Category Archives: Holidays

Holiday Favorites

It’s actually cold in Austin today. We had ice, which is so rare, I can’t even tell you!

Today seems like a great day to share some of my favorite things to make for Christmas.

Above, we’ve got Smiling Santa Gift Bag. I’ve been making some variation of this bag since my daughter was in kindergarten. She’s a college freshman now!

Click on the photo above or right here for the tutorial.

Candy Cups were shared with me YEARS ago by my aunt. These are wonderful gifts for teachers or anyone else you’d like to give something extra special to.

Tutorial!

These gift tags made from recycled cereal boxes weren’t originally a Christmas craft, but I’ve used them for Christmas many times over the years. This is a fun craft for kiddos, too. Make sure you use non-toxic stamps when working with little ones.

Tutorial

This is a little stocking ornament I came up with to teach my kids to blanket stitch. There are several of these on my tree. It’s an easy craft to make and share and no special tools are needed!

Tutorial & pattern

You can find more crafts and tutorials right here.

Reminder! Pre-registration for Paper Piecing Vintage is now live!

Have a wonderful, crafty weekend!

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Featured Pattern: Tree Trimming, $8 on Craftsy!

Easy Crochet Stocking Ornament

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A couple of weeks ago, while searching for a crochet pattern, I unearthed a hand written pattern dated Christmas 2000 with a note “adapted from an ornament on Mom and Dad’s tree.”

I had a vague memory of what the ornament was, but decided to pull out some yarn and work it up.

As you do!

This makes a 5-sided Granny Square, which is then folded in half to create a stocking. It’s SUPER EASY and only takes a teeny tiny bit of yarn.

I will not take credit for the original pattern but will share my reverse-engineered version.

Free Printable PDF or Get it on Craftsy (also free!)

Add it to your Ravelry queue:

You will need:

H hook
small amount of worsted weight yarn

I made mine from worsted yarn, but because gauge isn’t so important here, you could use another weight and a smaller hook and it would work just fine.

Start: Ch 4, sl st to form ring (sorry, no picture for this step!)

Row 1: Ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2. [3 dc, ch 2] 4 times. sl st to top of ch 3 to join.

Row 2*: Sl st to next corner. ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1. [3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1] in each corner. sl st to top of ch 3 to join.

Row 3: Sl st to next corner. ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 1. [(3 dc, ch 1 in ch space) (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in corner), ch 1] around. sl st to top of ch 3 to join.

Joining**: Sl st to corner then fold in half, wrong sides together.

Joining, continued: This is the toe of the stocking. Making sure the two sides line up (spaces, corners, etc), 2 sc in the first stitch and 1 sc in each stitch and sp up the side, 3 sc in corner (heel).

Hanging chain: Ch 15, sl st in sc at start of ch. Finish off. Embellish as desired!

*For a smaller ornament, finish off after row 2.

**If you’d prefer, you can also whipstitch the sides together.

For added variety, make each round in a different color, add pompoms, bells or buttons for even more cuteness!

Two of these cuties together. Love!

I love to see your Sewhooked projects…and there’s a flickr group for that!

A picture of my cat Marie, just because.

Paper Piecing Vintage: Sign-ups start TOMORROW!!

Be sure to comment on this post for a chance win a free copy of the January pattern!

Did you miss Crafting The Holidays? I posted lots of places you can my crafty wares (both free and for sale!) online.

Don’t forget to shop with small businesses and independent artists for the holiday season: Use coupon SHOPSMALL now through Dec. 15 in my Etsy Shop for 15% off your total purchase!

See you tomorrow with TTMT and Paper Piecing Vintage sign ups!

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Featured Pattern: Tree Trimming, $8 on Craftsy!

Crafting The Holidays

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It’s officially the day after Thanksgiving here in the U.S.!

The leftovers are in the fridge and the countdown to gift giving for many people has begun.

Black Friday? Nah, I don’t do that. I advocate a Handmade Holiday season!

Want to shop handmade? Etsy is a great place to start. There are loads of talented crafters, makers and artisans selling their wares.

You can even find a few goodies made by yours truly. I’ve got quilted items I made myself, magazines my patterns have been featured in and I’m regularly adding scrap bags of fabric from my own stash that are perfect for paper piecing (for a limited time, of course…even Tribbles stop breeding eventually!).

