allsorts

Ring in the new!

Now that it is 2012, my blog headers from 2011 are sadly obsolete. I am afraid that no one but me appreciated how I cleverly combined the word allsorts with 2011 in last year's banners (snark). Ah well, it's not the first time that something I tried didn't exactly work out (haha). But I'm not clever enough to figure out how to incorporate 2012, so I put up the old standby cherries from before because I still love them. But I was playing around with this, which I also kind of like...

What do you think? Too plain?

I am installed in my new studio upstairs as I type this post, amid a terrifying amount of disorganized, brightly-colored, artsy-craftsy miscellany. All I can say is... yikes. This will take some time to pull together. You never know how much stuff you have until you try to move it from one place to another, even if the new place is much bigger than the old one. I keep making feeble attempts to capture the chaos in photos, but they all look so dreadful, I can't bear to share them. It's all sorts of... untidy.

And yes, I neglected to take photos of my Christmas decorations as well. I never actually finished getting them up, just had to stop because it was, well... Christmas. They are still up (such as they are) so there's hope yet that I will muster the will to point a camera at them. We'll see...

In any case... onward into the new year! Let's make stuff.

Jenny

Starry Christmas Angels ~ a sweet paper printable to make

Only one week left before Christmas, can you believe it? That's just enough time for me to post a happy new paper printable... it's a Starry Christmas Angel... a holiday version of my Valentine and Bride angels. I think she turned out looking very Swedish, don't you? I love her red scalloped edges and golden yellow stars.

This sweet angel is now available in my Etsy shop! --->here<---.

You can write or stamp a name or message on the banner and use her as a place card on your holiday table as shown above, or she also makes a sweet ornament on the tree with just her outstretched arms.

If you like, you can also cut out the four decorative stars in the corners of the page and string them on a length of thread for her to hold! But my favorite thing is to place each angel onto a battery operated tea light. This gives her an almost magical glow. A row of these flickering on a mantelpiece would be really special.

I hope you enjoy this sweet Christmas printable, and that a little angel finds its way into your home this holiday!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/483856932/paper-angel-christmas-ornament-digital

Cheers,

Jenny

Free Pattern for a Swedish Dala Horse Stocking

Today I'm sharing this pattern for a Swedish-inspired Christmas stocking. It's made with red and white felt, and features that quintessential Swedish icon, a Dala horse! I love this photo... in fact I love this whole project! Another pattern from the past (last year) that I haven't shown in my sidebar, so it might be new to my more recent visitors. In any case, I love looking at this picture, so I wanted to make sure I posted about it again. Last year I was asked by Amy Powers to contribute something to the 2010 Christmas issue of Inspired Ideas Magazine. I was so happy to offer this project!

Click -->here<-- to download the pdf pattern (use Adobe Reader to open and print). The pattern makes a 12” long stocking, but you can enlarge it if desired. (Please note this pattern is for personal use only)

You will need:

• sharp fabric scissors
• regular needle
• embroidery needle
• pins
• white and red felt (wool or wool-blend works best)
• red sewing thread
• white and red pearl embroidery floss

INSTRUCTIONS

Using the pattern, Cut out all shapes from felt in the colors and amounts as noted. Refer to photograph for positioning of shapes.

Assemble front of stocking:
Pin the Dala horse and heart shapes onto the front panel of the stocking. Pin one of the cuff, heel and toe pieces to the front panel of stocking. Attach all by whip-stitching around edge with red sewing thread. Note - do not stitch along edges of stocking panel.

With red pearl floss, attach the white “plus” shapes to each of the hearts with a french knot in the center. Sew red french knots around the horse’s saddle and below each heart.

With white pearl floss, stitch a french knot for the Dala horse’s eye, and sew white french knots along the edge of the toe, heel and top band of stocking.

Assemble back of stocking:
Pin remaining cuff, toe and heel sections onto the back panel of the stocking. Pin hanging loop in place between top band and back panel.

Assemble stocking:
Pin front panel to back panel with wrong sides together, leaving top open. Using white pearl floss on the red portions, and red pearl floss on the white portions, whip stitch all around edge of stocking, leaving top open.

With white pearl floss, whip stitch around top opening, catching hanging loop in stitches to secure. And that's it!

My next post won't be a re-posting of an old project, it's something new that I just finished yesterday. Once I get some cute photos, I'll post all about it.

Cheers,

Jenny

Please don't eat the Peppermint Candy Stars

Sweet (and yet not tasty) are these felt Peppermint Candy Stars! I love re-posting this project because the photo has the cutest fabric ever in the background... little white scotties with red polka-dot bows! Squee! The star is nice, too (inside joke).

As far as instructions on how to make them, there isn't much to it... just use the pattern to cut two stars from white felt and whip stitch around the edges with red perle floss, stuffing with fluff before you get all the way round. Oh, add the button first... or last if you forget (like I usually do).

You can stitch up a bowl-full of these in no time, for instance while watching a cheesy Christmas movie. They work splendidly in many situations, like as ornaments on a tree, or even on prezzies. I came up with the star design around the same time as the flat version of my Scotty Dog pattern, as you can see from this photo...

In fact, Elizabeth of Creative Breathing even combined the stars and some flat scotties with the dangles from the Advent Calendar and made a super-cute garland with loads of gingham ribbon and ricrac...

Clever girl!

Cheers,

Jenny