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Gifts for Christmas - Part 2

 
Today's post is presented by Amy DeCesare of Pennsylvania...

"AN APPLE FOR THE TEACHER"

 

What is today's Christmas gift idea???  You could call it a List Maker, an Organizer, or - my favorite - a Portfolio!

This would make a thoughtful and pretty gift for a mom, a student, or a special teacher. 

{I'm partial to teachers...both of my parents were teachers, and we have DOZENS of teachers in our extended family.  They do such wonderful work with our precious children, giving them new ways to solve problems and be inspired.}

I made this portfolio for my son's very favorite student teacher when she graduated.  She tells him that all the other teachers are so JEALOUS when she pulls her portfolio out, to take notes at conferences.  It's so much fun to promote jealousy...in an innocent way, of course!

Let's open it up and see what's inside!

 
I filled it up with sticky notes and a little tablet.  There's a pen holder in the center.

  I found another version here, by JCasa at the Sew, Mama, Sew blog.  Cute, cute, cute!  {She has a downloadable tutorial, if you'd like to make one like hers.}

 

There are so many ways to make them...here are 3 more I made for two great 4th grade teachers and my lovely niece:

I LOVE this Eiffel tower print...

  

And sailboats remind teachers that summer is never too far away...

 

Here are the inside pockets - a little different than the Apple one.  I was having fun now!

 

And this Amy Butler one is sweet and charming, just like my niece Christina...

 

Look carefully at the interior...

 
 
Do you know what that thing is, beside the tablet, with the silver hardware? 

{Leave a comment if you can guess!} 

It's going to be the topic of my next Christmas Gift Ideas post!  Come back soon and see!

Gifts for Christmas - Part 1

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!

 
Now I've got to make a whole bunch more...better make a cup of coffee first!!!

 

Today is a Happy Day For a Freedbie!!

A great day to have a giveaway! 

Check out this blog of Sandi Henderson's for all of the details.

She is posting a giveaway for me.

Portabellopixie

I've been thinking that a 1/2 yard bundle of

Sandi Henderson's Meadow Sweet Fabrics 

along with any pattern in my Store !

would make someone out there very happy. 

My only hesitation is that I might sell out and I won't have any left for me.

Kind of selfish I know, but I just love these colors.  

I have started a quilt with this fabric

and I have been saving my pennies

to get some more of it for the backing and binding.

I am hoping that I can order some more of it.

 

This is my Lone Star.  It is not quite halfway pieced together. 

Below I just layed it down as it will be when I sew it together later.

I am thinking that I want to back it with the strawberries.

What do you think?

I am using the "Quilt Smart" method.

I have some friends that are also doing the same.

When we are all finished we are going to blog about them all with lots of pictures.   

Well, back to the giveaway. 

Just to sweeten things up a bit,

I want to tell you about a  place

that is far too close to my house.

Just a few miles up the road is a world renowned candy making business.

 

It is between my house and my daughters home.

Yes, you guessed it, I have to pass it every time I go to visit my daughter.

I am finding that the older I get my self control gets weaker.

In light of this little bit of info, a surprise from the

"Peppermint Place"

would couple nicely with the Meadow Sweet fabric,

don't you thinks

The winner can choose any pattern that they want from the Lanie Jane store.

Good Luck to all!!!

Happy Thoughts,

Lanie