[ ✄ ] Holiday Decorations

I'm not big on holiday decorations but this year I decided to make some fabric pumpkins for Thanksgiving after seeing them in an old Martha Stewart magazine. Luckily, I remembered to browse my old magazines before getting on the internet (and inevitably losing many hours) for inspiration. They were really easy to do but still time consuming. Now I understand why people buy decorations that are used only once a year! For most of the stems, I ended up cheating and rolling thin strips of felt, and hot-gluing them. Sooooo much faster.


I also used the holidays as a deadline to make fabric napkins with mitered corners. Another sewing project I would've never completed, had it not been for the need.

For December…



These felt ornaments are made with instructions from the Purl Bee. Purl Bee is always full of great projects, so I often go there before using any other resources on-line. This was also time consuming but not hard. It was a great project to do while catching up on podcasts. Plus, I think I will leave the twig-mobile version for the non-holiday times too. Previously, it looked like this.

Happy Holidays, everyone! ❄

[ ✄ ] Tiny Gifts

Crochet bug has bitten me again, and I made these tiny gifts for my newborn nephew. It cracked me up so much seeing these take form. How silly! But oh so cute


This took me considerably longer.. And lesson learned: read all the directions first! I was following a pattern in a Japanese book and didn't bother translating all the directions. I ended up fudging the neck and shoulder areas a bit. But hey, now I know how to join shoulders!

And, just for kicks ha ha, I made this:

[ ✄ ] Pillows With Zippers

Learning to make pillow covers with zippers has been on my list of New Year resolutions, for several years. But I can finally cross this off this year, dammit. Zippers got nuthin'on me!

We'll see about that.


All in all, it wasn't that bad. If I can do it, you can do it. I learned how to attach both invisible zippers and conventional zippers by studying various tutorials online (see links below). I prefer the look of the invisible zippers. I am really happy with these pillows now. Before you could see the inserts peeking out (because I made them with barely enough fabric sans zippers. Ha!) and now they're nicely packed in and firm. Problem solved.

Even though I was able to manage with the zipper foot that came with my sewing machine, I still got a foot specifically designed to be used with invisible zippers, so I don't have to spend extra time ironing out the zippers. On a side note, if you have Janome HD-1000, don't get the Coats Invisible Zipper Foot kit. It will not fit. I ended up just getting the Janome-brand concealed zipper foot, which worked out pretty well.





Thanks to the writers of the following helpful tutorials on invisible zippers:

• http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/01/invisible-zipper-tutorial.html
• http://sewplicity.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-pillow-cover-with-almost.html
• http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/2010/04/24/zip-to-your-pillow/

One for "regular" zippers:

• http://www.designsponge.com/2010/03/sewing-101-zippered-throw-pillows.html (don't miss this comment by Mixette)

Okay! Onward! To the next item on my New Year Resolutions list.
Uh, what was it again?

[ ❂ ] Conservatory of Flowers

Several weeks ago, when the weather was unusually warm here in San Francisco, Mr. Lilacmoon and I went to Golden Gate Park and finally visited the Conservatory of Flowers. What a cute little place! Humid, too. :)

I loved the flower details on the floors...

So many different kinds of plants! If you're ever in the area, take a look! Just be sure to walk a lot because Golden Gate Park is HUGE. I never know exactly where I am at that park, or which direction I'm facing. Heh.