What I made for Christmas, Vol. 2

I got so addicted to making cloth grocery bags, that I decided to try a smaller version - just for kicks. I found this stripey remnant at a local church sale this summer, and knew I had to have it for stuffing into the last possible corner of my $2 bag. This calico is one of my favorite prints, no matter how Little House it may look. I love the brown with the sweet little pink flowers.

I had several yards of happy green stripe fabric left from Aaron's room, so I made a set of 4 napkins out of part of it, added a homemade bread mix and a big bag of coffee beans, and had a gift for a friend out west. Napkins are a great starter sewing project for any of you who want something easy to learn with.

I actually made two of these bags - the other was similarly stuffed for another CO friend. They turned out to be about 7 x 9, the right size for a handbag, a toiletry bag for a weekend trip, or an older child's diaper bag (it would fit a sippy cup and snack plus a couple diapers and wipes, but not multiple clothing changes).

I also made 4 or 5 heat therapy bags using rice as a filler, but unfortunately I did not get any photos of those! The bags were about 5" wide and about 20 " long, and I made them sectioned by sewing up the sides and one end, flipping it inside out, and pouring in 1 1/2 cups of rice, then squishing all the rice together, pinning it tight, and sewing a seam so that each pocket was about 4". I really liked how the pockets turned out and how the seams keep the rice in place.

I had great plans for more homemade gifts (like these, especially) but I guess those will just have to wait for next year!