Linen Hand Embroidered Stockings

Here is a nice project that kept my hands busy in October and November.   Who am I kidding?!  My hands were busy with a 2-3 month old.  It would be more accurate to say it was a nice project that gave me a stitching fix and something to do besides nurse a baby and do laundry.   With a new member in the family I knew we'd need an additional stocking for the mantel when Christmas came around.  I took the opportunity to make us all new stockings as I wasn't really in love with the current set we were using.  By some miracle I was able to hand embroider and assemble five stockings before it was time for them to be hung... with a newborn in the house.  Don't ask me how... I already can't remember.  

I went for a classic look and chose natural linen, red floss, and simple stitches. 

Everybody got their own stitch pattern by their name and along the toe cap line.  

I can't choose a favorite stitch... I love them all!  

They are lined with a red and white floral and hung with twill tape and a red button.  

Merry Christmas... in late March.

Side note... we love Elfie and Elfina (left side of the mantel), though they've been demoted (or promoted, depending on whom you ask) from being Elf on the Shelf mischief makers to being just cute decorations.

Diaper Bag... Denim and Pink

Hello again!  My last post was from August 2017, when I was frantically finishing a quilt before a new baby arrived mid-month.  Well, that baby is now six months old and it is time to catch up a little!  I have had (a few, itty bitty, tiny, fleeting, unpredictable) moments of time to sew in the last six months but taking pictures and writing up posts never quite made the top of the To Do List.

I have only a couple of projects that are worth sharing so I'll write up those and then we'll just proceed on from there.  There's a fair number of smaller things I've made that I don't have pictures of so are just going to have to be missed in the blog's catalog of projects.  Small beans compared to the bundle of joy thats been keeping me busy!

First up is my daily-use diaper bag.

I found it equal parts hilarious and embarrassing that with all the handmade bags I have, I couldn't find one that was just right for a diaper bag.  I'm very much a minimalist when it comes to bags/purses I carry around on a daily basis and was reminded how much gear you have to haul around with a baby.  Sigh.  Long story short I spent far too much time trying to decide on a pattern for a bag that would fit all my specific criteria before throwing in the towel and designing my own.  I can't bury the data driven scientist in me - I laid out what I need to carry on my kitchen counter, measured it to get dimensions/volume, and went from there.  I took features/styles I admired from a few different bags and mashed them into one.  In the end, it ended up looking a lot like a Caravan Tote by Anna Graham.  I like her bag-making style so I guess thats a win!

(That key ring on the strap is because I forgot to add a key fob.  Its working for now and maybe when I fix an interior pocket I'll add a real fob.)  

Its a super basic tote, but sized just right and with pockets sized specifically for the things I carry.  Its very sturdy because I knew this bag would take a beating.  The outside is denim with a cotton overlay as an accent.  The lining is cotton (for looks) and a layer of canvas (for sturdiness).  The straps are my go-to cotton-covered webbing.  It has held up wonderfully and I never worry about how full I cram it.

(Side note... the item on top in the bag is my me-made nursing cover.  Love it - have to take decent photos and write it up so I don't forget how I made it!)  

Baby Cave of Wonders... no interior pockets, just a big cavern with separate small bags to hold diapers/wipes and an extra set of clothes.  

I added this strap of wide elastic to make sure my water bottle stays upright.  It only sort-of works.  A pocket would have been better and now that I'm using bottles with this baby I might remove that strap and add a bottle pocket instead.  Or maybe a row of gusseted pockets for bottles of formula and/or water - thats probably the best idea.  

Long straps - its a shoulder bag because obviously my arms are full of baby.   :) 

The pocket on the back side is a large zip pocket.  The front pocket is specifically sized/designed to hold my wallet so that I don't have to dig deep for it when I'm in the checkout line.  I gave the pocket some depth/volume and it closes tightly with a magnetic snap. 

Its a great bag and gets hauled everywhere.  I made it in nice colors so that when the diaper bag days are done I can still use it as a large bag when I need it.