Foxes, Cats and Totes, Oh My.

Top of the festive season to all.  Hard to believe it's going to be 2017 in a few days time.  It seems like only yesterday it was 1987.  Ah simpler times. Guess I'm feeling nostalgic after all the tragic losses of childhood icons this year.   I'm still way behind with blogging clothes but for now here are my sewing/craft projects for the festive season.  

Now that my niece has turned 1, I decided I would finally make her a frock.  I certainly wasn't interested before now as I didn't want to spend time makng something she was going to grow out of in a few weeks.  I used New Look pattern 6275 and a delighful foxy material from Spotlight.

Now I may be losing my mind, but I was sure I took more photos of this dress, but I can't for the life of me find them.  Anyway, this was an easy little dress to make.  Probably given all the panels this material wasn't ideal and the circular yoke took a while to hand stitch.  I would use the pattern again, but the next frock will be a simplier item.  I also made the little matching bloomers which took no time at all to whip up.  Might even get junior to model the finished product at some point.  

Of course now our family Christmas has become all about the small people, and this is another gift handmade by me.  This is my third attempt at a stuffed toy. And whatdoyaknow it's a cat.  

I spent almost an entire episode of The Walking Dead ramming this kitty with stuffing. 

Polly-Jean not too sure about this interloper.

I also spent an afternoon making a 3 citrus marmalade. It got some good reviews last year so I made it again.  However, due to being inpatient, I didn't allow the marmalade to thicken properly. Still tastes yum, just needs to be left in the fridge a few days.  

And finally I made my first tote bag.  One of my good friends has her birthday on 23 December so it's a bit of a challenge separating christmas presents from birthday presents.  I figured a tote that could be used as a beach bag would be a good present. Something you can fold up and take with you on your travels and a tote is pretty handy for many other things. 

I used the Purl Soho Railroad Tote . I added a few extra inches to the width and another inch to the length. I found loads of denims recently when I was tidying my spare room. I used the existing denim combined with a spot material from the Lincraft soft furnishings selection.  Am really chuffed with the finished product. Spoiler alert friends and family, now that I've mastered the tote, you will probably all be getting one in 2017.