see jane run, go jane go: Gifts for Christmas

Today's post is from Amy DeCesare of Pennsylvania...

Like everyone else, I'm turning some of my attention toward Christmas.

(If you're already done sewing, shopping and wrapping, then just read as if I am discussing Christmas 2011. Thank you.)

I like to make at least some of my presents from my pretty fabric stash. One of the gifts I'm working on this year is THIS:

{Can you tell I live near Pittsburgh?}

Know what that is? A COFFEE CUP SLEEVE!

You could call it a Coffee Cozy, a Cup Warmer, or even a Java Jacket, but isn't that cool? I looked around and found some tutorials on the web. Then I combined a few to come up with my own way to make them. Here we go!

I picked up a free pattern first. This was the hardest part...I had to go to one of those nice coffee shops and enjoy make myself drink a cup of coffee. Of course I picked up some bagels to go along with it, and I spent 3 hours visiting with a favorite friend, but that's another story.

I opened up the paper sleeve and traced it onto a piece of Pellon 987F fusible fleece. (Did I mention how much I love that stuff???)

{Soon...I'm going to adapt my pattern to make it a bit smaller and symmetrical. I had to be very, very careful to position the pieces properly, so that directional prints come out properly!}

I cut an outer piece from this pretty candy cane fabric, fusing the fleece to the wrong side and making it about 1/2" larger than the fleece on all sides. I cut out the lining from the red polka dot fabric - same size as the outer piece.

I put the pieces wrong sides together and inserted a small piece of elastic {half of a hairband} between the pieces, on one short end. Leaving the end open that did NOT have the elastic, I stitched right along the edge of the fleece, barely catching it in the stitching. {When I came to the elastic area, I stitched back and forth about 5 times for strength.} I trimmed around the edges to leave 1/4" on all stitched sides, but 1/2" at the open short edge.

I turned it right sides out and pressed it, then tucked in the "open" edge. Then I topstitched around the entire piece, which finished off the end I'd left open for turning. I picked out a cute button and sewed it onto the sleeve. Done!