As part of the Sprat & Winkle Christmas Dinner activities the members will be swapping Secret Sister gifts. On a previous occasion I have gifted a battery-operated tea light cover of a gnome and this year I went one better and made a table wreath to go with it.

The pattern from Thimble Art by Ruth Jensen is for a floral shape with 3D holly leaves between each ‘petal’.

Using some pretty Christmas-themed fabric gifted by a friend I cut 6 shapes in each of the two prints, one in a novelty Rabbit print on a Cream background and the other a Green background cartoon Robin print.

I interfaced each of the Cream fabrics and then fused some lightweight wadding to the centre part, excluding the Holly shapes. The most difficult part of the construction was turning each petal through the narrow gap at the base. I edge stitched each petal before joining them together to form a circle with the Holly leaves standing proud.

I made a fabric circle each for the top and underside which then covers up all the raw edges at the centre of the wreath.

I am very pleased with the final result and once I have completed my current dressmaking project may well make another Holly wreath for my own dining table.

Project #54 completed 29^th November 2022

I am always pleased if I can identify a theme for my present-making. For two recipients, this was relatively easy as they are both dog owners.

For one friend I used a half-metre of Red background Multi-dog printed cotton linen-look fabric from my stash and for the other, some Cream background French Bulldog print linen from my ‘landfill’ bags (more of that later).

Using the Red background I first made a ‘shortie’ apron using View B of the free pattern ‘Sam apron’ from Helen’s Closet.

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This is the same pattern that I used for the ‘Robins’ collection. There is a requirement for bias binding around the sides of the bib and as I was short on fabric, I used some Red background printed cotton from my stash of fat quarters. I love that pattern and fully intend to make one each for my husband and me!

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As I was a little tight on fabric but there was just enough to make a project bag providing that I continued to use the scrap of Red background Fat quarter from my stash. The zip came from my stash and I packed the bag with some coordinating paper napkins.

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I finished off that gift package with a Gnome tea light cover that is an ‘In the Hoop’ embroidery design recently purchased from ‘Embroidery Garden’.

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The Cream background French Bulldog print is a linen fabric originally intended as a furnishing fabric. Through a very circuitous route I have obtained a bag of this type of fabric that was originally intended for landfill. I am so pleased that I have been able to make something useful from the fabric.

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There was only a little useable of this particular print and so I made the back of the project bag using some coordinating needlecord from my stash. I have added yet another gnome tea light cover to the gift but as this has to be posted, have omitted the battery operated tea light.

Projects #87, #88 and #89 completed 5^th & 6^th December 2021

I have been very pleased with the two Jenna cardigans that I have made so far and when I found this short length (1.2M) of Pink Ponte Roma in my stash I knew exactly what I wanted to make. This colour will go perfectly with my latest Polly dress #3 that I made whilst on the Sewcial Retreat in March.

Due to minimal amount of fabric available, I had to make the sleeves slightly shorter but apart from that no alterations were made to my now-refined pattern (shortened centre back slightly for sway back).

The cardigan is a delight to wear as the fabric is so soft, I only wish I knew from where I purchased it!

completed 28th March 2020