Somebody stop me....please!

Well, I didn't think it was possible, but I've actually burned myself out on sewing!! For most of the last year I have constantly had several projects going all at once at all times. Then, to top the year off, I decided to make most of my Christmas gifts.....

This is what I've spent the last 3 weeks working on:

Wine bottle cozies; perfect for using up scraps of fabric and ribbon


4 San Diego Chargers Aprons

"Joseph" costume for a pre-school program

9 tote bags with exactly the right fabric for each person

3 necklaces for the 3 oldest granddaughters using charms from this ETSY shop (not sewing, I know, but I did put them together myself)

A photo apron for the other Grandma of my two youngest grandkids, their "Nana", with their pictures on the pockets.

12 scarves........4 made of fleece and 8 made from a soft, furry fabric (??) that makes a huge mess when you cut it but makes the most fabulous, silky scarf when you sew a tube and then turn it inside out. (This is going to be what I'll make in the future when I need a quick last minute gift from now on....I LOVE THESE!!! They only take 10 inches of fabric and 5 minutes to sew up!)

3 totes made from 99 cent re-usable bags from Wal-Mart. I printed photos on fabric and appliqued them over the store logo. I tried using different colored bags from different stores ( red from Target and light blue from the 99cent store) but they melted when I tried to iron the photos on.....only these black Wal-Mart bags worked for some reason, and I like the black best anyway....I will definitely be making more of these.

and........last but not least (finished late on Christmas Eve) 5 "reading pillows" for 3 granddaughters and 2 nieces, all avid readers. This pillow holds your book open on your lap with ribbons and has pockets for your glasses and pencils/notepad. I bought the pattern here. They were really easy to make and it taught me how to make bias tape and piping, which was very easy, much to my surprise!

and in between all of this there were 3 custom apron orders to make and one apron swap to finish.

WHEW!! No wonder I'm burned out! That wore me out just listing all of it!

This week I have 3 projects to finish for other people and then on January 1st I'm closing up the "studio" and putting all my sewing stuff away for a while.....and I really mean putting it away! I'm folding up the ironing board, putting the sewing machine in it's rarely seen case and making room for it in the closet.

I'm going on sewing hiatus at least until the end of January when I receive my next Apron Swap partner assignment....I know my creative battery will be recharged, the creative juices will be flowing, and I'll be ready for some FABRIC SHOPPING (YAY!!)