Bastelesel

For Christmas we love to take some more efforts and this year we’ll have some very nice cutlery bags, folded or sewed ones. For the left and right bag I found two lovely video instructions you’ll only have to follow. For the red bag I simply inserted an additional paper napkin after the two top layers were folded (min. 1.18). Matching with the grey star napkin color I fastened fork and knife with a grey and white ribbon. For the red napkin I chose a twine loop an a small fir twig. Both are just laid on top of the bag.

The right pouch is made with cotton fabric. I even found a nice template on the site of Samelia’s Mum. It’s very easy and I just didn’t have to change or add something. Instead of folding the B-piece in half I just cut two halves and placed a small folded stripe of cotton in between. Therefore place the folded cotton stripe, right sides out, on top of one half’s right side. Put second half on top with right side down. Then stitch at 1/5″ from the edge. Turn inside out and put it on one of the backside parts. Once the cutlery inside I’ll put two ribbon loops and a small pine cone on top. Lops and cone are joined with liquid glue. Choose your fabric according to dishes or other table decoration parts.

We’re looking forward to Christmas season but there’s some projects that simply need some more time to be well prepared. This year it’s my St Nicholas’ boots project. When I was young we had some red plastic boots which we placed in front of our bedroom door on St Nicholas’ Eve to find them filled with chocolate and other goodies the next morning. During the last years we more and more adapted the english tradition of hanging Christmas stockings but we’re hanging them up on St Nicholas’ Eve replacing the ancient boots. For a group of girls sharing a flat I decided to sew some fashionable boots perfectly made to be hanging at a stair rail garland.

Fold your fabric in half, left sides out and cut out the pattern twice. Sew both parts together and cut seam allowance with pinking shears to avoid unravelling. Turn your boot to have the rigth side out. The top of the boot leg may be seamed or edged with a cotton ribbon. We chose a 4cm wide red ribbon that needs to be folded in half lengthwise. Cut a piece of ribbon corresponding with the boot leg’s circumference with 1cm seam allowance. Close your ribbon to a round and put it over the edge of your boot leg. Fasten with a backstitch.

If you want to hang your boots you need to add a small loop. Take a piece of your edging ribbon or just another kind of woven ribbon matching with your fabric. Sew it to the boot leg’s rear seam. You may as well sew your boots manually if you don’t habe a sewing machine. Choose a matching or contrastive thread and sew with a buttonhole stitch on the right side of fabric.

Fill your boots with little sweets and other goodies. If you want to realise a lite version then for example choose nail varnish, nail files, a foot balm and more – all you need to care for your feet.