Holiday Home Sewing

We’ve been in our new home almost two years now and I’ve been slowly adding some handmade home décor. I don’t love sewing that isn’t fashion related so I’m trying to stick to one or two new makes each holiday that I really love. Last Christmas I made new Christmas Stockings and a basic Tree Skirt. This year I added an Advent Countdown Calender, all in my holiday colors of aqua and cream. It’s Florida and beachy holiday décor is my jam. It looks especially good with our pale blue walls and cream and navy home goods.

Before kids I worked as a visual merchandiser (Arhaus) so It’s fun to play around with interior design a bit more. I’m already planning my next painting project of colored grids in the dining room and a landscape mural in the stairwell.

All the Details:

Fabric-

Organic Cotton Plus

IKEA

“When I designed FILODENDRON, TORGERD, JÄTTELILJA and VINTER 2018 textiles, I found inspiration at a botanical garden in Stockholm. I strolled among the lush greenery and explored which medium to use – pencil, watercolor, gouache or ink? This time I felt like painting. I wanted to create playfulness in the patterns – a flower here and a butterfly there, so there is always something new to discover. After all, I hope you will use and love these textiles for a long time.”

Designer Malin Gyllensvaan (Sweden)

Placemats

Last month we hosted Thanksgiving for 13 in our small home and I decided to make new placemats and pillows with some pretty fabric I spotted at IKEA (which is just down the road). I love this Navy backed floral with birds print. It’s wintry looking so it works all season long. I had a bit of gifted rick rack in red which I thought I’d never use but I think is kind of cute and kitschy in these placemats. The back is a bright printed corduroy that I had in my stash so it adds a bit of heft without added interfacing.

With my Christmas Decorations I wanted to make pieces that would last for years. Applique is so cool, so I thought I’d add some to the stockings. First, I drew my designs onto the silk and then stitched around them freehand. Next I cut them out with my applique scissors and stitched them to the stocking fronts prior to sewing them together.

Stockings

Christmas Tree Skirt

The Tree skirt is very simple right now. Cream Muslin backed by the Darker Khaki duck (which I also used to make a dog bed for Suki) and a simple braided ribbon trim inserted aroung the border. It’s a Simple Circle, 54″ in Diameter with a Center cut out to 17″ Around with a slit back seam. Just like making a circle skirt. I’m planning to add embroidery in the future with a beachy feel like the stockings.

Advent Calender

Early this month I made the Advent calendar. My kids love getting little treats as we countdown to Christmas. Usually little beauty samples, body wash, jerky, candies, etc. We celebrate this as a family winter holiday- not religiously so it’s all about fun and family.

I made a simple rectangle with some extra outdoor fabric from Joann’s that has a coral print and then added the pockets in the aqua mystery silk I had used on the stockings (also from the remnant bin at Joann’s). The pockets are edged with twill tape and then sewn on. After all the pockets were sewn I did the vertical seams to make 24 pockets. 4 each in the top 3 rows and 6 each in the last two. I like the different sizes for goodies. I then used a stencil to paint on the numbers with fabric paint. Lastly the piece was edged with more of that gifted rick rack, this time in white.

Back soon with my Top 5’s for the Year and lots of handmade Christmas gifts. I never plan on making much but always do! Can’t share those until after Christmas! Hope you’re all have a wonderful Holiday Season! Happy Sewing!