Already for this year I have: finished the plushie owl, finished my fleece pull over (pictured below) and I now have two baby gifts to make for friends! I even found some lace to add to a dress, since I've been wanting to do something with it (but not give it a huge overhaul).
Simplicity pull over
Ahh, my wonderful warm fleece pull over! How I love it so ~ especially in this weather. This is pattern 9513 size HH (sizes 6 - 12). Now before you run to buy a clothing pattern please note: it is not sized as your purchased clothing is. It is always sized by your measurements, so you need to know your bust/waist/hip sizes. I went with a size 12 and it fits me just right, not too large or too small. This pattern called for fleece with stretch to it or else you would never get this on! I started out with adding a hood to this but... once I tried it on, I didn't care for it. So the hood came off and it's a pull over.
neck details
I used buttons and some leather strips for a closure. The pattern leaves it up to you, you can add something or leave it completely open. But I love buttons and bought these dark brown textured ones.
side view of pull over
Be sure to follow the pattern on this one. It advises you to cut fabric in the direction it stretches, so it's easier to pull over. And expect a lot of 'fluff' to come off during cutting. If you don't want bits of fleece fluff all over your nice clothes, you might want to have a lint brush on hand.
Above is my adorable selection of fabrics from JoAnn's. I tend to go when I have a few good coupons to use. Sometimes I receive ones that say a percentage off your total purchase, even clearance. The yoga/exercise girl fabric was on clearance so I grabbed that up fully intending to make something for my gym bag. The hedgehog fabric is flannel, I love working with it! It's perfect for things like hankies (for your nose) or other items you want soft, durable fabric. The birdies are cotton and the above two fabrics are for the baby blankets. The black lace will go on a solid black dress I have. Instead of sewing fabric sleeves I hope to use the lace as flutter sleeves instead.
Here are two hankies I made for myself. You can easily just sew two squares together, then turn them right side out. Or if you have bias tape (fabric binding tape, such as double fold) you can do as the blue one: just cut a square then use bias tape on the raw edges. It's an easy project for newbies and you can even play around with the fancy stitches on your machine. They can also be made as simple gifts for people, perhaps a small "thank you" gift or even a "get well" gift.
I hope everyone has been feeling well and getting through this winter cold. I have some new listing in my etsy shop for Valentine's Day coming up! So be sure to shop early so items arrive in plenty of time.
And in non-crafting news ~ I have become a big fan of the Japanese drama "Hanazakari no kimi tachi e" (Ikemen Paradise) ≧◠‿◠≦✌
