Last minute Christmas makes.....

If I could have a pound for every time someone comes into the shop and says,

"Oh dear, you should see my fabric stash! I mustn't buy another piece!.... etc etc"

then I'd be wealthy enough to add loads to my own groaning stash!

I took a train to London a couple of weeks' ago and being early, I wandered into W H Smith to look for a magazine to read on the journey.

I couldn't resist this one which had dress patterns enclosed and pages bulging with all sorts of advice and ideas. It kept me occupied for hours.

One page which caught my eye was this breakfast set which I saw as a potential Christmas gift. 

I know someone who has hens and is a keen cook. This egg holder would be just the thing.

It was so easy to make, I can recommend it to anyone - just make sure you have some wadding to add to your fabric pieces as you will be doing a bit of quilting.

The main fabric is "Summer Forest" by Dashwood Studio which is in the shop at £3 for 1/4 metre which is probably all that is needed for the main fabric.

This light fabric gave me a chance to add the last two lines of a poem by AA Milne which I remember from my childhood, "The Little Black Hen"

I decided to look at other makes in the magazine which I could pass on to readers of this blog just in case you find yourself in that last minute panic for home made Christmas gifts, just as I was.

This make up brush holder looked perfect. The thing I liked is that it required bias binding and I love the colours Lizzy has in the shop. Perfect for enhancing fabrics I've been looking at for ages.

Don't worry if you haven't attached bias binding before, just choose one of the wider ones and sandwich the fabric inside. 

The bias binding around the edges of the main fabric has been mitred at the corners but again, this can be done by attaching each side separately, tucking the ends under.

However, the quickest make of all was this little bird.

For those of you who have been on the free motion stitching course, this is fun and easy. Once you have made your picture, pop it in an embroidery hoop. This one is a 5" one from the shop. It's then a picture ready for hanging.

I copied the idea in the magazine but you could personalise it to suit the person receiving it.

So, if you have some time before Christmas, pop a mince pie in the oven, put on some Christmas music and sew a personalised gift using that stash of fabric in the corner!

Happy making, Sheila