Stockings and Ornaments

I decided the stocking I made for the Stocking Swap needed a little extra umph so I added a scalloped border at the top and finished it off with some black ric-rac and then added three random buttons on his/her belly.  Now, it is perfect and ready to go to it's new home.  I still need to finish up some pillow cases.  I don't know why I can't seem to get in the mode to make some of those.  I will try to buckle down tomorrow and crank out 4 or 5 sets.  Oh, wait, I know why I haven't made any yet, I need to wash some fabric.  I don't like to make pillowcases from unwashed fabric.  It just doesn't seem right, you know.  When I get a new pillowcase I want to use it right away and if it's not washed, well . . . then I am not happy I have to wait a few hours (days) to get to use it.  So, I always wash the fabric I use to make pillowcases so if the person receiving it wants to sleep on it right away, they can.  I guess that means I need to put in a load of fabric in a little bit. 

In the new Crate and Barrel magazine mailer I recently received are some of the cutest little penguin , gnome and snowman ornaments.  They are all knit and so cute.  I wanted to make me some right away.  However, I don't knit.  So, I drew up a pattern for the penguin - still working on the other two - and made me a prototype penguin.  I grabbed the two purple batiks off the stack of freshly washed - see, I do wash fabric from time to time - purples and cut out a penguin.  I got him all sewed up and realized I had forgotten the feet.  I drew, cut and sewed him some feet and he looks so cute!  His feet need to be a bit bigger, but that's the only thing I needed to change.  I quickly cut out, sewed and stuffed 4 more in the more traditional colors of black and white and voila!!!  a bevy of penguin (or whatever you call a group of them) ornaments.  I put "hair" on a couple of them and all of them have hangers.  They are ready to be hung on the tree and one of them is going in my box for the Stocking Swap.  This is a much better ornament than the one I previously decided to use. 

While I was stuffing, I decided to stuff this owl doll.  A few years ago I designed this one and made up 4 or 5 and sold them all.  I had this one along with a few others all cut and ready to go, but didn't finish them in time for the bazaar/quilt shows that I sold them at.  I could have sold the pattern if I had it printed up and ready to go.  Maybe this next year I will do that.  Anywho, this one is ready to go to it's new home wherever, whenever that might be.  I still have one or two more that just need to be sewn around and stuffed.  Just one more thing to work on this weekend.  

It sure has been nice being off this entire week.  Not doing much, staying up as late as I want, not having to be anywhere at any specific time, it's been great!  A much needed rest from the hectic whirlwind that has been my life for the past month.  It should start to slow down a little between now and Christmas (only 5 or 6 things happening between now and the next vacation in less than a month - not bad for this time of year!)