How to make a sparkly Christmas cushion cover

Today I'm sharing another of my Christmas sewing tutorials. This one shows how to make a
 Sparkly Christmas Cushion Cover.

This is also one of my super simple 5 steps in 15 minutes tutorials that anyone can have a go at - even complete beginner sewers!
Happy Christmas sewing!

Jill

Puffy yo-yo wreath tutorial

Today I'm sharing another of my Christmas tutorials.
This one is for a puffy yo-yo wreath made with scraps from old clothes.

A cute ornament the kids could make themselves!

Happy Christmas Sewing!

Jill

Eco Friendly Shopping bags - the perfect Christmas Gift!

I had a lovely surprise yesterday to see that one of the pattern testers for my new e-book posted about it on her blog. Niki from Roonie Ranching shows the gorgeous bags she made from the patterns and tutorials in my e-book. She was such a big help as a pattern tester and I'm flattered she wrote such a nice post about my book,  so THANK YOU Niki!
Go here to see her post

I also have to mention another lovely lady at Wesens Art who bought my ebook, made the bags and posted about them too, THANK YOU!!
Go here to see that post

My e-book would make a great Christmas present for someone who sews.

It includes 5 sewing patterns/tutorials to make a selection of eco-friendly upcycled bags to use for shopping. Helping to reduce the use of those nasty plastic bags.


It's the perfect gift that gives that little bit more!


Happy sewing and upcycling!

Jill

Christmas Handibag tutorial

Today I'm also sharing another of my Christmas tutorials.
This one is for a Christmas Handibag. I've been using mine lots over the past few weeks as I Christmas shop.

 I think I'm done now but still have this handibag in my handbag just in case I find some other presents to buy!
So here is my 
Christmas Handibag Tutorial

Happy Christmas Sewing!

Jill

How to make a Christmas Snowman nightie

Today I'm sharing one of my Christmas sewing tutorials.
This one is for making a  Christmas Snowman Nightie.

This was my younger daughter's favourite nightie, until she grew out of it! I might have to make her a new one that's bigger!
Happy Christmas Sewing!

Jill

Crochet Owl Keychain

Yesterday I decided to pick up my crochet hook again. I'm still learning the basics.
I had a breakthough this time and finally cracked making a magic ring! I've watched several short videos and read tutorials, but finally it clicked!

After making a pretty neat looking couple of rings, and showing my daughter how since she's learning too; I decided to keep going and make something from the ring.

I looked on my crochet pinterest board for inspiration and decided on a small owl.

I'm still struggling with the whole counting and patterns in crochet, so winged it a little bit too!
Here's how it turned out.

My daughters loved him and claimed him straight away. Now I have to make another one so they can both have one!

What do you think?

How to make a fabric Merry Christmas Banner

Today I'm sharing one of my Christmas tutorials - 
How to make a Merry Christmas Fabric Banner

I made this three years ago, and every year it comes out and is hung on our pool fence by the patio where we spend most of our evenings and weekends at this time of year!
All you need is some scrap fabric and a sewing machine!
Happy Christmas Sewing!

Jill

One pair of jeans upcycled to all this...

This year I've been making some Christmas gifts from an old pair of jeans.  I've managed to use up almost the entire pair of jeans. Here's what I made...

First I made a Lesa Bag - which took up most of the fabric of the jeans. I used part of an old dressing gown for the bag lining.

Then I made a pair of pot holders from the back pockets, using this tutorial.

Then a personalised pencil case from the remaining large leg parts:

A key-chain pouch from the last flat part of fabric:

Then finally I stitched the scraps together, braided the seams to form a handle, 

and again used part of that old dressing gown for the lining, and made another small bag:

Now all I have left is some left over seams,

Which I save for hanging loops of key-chain loops like this:

And the very last tiny scraps which I admit I threw out (gasp!!) I know - I probably should have kept them for stuffing something..or other.....

Not bad for just one old pair of jeans!

Here's another look at the final result:

I'm pretty pleased with that! 

What do you think? What have you made from old jeans?

To see lots more ideas for upcycling old jeans, look in the Clothes Upcycling linky where there are hundreds of ideas for upcycling old clothes - and more being added all the time!

Happy Upcycling!

More gifts from jeans - Denim pot holders

I managed to get yet another gift out of the pair of jeans I have been upcycling!

So far I've made a Lesa Bag, a pencil case, and now I've made a pair of Pot Holders:

I made a pair of these for myself earlier this year - so used my own tutorial which you can find here.

The pockets are perfect for slipping your hands in to grip the hot pots!

And I chose to use some tartan fabric for the quilted side, since the recipient is Scottish!

I hope she likes them!

Not a lot of those jeans left now!

Upcycled denim jeans to pencil case

I made another birthday gift this week for one of my daughter's friends.
I still had some denim left over from the jeans I used to make her swim coach a Lesa Bag

So I used this to make a pencil case:

With the birthday girl's name on the front..

And cute little doggies on the inside!

Hope she likes it!