Do you have family traditions for the holidays? I have been reflecting on what our family has always done and am considering shaking things up. With the addition of a grand-baby to our little group, I believe that we can make some additions. One thing I heard someone did (too late to do with our kids) was to gift the child with Christmas pj’s and a book on Thanksgiving evening. This way, they can enjoy them the whole holiday season. The other tradition that many families enjoy is the visiting of “the Elf on a Shelf”. Again our kids missed this one, they were just too old by the time we heard of it. But now I can make a version of that happen! What’s even better is I can make our own version.
Welcome Thimble and Bobbin! These two adorable elves are in the hoop projects that are fun to make and entertaining for the family to find throughout the Christmas season.
All you will need is some bits of fabric and felt along with threads. Get ready, this is gonna be fun! The instructions from OESD on making either elf are step-by-step and very clear.
Here's some things to consider when making an elf of your own:
• Match the hair color and skin tone to a loved one or the child. This can make it more fun if Grandpa or Auntie is the elf.
• Make Two. After all, a team of elves is needed to make sure Santa gets his job done.
• When stuffing the arms and legs be careful not to overfill or they will have a difficult time sitting or bending their arms.
• Alligator Clamps - The narrow beak of this tool makes it easy to insert small bits of fluff into the narrow openings.
• Point and Press Tool - this long, narrow tool is perfect for maneuvering the fluff down into areas like hands and feet. In everyday applications, it is so great for turning out corners and curves without poking through the fabric and seams.
Do you have a family elf yet? If not, why not make one that is unique to your family and not just one of the masses?
Let’s be honest, it is more fun to make it yourself too!
Enjoy your holiday sewing & keep an eye out for the new traditions your craftiness can create.
Happy Holidays,
~Reva