Here are a couple of the goodies currently in my Etsy shop:

Sweet Skating Sue is just $19.99 and comes ready to hang.
OR you can make her yourself for free.
Never paper pieced? This $3 tutorial includes complete instructions and the pattern to make Sweet Skating Sue yourself!

Fairy Tale Femmes + In A Castle, $99.95
This sweet quilt is 30″ x 37″ and come ready to display or snuggle. Includes a sleeve for hanging.
OR You can buy the Fairy Tale Femmes and In A Castle patterns and make your own!

Find more ready-to-gift items right here in my Etsy shop!

Still have plans for making lots of gifts but aren’t sure where to start? Check out all the awesome projects and patterns here on Sewhooked and my fandom website, Fandom in Stitches!

Free Quilt Patterns

Tutorials and More (this page is undergoing an update, so it’s a little crazy over there!

Yarn (mostly crochet) patterns

By popular demand, all of my Harry Potter patterns are now back on Sewhooked! The people have spoken and I listen. 😉

For more fandomy goodness, including even more Harry Potter, be sure to visit Fandom In Stitches. You’ll find designs by myself that are not here on Sewhooked and lots of awesomesauce stuff from many other talents designers.

Many of my Sewhooked patterns and a few of my tutorials are now available on Craftsy for easy access! One of my goals for 2014 is to get ALL of my patterns and tutorials, both free and for sale added to Craftsy so you will always have an easy way to find them!

Go straight to the Sewhooked goodies on Craftsy!

Want to learn something new and WOW your friends and family with your awesome craft-ability? All Craftsy classes are on sale for $19.99 or less. Woo-hoo! Remember, the super cool thing about Craftsy classes is that once you buy a class (and remember, some of them are FREE), it’s yours forever. Watch any time, day or night, as many times as you like. Cool, huh?!

Do you sell your handmade goodies? Share a link to your shop in comments and I’ll put together and epic post next week to share with all my readers!

Paper Piecing Vintage: Sign-ups start December 3!

Make this one for yourself or as a gift and have it done by the end of 2014!

Coming January to Fandom In Stitches!

Only two more days! Remember, I’m donating $1 to Movember for every Mustachio! pattern set sold during November! You’ve got until Saturday to buy your copy and help with a great cause!

That’s it for me for today! I have a full day of spending time with my family and enjoying the heck out of having my daughter home from college to look forward to. 😀

Happy crafting,

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Featured Pattern: Tree Trimming, $8 on Craftsy!

Happy Halloween!

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A very happy Halloween to you from me!

My hubby and I are celebrating our favorite holiday by watching The Goonies together while we pass out Halloween candy!

Don’t forget to check to Crafts of Halloweens Past!

If you haven’t already and have a few minutes today, whip up one of my fast and easy Halloween crafts to post to the Sewhooked flickr group! There’s a prize up for grabs for one lucky winner!

New to Sewhooked? Here’s what you missed!

There’s always something going on around Sewhooked!

Don’t miss your chance to Name That Mustache! Final winners announced Monday!

Are you dressing up for Halloween? I’d love to see photos!

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Featured Pattern: Zombie, $2 on Craftsy

…part of the Monster Madness pattern set!

Crafts of Halloweens Past: Quilty Goodness!

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Let’s be honest, most of you are here because of the quilts.

I’m totally okay with that.

While I do have many for sale patterns, I have many, many free ones.

Whimsical, fun, happy patterns are my favorite to create. To be frank (or Jennifer, as the case may be!), I make what I like. It’s as plain and simple as that. Making what I like makes me happy, and hopefully, you will feel that when you’re working on a pattern that I designed. If not, then I’m clearly doing it wrong!

Trick-or-Treat Sue, up at the top of this post, was created for a blog hop hosted by Soma over on Whims & Fancies last October.

She’s 10″ paper pieced and can be downloaded right here or over on Craftsy. This sweet Sue is just one of the over 50 magical Sunbonnet Sues that I’ve designed over the years. You can find all of her Magical Friends right here!

