Advent Buddy

SIL Nancy taught me about this wonderful Advent custom. She has a wonderful Tree with good-sized pockets that's hung on the wall beside the kitchen table. Each morning my nephew finds a candy inside the pocket. And when J stays over, there's one for her, as well. So when I saw this snowman at the Millarville market last month, I quickly picked him up. J was ever so excited to get him hung up. Each morning of December has come with a bit of excitement. The pockets are just large enough to fit a Hershey's kiss. It's also helping J recognize numbers. Now, the trouble is Mom remembering each night to put the candy inside!

A bit of variety

I have yet to make this Burda Girls' dress from the August 08 Burda in it's original form. Just finished another flannel nightgown for J. I set it outside her room for when she woke up. She was so pleased, she put it on and wore it all day as a dress with a turtleneck underneath. Good winter weather clothing! The orginal calls for buttons all down the back -- which is a lot more work to sew -- and not convenient for a child to to dress independently. In this one, I make the neckline large enough it could just pull over head


In another version, I altered the back yoke with a facing for buttons. Again, there would be no buttons at the back but just two at the neckline. This was a remake of a RTW version that J has loved until it's nearly worn out. I'd given her a choice of fabric -- light pink or bright pink -- and she suggested both. Smart kid -- I'd never thought of giving it some variety. I used an embroidery stitch to do the topstitching.






I'm attaching a photo of how I altered the back yoke pattern piece. But I really should have made the pattern piece without the fold -- so that only one end of the pattern has the facing. You may see the note I made for myself on the pattern piece! I plan on making this one again. It seems to be a comfortable shirt that J enjoys.

Distinctly Her's

Decided to make J a Christmas stocking. At nearly five, she is very clear on what she'd like. She was very keen excited about the embroidered letters for her name (other side) and the Santa trim that I got from the fabric store (rubbing it's softness on her face). The red was leftover fleece from my housecoat. I stiffened it by ironing on two layers of interfacing on the inside. J got into the button stash and chose a dog, bone and cat buttons (other side). We'd discussed a snow man but once the black top hat was cut out, J shook her head. Needed a dress, she said, pink, of course. So I figured out how to put a dress on a snow person, decided she needed arms, sewed on all the pieces -- because I hate how glued ornaments start falling apart through the years. I proudly presented it to Joy. She smiled so pleased. Then she became serious. The snowman needed hair, she said. How about a purple hat, I asked. Wouldn't do. She wasn't pouting -- if that happened, I would have refused. She just seemed to know that "her" snow person needed to have hair. So I somehow figured out how to make hair for a snow person, sewed it on also. Then came the trying p art of sewing the two pieces together. I have this lovely silver embroidery thread -- it's beautiful but it snags on itself as I sew. Through several projects it had me convinced my machine was in disrepair. Not so.
Despite some frustration, I am pleased -- it is something that reflects a bit who J is at this point. And reminded me of this post of Sarah Jacobs who makes Jewish ritual items. She works with 12 year olds to design for their barmitzvahs and batmitzvahs, encouraging a young teen to speak enough so what is created reflects who they are.