Christmas makes and gifts...

I was actually pretty organized last year when it came to making gifts, which is most unusual for me.  I thought I'd share some of my makes with you, but not before asking - did you have an enjoyable Christmas???

We had a nice quiet one, very low key, but unfortunately we all came down with some kind of Gastro bug which seemed to hang around for days on end. But these things happen, and we still enjoyed our quiet time together albeit the only dancing we did was to reach the bathroom!!

I've just finished sewing this hanging Santa doll from the Tilda book, Homemade & Happy.  It was a real labour of love, lots of needle-turn applique and hand-quilting.  But it will remind me of my quiet time spent at home, and I'm looking forward to displaying him in December after he's recharged his batteries, ready for delivering those gifts on Christmas Eve!

I made a couple of changes just to make life easier for myself - I omitted the applique stems and sewed a line of chain-stitch instead; and I left his feet au natural because I love the colour of the skin fabric against the crisp white linen, and therefore didn't want to cover most of it with paint for the boots.

Talking of Tilda, hubby bought me the latest book for Christmas, and darling Rosebud and I have decided that the cover-girl will be my first make - one for me, and one for her!

Isn't she the cutest?!

Do you use Instagram?  Do you like it?  If so, I'd love to connect with you!  My Instagram name is vikki_collumbine so please look me up if we're not friends on there already.  Anyhow, the reason for me mentioning this is that I took part in an Instagram Christmas swap last month which was so much fun!  All participants received a written Q&A about their secret swap partner and then followed them on Instagram to get a better idea of their likes and tastes.  I made this stocking for my partner from my provincial stocking pattern which you can find, here.

I decorated it with a store-bought hanging ornament and added some shell buttons for embellishment, then sent it along with a few other goodies.

I also sewed up this sweet little bag from one of my favourite Red Brolly patterns' by Bronwyn Hayes, and then sent it across the pond to my very sweet friend Deb, who I met here on my blog many moons ago!  (She's a keeper!)

This  next make is from a pattern by One day in May, designed by Melissa Grant.  I used the same Tilda fabrics as Melissa used in her original version, and gifted it - full of goodies - to my dear friend Alisha.

This next project was a birthday gift back in November, for a sweet friend I've had for as long as I've lived in Australia.  Her name is Holly and her son and mine hit it off from day One when Aaron went to school.  I often joke that Holly is Aaron's "other mum" because she has been such a huge part of his life.  When I had issues with my daughter that kept me housebound, Holly would pick Aaron up from school and take care of him, or run him home to me.  She has been amazingly supportive and I really don't know what I would have done without her, both in a practical sense, but more so in an emotional sense.  So many times I've thought of all that she has done for me and had tears in my eyes, just knowing someone understands and cares that much.  She's very special.  Holly is a sweet lovely-natured lady, she is the most lady-like tom-boy I've ever met!  She has three sons and a hubby who accounts for probably another three more!  They ride motorbikes, dirt bikes, they're what I call, 'blokey blokes'!  Holly jokes that she doesn't know how she would have coped if she'd had a little girl because there is so much testosterone in her house she knows no different!  Anyhow, I digress, but just wanted to paint a picture of the sweet lady I made this quilt for.  The lady who dislikes florals but loves birds and her budgie... a lady who loves to cycle and be outdoors...

The reverse of the quilt...

 ... and the label:

Last of my makes was such fun!  My 18 year old son, Aaron, has been dating his girlfriend (who I call Sweet Bee) for almost four years now, and I wanted to make her something quirky!  Her favourite comedienne is a You-tuber whose alias is Miranda Sings.  I noted on Miranda's website that she was wearing an appliqued sweatshirt - and I secretly endeavoured to recreate it for sweet Bee.

It was a great hit!  Sweet Bee squealed with delight when she opened her gift and I was somewhat relieved that she did in fact know this was a Miranda top and I hadn't lost the plot completely!

Now it's time to work on some new designs and organise myself for the year ahread.  It's school holidays here in Australia for the next few weeks so I won't get back in to my work properly until February comes around.  So I'm making the most of time spent with the kids!  What are you up to?

Warm wishes, dear friends!

Vikki xo

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