Nativity Stix Set - Christmas Gifts Part 5

Baby Jesus

     Last Christmas when my grandkids were at our house, they were fascinated by my different nativity sets.  I decided that for this Christmas they needed their own set to play with.  Because they also like playing with magnets on their refrigerator I decided to combine the two.  This set from Designs by JuJu was perfect.  

Stitching

What the screen looked like

     I hooped large pieces of felt with my magnetic hoops and then on the screen of my machine I placed several designs.  I made sure there was plenty of space in between them so I would have a nice border around them when sewing on the backs.  

Oops, outline off

   

       I did have some oops moments with the stitching, like the outline being off.  I tried not sewing the sheep's body as I was stitching unto white felt but I didn't like how it looked. 

Jewel's Tape

Ready for the magnet

Magnet taped in place

     I bought some small magnets from Amazon to use on the figures.  I used a small square of Jewel's Tape on the back and then adhered the magnet.  This was to ensure that they didn't move around.

Stitching on the back

     I placed another piece of felt on the back and then stitched close to the edge of the design.  This sandwiched the magnet in place to keep it safe from the little ones.  I then trimmed close to the stitching.

All finished

Having fun

     I did make multiple sheep including doing a mirror image for one of them.  I placed them in the circle basket I had made earlier and then shipped them off to the grandkids.  My daughter-in-law sent me this cute photo of them playing with them.  What a fun project.

Birthday Placemats - Christmas Gifts Part 4

Birthday placemat

      To go along with the table runners and napkins I made for my three adult children, I made placemats for the grandkids.  Another fun design from Designs by JuJu.

Birthday placemat

Birthday placemat

Birthday placemat

Birthday placemat

Birthday placemat

     Used fabrics from the table runners but this time I also bought a couple of fat quarter bundles to supplement my stash.  I didn't have too many brights in my scraps so this was necessary.  

Balloon block

Birthday block

Cake blocks

Cupcake blocks

Gifts block

Birthday hat block

   

       On the hat block, I deleted the gift box stitching in my software and added the grandkids' names in MasterWorks.  On the cake blocks and cupcake blocks, I switched up the colors for the boys and girls.

Choosing fabrics for gifts block

Center gift trimmed

Gifts block ready for the satin stitching

     For the gifts blocks I chose a solid background fabric so the gifts would stand out.  I chose not to cut out the fabric in the middle of the center present.   The ribbon fabric was dark enough to hide it and it saved me a bit of time.  

Ready for assembly

On the backing

Back of the placemat

Back corner detail

     I found a fun cupcake fabric for the backing that had all those bright colors.  When I make my placemats, I do a different method for the edge.  I opt to bind them like I would a quilt.  I cut a 3/8" seam allowance on the outside edge.  I made my binding from 2 1/2" strips, that I fold in half. I sew this to the back and then bring it to the front and stitch close to the edge.  The directions included with this design are excellent, lots of photos to help you.

Birthday Table Runners - Christmas Gifts Part 3

 

Rainbows center table runner

     This year the theme for the table runners and napkins for my children was Happy Birthday.  Using the pattern Fat Quarter Table Runner II from Out of the Blue I made a table runner and four coordinating napkins for each of them.  

Balloons center table runner

Musical notes center table runner

Yellow center table runner

     For the napkins, I cut 18" squares and then used the rolled hem on my serger to finish the edges.  I chose a yellow wooly nylon to do the edges.

Coordinating napkins

Detail of rolled hem

     Can you guess next year's theme?

Christmas Pajamas 2025

Working on the pajamas

      This is the second in the series of Christmas 2025 gifts.  I try to make pajamas for the grandkids and make sure they get them from St Nick.  I also make some for my two great nieces in Arizona.  This year we had spent two weeks in November in Tennessee so I was behind in my sewing.  I have found that I like to make the pajama pants and then get long sleeve t-shirts and put an embroidery design on them.  I found nice white thermal knit ones at Old Navy.  This picture is of some of the pajamas, with labels so I could keep them all straight.  There is a t-shirt on the embroidery machine in the background.  

Boys' pajamas

 

     I had found some fun flannel at JoAnn's before they closed.  I used the deep green with lights for the boys and the white with lights for the girls.  I found a great design at Designs by JuJu that matched for the tops.  What made it even better was that it was only four colors so once I got it set on the machine I could just stitch out one after the other.  I used the 4 x 4 design for the two youngest grandkids and the 5 x 7 design for the older ones.  I used different colors for the lightbulbs for the boys and girls to reflect the colors in the pajama pants.

Girls' pajamas

     I don't know where I will be able to buy flannel for next year's pajamas since JoAnn Fabrics has closed.  Well I have a few months to figure it out.