Handmade gifts - a catchup post

Here are a couple of handmade gifts I've made lately.  I'll be back soon with updates on clothing makes, including my sewing dare and the Cami dress, a whole lot of patterns I won from Claire and a few other things, but first up some handmade gifts

So, here we have a tissue cover with a cute little side pocket for a pen or some lipstick! This one is for another work mate.  It is made with Liberty Tresco A. I was only able to purchase a little bit of this fabric so I'm glad it worked out.  It is lined in another Liberty Virtual Light A. The fit is a bit snug because  I made up the pattern myself after the only ones I could find on the internet involved sewing the top onto the side pieces, which I find too bulky and my head was spinning after a few hard days at work so my maths struggled.  The piece at the bottom is because I cut it too short. But I'm calling it a design feature!

Next up is an ooshka babushka doll I made using Liberty scraps for a little girl turning one tomorrow.  I have spoken before of my love for the patterns of Lisa from the Red Thread.  I made a 'superman' for this house many years ago and is a great comfort to me as I lie in the kid's bed reading stories.

Lastly, to show I'm making good progress on my battle with the zipper purse, two little purses I made today. Elliot is off next week to a birtday party for twin girls, so they will get these with some little things in them.  Not sure what yet.. but something!

Top 5 'other makes' for 2012

I posted the other day about my top 5 clothing makes but I feel a bit self indulgent so thought I'd also post my top 5 other makes for 2012.

1. The super easy lo fi blanket

I am not a knitter, so this took me ages to finish, but I loved doing it.  The make coincided with a few trips to the snow so there were a few missed stitches while I knitted in the car, but I'm still proud.  It was a present for on the birth of a little baby girl, Stella.

2. Roxy Longsocks

This is a bit of a cheat as the doll comes as a kit from the Red Thread, well only the face does, so it's not such a cheat.  It was a present for a little girl Lily for her first birthday.

3.   A bag with zippers

In September I took a Saturday course by Nicole Mallalieu on putting zippers into bags.  Unfortunately since the course, I have only finished this bag, but the course was great.  I gave this to my mum, who I am very happy to say uses it.. and it looks stylish in the process.  Next year I'm taking another one of Nicole's courses in March: Frame Purses! Yay.

4.  A lunch bag!

This little bag has revolutionised my eating habits at work.  Everyday I now take a salad!  It is the perfect size!

5.  Bird Wings

I made these wings as a present for a little girl Hannah for her 4th birthday.  There were a few wearability issues that I have now worked out.  I really want to make these for my niece Alice for here 5th birthday, but I haven't been able to find the exact fabrics again nor the energy.  Her birthday is at the end of January so I hope I can find my wing mojo as these wings truly are beautiful.

Roxy Longsocks

Today, I decided to dig out the Roxy Long Socks pattern kit that I had bought quite some time ago from The Red Thread.  I love the pattern kits from The Red Thread and a while ago I made a few ooshka boys (or supermans as the boys like to call them).  It was just so great to see something like that for little boys.  Oliver loves his and uses it as one of his pillows every night.
I have a host of little boys who I should be making for - or even better, I have a skirt and blouse that I want to do over this long weekend for myself, but for some reason, I decided to go for something girly.
A doll!  A doll!
I didn't even have anyone in mind when I started to make her, but now I think it will be for a little soon to be one year old who's birthday is in July.  That is if Elliot will give her back and she doesn't fall apart from the 'love' he is giving her. Now apart from a short foray into the supermen, I'm not a soft toy person.  I can never seem to close the openings in a very neat way and everything is always a bit lopsided.  This long legged lady is no different.  It is a bit lo-fi and her arms aren't quite aligned, but her little scarf hides all her flaws and whose perfect in real life anyway!  She does have a lovely little liberty dress on so everything is good.