My friend Juliann borrowed an old sewing machine a few years ago. She returned it recently when cleaning out her house for a move; along with my old trusty Singer, she gave me a box of sewing items she was no longer interested in. The basket had fabric and patterns and thread and I was delighted to take it off her hands and put it all to use.
I used her material to make my Christmas gifts this year — namely pot holders and embellished flour sack tea towels (my favorite kind.)
After making ten sets of these, I am still really, really bad at bias tape. You would think that kind of practice would produce at least one pot holder without wonky edging, and you would be wrong.
Easier, I made a few drawstring travel lingerie bags for girlfriends regularly on the road:
My intentions for handmade Christmas are always so consistently grander than what I am able to actually produce. Maybe just maybe one of these years I will start my grandiose plans in, say, January. Or — just buy gifts like a normal person.
Oh to find that balance between gifting t homemade and not overestimating abilities and budget.
~K