MY FIRST TUTORIAL...

Afternoon all
I hope you are all well and that you mums are coping if your little 'angels' are still on holiday. We have been lucky to have our grandsons to stop last weekend, very hectic but fun too and our eldest is coming again to have some time on his own on Thursday and Friday so grandad and I had better recharge our batteries!

Well with you know what just around the corner I have been sewing some more of my felt decorations in the evenings and I thought some of you sewers might like to try some for yourselves. The bigger children could perhaps make some too under supervision. Perhaps small running stitches could be substituted for the blanket stitch to make it a little easier for them.

Gingerbread men Tree Decorations

Materials

Gingerbread man template (either draw freehand or search the web for gingerbread man picture and you will find loads of images to choose from, just print off and cut out )
Ginger coloured felt
polyester filling
2 small cream buttons
2 round black beads for eyes
Strong thread,( either contrast if using blanket stitch or matching if stitching together with overcast stitch or running stitch )
about 10" string or 1/8" wide ribbon if preferred
9" spotted ribbon for bow

First cut out 2 gingerbread man shapes using your template and pin together. Starting slightly to one side of the top of his head start to join the 2 sides together with your preferred stitch (I love the look of the blanket stitch, but you can do what is easiest for you)

Continue all around the shape until about 3/4" away from the start of your stitching. Do not cast off or remove needle. Using the blunt end of a skewer or crochet hook or similar carefully start to stuff the figure. Begin by using small amounts of stuffing and stuff the feet first. Don't try to put too much in at once or you will not get a smooth finish and your poor gingerbread man will look all lumpy!. Continue up the legs and then into the hands and arms and finally the head. It does pay to take your time with this step.

Once you have him firm but not too solid, take your string or ribbon and fold in half and knot the end. Push the knotted end into the opening and finish off the sewing making sure that a few stitches go through the string or ribbon to hold it secure.

Next you need to sew a smiley mouth. I used stem stitch and the same colour thread as my blanket stitch, but you may prefer to use red.

Finally sew on the 2 small black beads for eyes, attach his buttons and tie a smart bow round his neck. You may need to trim the ends of the ribbon on an angle to stop fraying and to get the perfect size for your pattern.


And VOILA

One fairly cute tree decoration. Of course you don't have to stop there as you can create other variations. How about a snowman! White felt and just an extra piece of orange felt cut into a tiny triangle, folded in half and stitched down the long sides to form his nose. Carefully stuff with a tiny bit of stuffing and stitch firmly in place.

  I made his scarf out of a piece of red felt, cut into fringes at the ends and substituted black buttons. I also sewed a running stitch mouth as this looked more like a snowman I thought!

I hope you have a go, they are quite relaxing to make and will look fab on the tree at Christmas....or then again you could make several, make a ribbon loop of only about 1/2 " and thread them onto string for a great garland to decorate the mantelpiece.

I would love to see what you do with them!

And of course if you don't sew, you can always purchase some from my Folksy or Etsy shops.....I would even make a garland if requested, just email me.

Well I am off now to finish cutting out some huge curtains, I may be some time........

TTFN

Jenny xx

PS I do apologise for the quality of the photos. It was my boy's birthday yesterday and I left my camera at his house. Have had to borrow DHs to do this and it's not quite as easy to use as my own!! Mr gingerbread man's bow is a beautiful pale green spot, but you wouldn't guess from these piccies!

AND SO WHAT HAVE YOU ALL BEEN DOING............

Well...................as for me it has really been a mixed bag....

First I did a bit of sewing.....old skirts getting a bit snug!!............

Burda pattern 8213, great now that they include seam allowances, used to hate it when you had to mark your own, 'cos it doesn't matter how experienced you are, they never seem (sorry) to end up exactly the same width!!  I only made this out of cheap cotton (£3.99 a metre) as I wanted one in a hurry, but had forgotten how much I like this style so am going to make a couple more in needle cord for the winter. (That's next week according to the weather forecast!)

Then I had a birthday, and was spoiled rotten as usual......................

Books, DVDs and quirky collectibles, what more could I ask for.......Thank you to my lovely family and friend, how well they know me......the cute Tea Cosy and the Kindle Cover were found by my DD on the Internet....she always manages to discover something really different. Don't get me wrong I love everything, some things were on my wish list and others were a lovely surprise.

And finally a visit to the Antique Festival at the Peterborough showground last Saturday...... I can honestly say I ran out of money before I ran out of things I would have liked to buy! Still I am very lucky to have been able to add all these gems to my collections...including more babycham pieces paid for by my DH, even though he had just spent plenty on me for my birthday......

Couldn't resist the Peter Rabbit picture, not only is Beatrix Potter one of my favourites, but to have him advertising slippers...well there was no choice, in my sewing room it will go....


So do I count my blessings....I certainly do, and not just the lovely gifts, but all the love with which they are chosen and given......in that respect I am truly a millionaire......

I know I did say finally, but there is a bit more....as you will know if you read this waffle regularly, we have just had some windows replaced at the back of our house...well, although it certainly wasn't planned yet, we have now started redecorating the kitchen, and since my cupboards are all free standing and hand painted, we have given ourselves quite a task......but we are half way there now!!....and it will be nice for Christmas......hopefully !

Off now to catch up with a few of your blogs, while I have a spare evening. I was supposed to be adding some new slippers to my shops, but who forgot to take the photographs in all this beautiful sunshine....You watch it will be really overcast tomorrow....

TTFN

Jenny xx