Almost every year I try to make my sister something for Christmas or her birthday, using her childrens hands as templates. This year, I don't know where I got the idea to use them as the trunks of trees, but I am so happy at the end product. This wall quilt was all hand stitched from start to finish. It was a lot of work but entirely worth it!

It's difficult to see in the picture, but each of their names is embroidered into the trunks of each tree.

Close up detail of the skies swirl pattern, and the blanket binding stitches around the trees and fingers

My favorite part was the swirls. They ended up looking like clouds.

Embroidered date in the lower right corner.

At work a few of us adopted a family at a shelter. I picked the little two year old girl named Jax. All she wanted was a baby doll. I bought the doll, but also made both her and her doll matching baby quilts. This one is hers.

Detail of both the large and small versions of this quilt.

The baby dolls quilt (above)

I tried to make almost all of my Christmas presents this year. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes, as in the Hand Quilt above, it can be more of a challenge. Don't get me wrong though, I love every minute of it. There's something meditative in working away at a project meant solely for the person it's being made for. At any rate, I decided to make my niece this Empire waistline blouse. The pattern seemed to just scream her name (well to me anyhow) It's from some fabric my girlfriend didn't want any more. Do you recognize it Donna??? :)

Back detail

Close up

I think she liked it, and it fit!!

But wait! I couldn't stop there, I loved the first one so much that with only four days left until Christmas, I decided to make another one. I loved this one just as much. I think she did too.