15 December 2007

Trying New Things

I have tried many, many new things this Christmas season on my sewing machine. I have been more brave about branching out when it comes to my sewing since starting to contribute to this blog. You all inspire me and so I decided that I should make many of my Christmas gifts this year. I cannot show all of them because I want my secret santa recipient and my family and friends who read this blog to be surprised, but there are two that I can show that I am so proud of!

These zippered wristlets look simple enough, but they have a zipper on them for goodness sake! I am not sure I have ever sewn a zipper before! Well, it was about time already, so here it is! I made these for Ella and Sarah and filled them with fun girly things.

I also made these Elephants from the Patchwork + Quilted Gifts book I have posted about before:

I am absolutely in love with these and really wanted to keep these for myself! They were a lot easier than I thought they would be and I really got them done faster than I thought I would too. It took me as long to sew them up as it did to stuff them and hand sew them up and hand sew on the ears, blankets, and eyes. Then for some reason, I thought the blue and purple one looked like he would be a well-worn elephant and added some hand embroidery on a few of the seems as if he had been loved and patched and loved some more. Anyway, these are for Rachel and Lily. I had so much fun, and I am so shocked with what I can do when I just try it!

13 comments:

Joanna said...

OH MY GOSH!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!! johanna that stuff is sssssoooooooooooooo FABULOUS!!!! i am TOTALLY impressed. it's like christmas for ME! oh my gosh!!!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE it all!!!!! the girls are going to be super duper excited. the elephants look professionally done. actually, you are a professional, so i guess that shouldn't be a surprise.

wow, johanna. thank you so much. they are going to love them! i just can't stop saying thank you and they are so cute.

Kainoa said...

WOW WOW WOW!!!! What a great JOB!!! I don't even know where to start. There have been so many posts this week and I have not posted one thing. You have done an excellent job! I saw the elephants in the book and thought they were so so cute, but yours look so professional!!! Love the little wrist bags too! I should learn how to make them so I can have somewhere to put little things in too! I love the colors!

M said...

I think they look great!!!! I really need to get that book. I seem to like a lot of the stuff that is in it. Tooo bad you don't live closer, then I could just borrow it.

M said...

So I told Mike I wanted to see the book under the Christmas tree!!!! He said that it was no fun that I know what I am getting though. I will get over that though.... I promise!

Joanna said...

yeah! i think i want that book now, too. i was trying really hard to not jump on the bandwagon but it's really really hard! i keep thinking i need to think up my own stuff to make if i ever want my sewing to be a business instead of constantly copying everyone else's ideas. it looks like a REALLY good book though.

Tina said...

BEAUTIFUL!! SO, what do I have to do to get me a few of those elephants??? Seriously! Who should I beg?? Or pay??? They are great... Can I have 2? Or 5?
Or- you can fly on over here, teach me to sew, and lend me your machine... is that okay?
:-D

cristina said...

Johanna that is so cool that you branched out onto other exciting things! Kinda reminds me when we attempted the Tunisian crochet with a ghetto hook! Thanks for your friendship and keep up the awesome crafting!
love, cristina

Johanna said...

Okay, Tina. I'll make some. Just fly me out - I'm dying to see England again anyway!! :) Really, I would be happy to make you some once the holidays are over and things die down a bit.

I'm so glad you looked, Cristina! And your ghetto hook was the bomb! :)

Unknown said...

Joanna, so cute, cute cute!!! I really want to make some softies too. These are just adorable. You are getting so much done in this pre-Christmas rush! Are you like me - you get a big burst of energy to get things done around this time? I usually collaps in January and don't really know what to do with myself. The Christmas present pressure really helps motivate me. I hope that blogging will help me this year to keep up the crafting. I would really like to open up a store. Do you sell your lovely things?

Joanna said...

oh goodness, johanna made those lovely things. but i am the lucky recipient of them. ok wait...my kids are the lucky recipients. still. i'm happy.

i am actually shocked at how much stuff i've gotten done. i'm pretty sure i've collapsed already because the thought of sewing some more is sort of depressing. that's ok, though, i only have one set of pajamas to make and then it's over. we're going to concentrate on doing school this week because after that we get two weeks off. i think i am going to start some hand quilting after that.

all together i made 15 little artist cases, four crayon rolls, four sets of mittens, pajamas, 5 stockings...i think that's it. i want to make some headbands for the girls...we'll see if it happens.

Unknown said...

They look fabulous! You are so right that it's amazing what one can make when you just try. You are such an inspiration! Don't you just love all of us together? How we motivate and inspire each other?

Kainoa said...

OK, I only made a tree skirt, but I am now feeling more inpired. I went to AMY Butler website online and founf the cutest "cozy kitty" pattern to make, I cannot wait!!!!

Joanna said...

i made one of those, you can see it here: http://marieandjogetcrafty.blogspot.com/2007/10/ego-bustboost.html

aren't they cute!