Monday, December 2, 2013

Christmas Zip Pouches

It's been nice over this past weekend to sit down and make a start on my Christmas sewing. I'm not hand making much this year in terms of sewing, but I do have plans over the next couple of weeks to do some serious baking and make some edible treats for family and friends.

First on my Christmas sewing list were some gifts for Anna's kindergarten teachers. On Saturday the two of us got out my small stash of Christmas fabric and Anna chose what she would like. I offered to do patchwork but she was insistent that she wanted just one fabric for each pouch.


This red and yellow birds and baubles print was one I picked up in the post Christmas sales a couple of years ago at my local store. They were getting rid of it for about $3 a metre so I bought some in both red and blue.


The blue colour way is my favourite as it's a bit different from the usual Christmas colours and it has lovely gold highlights as well.

Anna sat on my lap as we sewed a few quilting lines through the fabric and cotton batting, which makes the pouch sturdier. She loved her first time sewing at the machine so I think I'll have to come up with a few simple projects for her.

To fill the pouches for her teachers, our plan is to pick up a couple of pretty notebooks and pens when we are next shopping, and then include some handmade biscuits or chocolate treats like rocky road or rum balls.

While I was in the zone, I grabbed my scrap basket and made a couple of quilt-as-you-go panels and sewed them up into another Christmas pouch.


For the first side I used a scene from a Christmas fabric I bought last year, which is a lovely soft cotton with vintage style Christmas scenes printed on it. The rest is scrappy bits of greens and reds, and a small piece of a Christmas Russian Doll print.


The other side is a bit more scrappy as the feature piece is smaller, and includes a scrap of a Kate Spain Christmas print, some Little Apples, some Chevron and a piece of the cute Mini Santa fabric that I used long ago for this dress I made for Lucy's first Christmas. Wow she has grown since then! The cream fabrics really stand out from the fabrics that have white backgrounds in this photo, but it isn't as obvious when you are looking at it directly.

Not sure what I'll do with this pouch, but it's always handy to have gifts ready to go for the occasional spontaneous get together with friends. Or maybe I'll just keep it for myself! I really love making quilt-as-you-go pouches. Putting all those pieces together is fun and using up really small scraps is so satisfying.

What's on your Christmas sewing to-do list?

Linking up with Alyce at Blossom Heart Quilts for Sew Cute Tuesday.

22 comments:

  1. Your Christmas pouches are lovely. I'm planning on making some bunting to decorate the lounge room for Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope to manage to sew two pouches for my cousins. I'm still not sure if it would be zip pouch or maybe even smaller - a coin purse. I don't have a lot of time to think about that, but I hope I will make it in time to find a time for baking as well. This year I have decided to make sweet gifts. As I have a big family, it is painful to buy big gifts for each of them. I think this year I will make only those little pouches for girls, my little brother already got his present and my boyfriend will have cute mittens hand-knitted by my mum, so for all other relatives I will cook and bake different treats.
    Anyway, I am sure your daughters teachers will love your pouches! Anna is a smart girl, pouches looks great even without patchwork! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Zane! Christmas baking sounds like a great plan, I will definitely be doing a lot of sweet treats as gifts too :)

      Delete
  3. They're gorgeous Ros. I love the prints in the first two. You are very good handmaking kinder gifts. I don't think I will manage that this year!

    ReplyDelete
  4. They're gorgeous but sewing with Anna how beautiful. It's amazing how quickly they pick it up. My mum has been teaching Elizabeth to quilt and she made her teacher who was expecting a rag quilt she was so proud of it. I love that they want to learn to be creative. I will say not buy one of those cheap $20 from big W they're junk! I'm sewing up a few more bags and some sunglasses cases also I made Madeleine a dress. Also have plans for some beach wraps...hmm probably should get a move on lol

    ReplyDelete
  5. Really delightful, love the fabrics!
    Mary

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful Christmas pouches and lucky teachers. I love the fabrics that you've used. Anna made a good choice in using one fabric.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have my xmas sewing done. I made dumpling pouches and aprons. I can't find time in December to do anything!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dumpling pouches are gorgeous! I know what you mean, December is crazy for us too!

      Delete
  8. Love them! I'm planning on making my husband and myself ugly sweaters.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very cute. And what a great idea to have your daughter help in making them.

    ReplyDelete
  10. such cute bags,well done.xx

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am so excited to see the birds print!! I bought a few yards of it in blue and red a couple years ago when we visiting family in Tassie....Spotlight was so fun!! I brought home some cute fabrics.
    I still haven't used my birds....saving them for just the right project. ;)

    Your zipper pouches are cute! Maybe there will have to be matching pouches in Pennsylvania :)
    Kere

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Matching zippies in Pennsylvania sounds fantastic! Tassie is an amazing place, I love visiting there.

      Delete
  12. I love your pouches and wish I had seen some of that fabric!!! Either colour - love them both!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love how you've involved Anna in the decision making process, Ros. She would have loved sitting on your lap while you sewed. The pouches look great!!!

    ReplyDelete
  14. These are so cute! I especially love the retro Santa fabric.
    -Julie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Very cute...I think the last is my favorite!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lovely pouches! The bauble fabric is placed perfectly :) Can I ask what pouch pattern you used please?

    ReplyDelete
  17. so pretty. I love that bird Christmas fabric :-)

    ReplyDelete
  18. So pretty. I'm going to start making a stash of pouches in January ... ready for Christmas next year! I just never have time despite my best intentions. I thought I might make Abby's Cookies in a Jar as teacher gifts this year.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for your comments - I adore hearing from you! I love to reply personally via email so if your email isn't visible in your profile feel free to leave it in your message so I can get in touch!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...