Art Elements December 2019 Challenge - Handmade Christmas

'Tis the season!  Not only the season for another Art Elements theme challenge, but also the season to drive yourself nuts trying to get all the gifts and decorations and cleaning and food done before the festivities.  I am so tired but proud of what I've accomplished this year!  Here's a sampling of what I finished for the holidays:

Catnip pickles.  I wanted to do a project with my friend's daughter while we were in Knoxville for Christmas, and these ridiculous things were it.  I had them all pre-sewn, cut and turned right sides out.  Katie helped me choose and set eyes in each one, stuff them with fluff and catnip, and cut the yarn "stems".  I finished them up on the machine and then we sorted them out for all the kitties in our lives.  We made about 25 pickles in total and after we chose the ones to gift to specific cats, the rest will be going to the humane society when she goes to practice reading to the kitties next.  So far I am receiving reports that the pickles are irresistible to all cats, young or old, big or small...as my friend's cat Lucky demonstrates here. 

As mentioned above, there is a new member to my friend's household - this is Cheetah.  He has added so much joy to their home, I thought he might appreciate more than a pickle.  I found this awesome free pattern and tutorial online and made the majority before I headed over to Knoxville.  I still had to hand sew the binding around the hole.  He supervised every stitch and immediately inspected once I turned it right side out and put the cushion back in.  I think I passed inspection!

For my friend and her husband, I made these two sloths that went with their bedroom colors.  These are from a free pattern by my favorite plushy pattern maker., Choly Knight  As a last second request I also made 2 more "snuggle" pillows, the red and gray with silver ones.  The other gray one I made last year so now no one needs to fight over it!  The pillows have no pattern - I simply trace 2 circles from my friend's smaller plates (yes, the dishes in the kitchen cupboard), and cut a rectangle to fit the circle circumference.  I believe I also sewed the duvet cover a couple of years ago.  Normally, I do small household sewing or the family mending for Christmas, but branched out a bit this time.  

For the kiddo herself, I made baby dragons to go with her Halloween costume.  These are also a Choly Knight pattern.  Because they are babies and they need very delicate care, they went straight in the doll pack-n-play as soon as they were snuggled, along with the Christmas rhino and penguin.  Normally I would make these out of a sturdier fabric.  Normally I would choose something less difficult to sew than foil covered spandex.  But the results were worth it!

Finally, I've been making articulated foxes.  For decades I've wanted to make stuffed animals with classic teddy bear articulation.  For some reason it had built up into my mind as a huge challenge, somehow different than all of the other plushy and doll making that I've ever done.  I found a nice pattern on Etsy and low and behold...it's much easier and more fun than I thought.  So fun that I've already gifted these four, have one more mostly assembled, and 2 more cut and ready to go!  After I get through those and get them to their intended homes, I'm going to work on patterning my own woodland gallery of articulated critters!  

I still have multiple projects in the wings for family back home.  With everything I needed to get done for people we were seeing over the holidays, I just had to prioritize the projects.  Most likely January and February will still heavily feature the rest of my Christmas projects. Oh well, maybe some random happy mail in a month or two will be a fun break for the recipients. 

I hope you will hop along and see what everyone else has been up to!

Thanks for looking!

AE team: 

 

Lindsay

Jenny

Sue

Karen

Claire

Niky

Cathy

Guests: 

Sarajo

Kathy

Mary

Hope

Tammy

Evie and Beth

Divya

Merja

Sarah