If you’re looking for even more quilty goodness for Halloween, try one of these blasts from the past, designed by me and available on the Harry Potter page over on my other site, Fandom In Stitches (click the image for the free pattern!):

There are many, MANY more where these came from!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze!

Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Don’t Miss Week 3 of Name That Mustache, posted this Monday!

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Featured Pattern: Two Little Hooters

Crafts of Halloweens Past: Candy Corn Hat

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A hat that looks like Candy Corn? Well, it’s more the spirit of Candy Corn, but it does the trick!

From the wayback machine of 2009, enjoy this simple sweet crochet pattern created in homage of one of the most delightful, delicious and downright bad for you treats of all time.

The pattern is free, just click here!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze! Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Don’t Miss Week 3 of Name That Mustache, posted this Monday!

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Featured Pattern: A Little Haunted, $8 on Craftsy

Crafts of Halloweens Past: Pumpkin Earrings

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Inspired by the fabulously delicious, dangerous and definitely not-nutritious Mellowcreme Pumpkins, I created super cute earrings for a Halloween swap I participated in back in October 2008.

Pumpkin Earrings Tutorial, inspired by sugar!

Make a pair for yourself or a batch for all of your friends!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze! Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Don’t Miss Week 3 of Name That Mustache coming up tomorrow!

Do you design paper pieced, embroidery, applique or other quilt patterns? Love John Green books? Join us for the #tfios Design Challenge, happening now on Fandom In Stitches!

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Featured Pattern: Monster Madness $6 Craftsy

Crafts of Halloweens Past: Jack-O-Lantern Finger Puppet

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With all the fabric-related goodness that I share here on Sewhooked, it can be easy, even for me, to forget about all the fun crochet projects I’ve both created and designed over the years.

My Jack-O-Lantern finger puppets were originally designed for my daughter’s kindergarten class. Instead of candy, she passed these out as pencil toppers on fun Halloween pencils. This is the original photo from October 2000. I’m guessing I didn’t have the pencils when I took the photo, but I do remember the fun orange and black pencils!

This is the same daughter that’s a college freshman now, so this really is a craft from the past!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze! Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Don’t Miss Week 2 of Name That Mustache!

Do you design paper pieced, embroidery, applique or other quilt patterns? Love John Green books? Join us for the #tfios Design Challenge, happening now on Fandom In Stitches!

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Featured Pattern: Monster Madness $6 Craftsy

Crafts of Halloween Past: Cauldron Pin Cushion

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From the way back in 2008 Tutorial machine comes a craft I’ve been making for probably 10 or more years; the Cauldron Pin Cushion!

Anyplace you shop that has Halloween supplies will have 6, 8, or 12 packs of these wee cauldrons.

And, because we can never have enough toys in our sewing spaces, why not a cauldron pin cushion?

For some added magic, use wool instead of polyfil to help keep your needles sharp!

Go to the tutorial!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze! Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Don’t Miss Week 2 of Name That Mustache tomorrow here on Sewhooked!

Do you design paper pieced, embroidery, applique or other quilt patterns? Love John Green books? Join us for the #tfios Design Challenge, happening now on Fandom In Stitches!

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Featured Pattern: Wizard with Snake, $2 on Craftsy

part of the Friendly Familiars Set!

Crafts of Halloweens Past: Easy Felt Bats

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Here’s another fun craft from Halloweens Past!

What better way to decorate for Halloween than a flock of adorably spooky felt bats?

These guys are about as easy as it gets, needing only a few supplies and maybe half an hour of your time! We have lots of these cute little guys and have used them to decorate both inside and outside our front door.

The Easy Felt Bats Tutorial dates from October 2008. Enjoy!

To make reliving the Crafts of Halloween Past even more fun for you, I’m offering a challenge with a prize!

Make any of my Halloween projects or patterns posted during the course of the month of October and post a photo to the Sewhooked flickr group tagged “halloween.”

At the end of the month, I’ll draw a winner to receive a free copy of Quiltmaker’s Quilts from 100 Blocks, which includes my pattern Corn Maze!

Heck, I’ll even sign it, if you like!

Do you design paper pieced, embroidery, applique or other quilt patterns? Love John Green books? Join us for the #tfios Design Challenge, happening now on Fandom In Stitches!

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