, since I couldn't find any small sheets of wool felt.  However, I did use interfacing with the front fabric, and I used a cotton interfacing (really hard to find, but it is out there!).  I used flannel (leftover from stockings) for the back, and regular quilting cotton for the fronts and the hearts.  They're filled with feed corn.

They are very soft, very cute, and heat up really nicely.  I'm really really pleased with how they turned out, especially since I felt like I was kind of making it up as I went along. :)

This would be fairly easy to adapt to any simple shape, making this a very versatile project.  You could make hearts, stars, leaves, penguins, flowers, etc.  Using different fabrics to make faces or details multiplies the possibilities.  The only downside to these over the corn bags we've made before is that they don't have removable covers, meaning they can't be washed.

Love and Snuggle Flannel,

Leah Joy

Hand-Sewn Christmas Presents Day 4: Clutch Purse

This clutch purse was by far the most intricate project I made for a Christmas present, but it turned out so wonderfully!  I followed this tutorial over at Elm Street Life.  It is a fantastic tutorial.  She gives photos and clear instructions for every single step.

For this project, I purchased a home decor fabric from Jo-Ann's in a solid grey.  I purchased a 1/2 yard, as the tutorial suggested, but just so you know, you could probably get two purses from that. (You do have to buy the 1/2 yard for the width, though.)  I had leftover unbleached muslin (from my Roman Shades) that I used for the lining, and leftover fusible fleece (from my purse).  I bought thread and a zipper to match the exterior.

I won't go into any more detail about the process, because the tutorial is so easy to follow and answers all your questions.

I'm extremely pleased with how this project turned out!

Love and Bows,

Leah Joy

Hand-Sewn Christmas Presents Day 3: Half-Apron

I love aprons, but I think half-aprons are the cutest of all.  I found a really cute tutorial on YouTube, and maybe I only tried this tutorial because of the cute fabric used in the tutorial, but I'm glad that I made it!  I made this for my sister, and it turned out adorable!

I just love the flowers on this fabric!

This project was a little more involved than some of the others this week, but the results are worth it.

Love and Leaves,

Leah Joy

Hand-Sewn Christmas Presents Day 2: Infinity Scarf

There are a million tutorials out there for an infinity scarf, so I'm not going to link to a specific one, and I'm also not going to turn this into another one.  Find the one that best suits your fabric.

I found this sort of chiffon fabric (really not sure what it is) at Field's Fabrics for $3 a yard.  I bought two yards, and then made two scarves, each one two yards in length, but half the width of the fabric.

I think they turned out very nicely, and they're a great length for doubling:

Love and Chandeliers,

Leah Joy

Hand-Sewn Christmas Presents Day 1: Kitchen Towels

This year, I sewed a lot of my Christmas presents.  While fabric isn't cheap, some projects require only a little bit (sometimes a little bit you have leftover from another project), and you can usually create something really special and handmade for the same price as buying something store-bought.

This week, I'll feature one hand-sewn project every day.  Maybe you can use them yourself for gifts this year.

Today I'm sharing this kitchen towel project.  I don't know if everyone grew up with hanging towels, but in every kitchen in my family, there was always a towel with a crocheted topper that would button on to a drawer pull or the oven handle.  When I saw a similar idea - only with fabric - on Pinterest, I knew I had to try it.

I looked on Amazon for towels, but couldn't find any I liked that had good reviews, so instead, I waited for a sale at Meijer.  I really like the towels I found, and the final product is very cute.  The only thing I added to the tutorial was top-stitching all the way around the top fabric.  The top fabric itself was leftover broadcloth from previous projects.

They were also easy to create assembly-line style, so this is a good gift to give to multiple people.

Love and Yellow,

Leah Joy

Christmas Gifts: Map Necklace

Happy New Year!

Ever since I discovered Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (which I used in 2014 to create some really cool Christmas gifts), I've wanted to make a bezel necklace, but I don't wear necklaces, so I needed a good occasion for a gift.  My friend Cara, however, does wear necklaces, and I thought that making a bezel necklace with a cut-out of Grand Rapids would be perfect for her.  

I bought the bezel charm and the necklace chain at Hobby Lobby.  The Dimensional Magic I had leftover from last Christmas.  The map was free (in the lobby of the library) and I used my 1" circle punch to cut out the shape.  It was really simple to put together from there, but it turned out so pretty!

This is a very simple and easy project, but is so perfect for personalizing, so it makes for a great gift.

Love and the M-44,

Leah Joy