Christmas Pajamas: 2021

I really put off the annual Christmas pajamas this year -- sometimes I'm done by Thanksgiving, other years I'm adding the finishing touches on Christmas Eve morning! I did manage to finish these up a day "early," but goodness, you'd think by now I'd have figured out that it's worth it to start a bit earlier?

Anyway, they all turned out and that's the main thing! All four children got "coordinating" pajamas this year, with a Star Wars theme. I found some cotton Star Wars prints at JoAnn's, for the pajama pants -- four pairs of simple pajama pants go together surprisingly (and thankfully) quickly!

For the tops, I used some Telio organic cotton slub jersey, in grey for the boys and rose for Rosa (appropriately). 

Amazingly, I was able to find the perfect fabrics for the appliques in my stash, with one exception! I even had some Wonder Under left over, which I hadn't even thought to look for until it was time to start sewing. For all of the appliques, I found images online that would translate well to silhouettes. I printed them out and traced them on my WonderUnder. As I was working with all knit fabrics, I didn't bother with fancy edges and did a simple straight stitch as close to the edge of each design as possible.

Scout got a "baby Yoda with his bone broth" shirt, with the backside of some sweatshirt fleece for the fuzzy tunic. The green was some leftover mineral knit from Birch fabrics. 

Little Man's was the easiest design, a simple Mandalorian helmet:

And Laddie's was the most complicated, with a rather detailed BB8 motif! I did buy a thrifted orange tee for this applique, since I was quite sure I didn't have anything in that shade in my stash.

Rosa got Princess Leia -- I used a tiny scrap of Birch Organics french terry in "Marsala" for the lips, which I'd actually purchased to make another Jasper sweatshirt dress for myself. I ended up lining the pocket of my sweatshirt dress with the leftover jersey from Rosa's shirt, which seemed serendipitous. And there was enough french terry left to make a coordinating dress for Rosa... but I'll post them another time.

At last, all wrapped and ready to go under the tree! The littles were delighted with their Star Wars creations (they each also received Star Wars Lego sets the next day, so perhaps that was our theme this year?), and have worn them often ever since. As someone who rarely spends more than $1 for an entire set of pajamas, this is quite the yearly splurge! But it's well worth the looks on their faces, and  since they wear their Christmas pajamas until they are literally falling apart, it's a decent investment. 

For Christmas pajamas in years past:

Christmas 2016

Christmas 2018

Christmas 2019

Christmas 2020

'Twas the Night Before Christmas: Pajamas, 2020 Edition

As Christmas 2020 drew near, it was time to tackle the littles' yearly Christmas pajamas. They open them on Christmas Eve so they can wear them on Christmas morning, and it's become a favorite tradition. They often wear them for years -- Scout still has the pair I made when he was 18 months old, which look quite comical now that he's 3 1/2! 

For Rosa's pajamas, I finally bought some of the Birch Pirouette fabrics that I've been eyeing for ages. I used the free T-shirt pattern from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom for the top, but I wanted to add some detail. I cut the front pattern piece off just below the armhole, cut the top portion as directed, but  placed the lower pattern piece a few inches from the fold to make it wider. Then I gathered the top edge, and sewed it to the top of the shirt. Instead of a neckband I cut a facing, sewed it right-sides-together to the shirt, then flipped it to the inside and top-stitched. Very simple alterations, but it made for an entirely different look!

For the pants, I used Life Sew Savory's free family PJ pants pattern. I contemplated leggings, but my knit was a thick interlock and I thought looser pants would probably fit better and longer. 

I chose a Riley Blake National Parks print for the boys' pants, and a solid organic jersey for their tops. I used the same free t-shirt pattern and PJ pants pattern that I used for Rosa, which made everything quite simple! I did have to hem their pants afterwards, as I'd been a bit over-generous with the length (why didn't I just grab pants that fit them to check the length? Oh well...). This year I finally remembered to add folded ribbon "tags" to the boys' shirts and pants (in their favorite colors) so that they can identify their own clothes. At this point, Laddie and Scout are so close in size that matching pajamas often end up in the wrong bins!

I finished these up just in time for Christmas Eve, and the littles' delight was well worth the time and effort! I'm happy that they still enjoy wearing their mama-made pajamas -- and they've been worn quite often since Christmas, so now it's just a question of whether they'll grow out of them or wear them to tatters first...

Handmade Christmas, 2019

I thought I should probably post these before January ended! While we didn't do much in the handmade department for Christmas this year, I did continue our tradition of new pajamas on Christmas Eve.

All of the patterns I used were free -- I so appreciate how many crafters have posted free patterns to the Interwebs, and many are multi-sized!

First up, the boys. I bought a yard of Dear Stella Supernova knit, thinking I could cut all of the shirt fronts and backs out of that. Well, I was a bit short! But by adding a yoke detail to the back in the same indigo rayon jersey that I'd bought for the sleeves/pants/neck trim, I was able to make it work. 

These went together assembly style, so it was really a pretty quick process! Ironically, both patterns I used are intended for girls... The shirts are made from the Girl's t-shirt pattern from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom, and I don't recall making any changes. For the pants, I used the Made by Mermaids Bonny Leggings pattern. I did add some room to the leg/seat area, so that they wouldn't be quite as snug as leggings! It worked perfectly, and the stretchy rayon is quite comfy (so I hear).

 After finishing up the boys' pajamas far ahead of schedule in late November, I procrastinated with Rosa's and only finished a few days before Christmas! For her nightgown, I used Birch Organics Tree Stripes in "Sun," which I had in my stash (I'd mistakenly purchased it thinking it was a knit!). I was glad I could use something from the stash, not only to clear it out a bit, but also because I didn't need to spend more on fabric.

I used another pattern from Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom, the Peasant Dress pattern. It went together super quickly (obviously I couldn't be bothered to iron it, though!), and Rosa was thrilled. I didn't make leggings this time, since she already has plenty in her pajama collection.

It's been a whirlwind of a month, between celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary, visiting with family, and then dealing with various health issues over the past week and a half. But I'm finally on the mend, and I have a new project in the works (still in the taping/cutting out pattern stage) -- oh, I finished my Jasper sweatshirt dress, but haven't had a chance to wear it yet because I've not been feeling well! Hopefully I can give it a whirl and post some details soon.

Hope you're having a lovely New Year!

Handmade Christmas: Ear Warmers

Confession time -- I struggle so much with picking gifts for people (other than my children! I know EXACTLY what they'd like!). I hem and haw, never sure what would be right. And when it comes to extended family that we don't see very often, the decisions become even harder. This year, I turned to my yarn stash for the answers, and while I rather doubt that the results were suited to the recipients, I did try! I'm hoping that it really is the thought that counts...

The "execution" was certainly fun, though. I've never tried ear warmers before, and they were just detailed enough to be interesting (and not so detailed that they were frustrating!). The first pattern came from Melody Charlotte, and was knit with doubled Sugar Baby Alpaca in Quetzal green (leftover from my Looking Back Cardigan). 

Raveled here.

The second was knit with Universal Yarn Eden Silk, in Coal and Cream, using the free Chevron Panel Ear Warmer pattern. It's hard to pick up the chevron pattern in the photo, but it adds a nice bit of texture. Again, a simple and satisfying knit that was easy to finish up before Christmas! 

 
Raveled here. 


With Christmas gifts wrapped up, I was able to turn my knitting attentions to a project that I've been alternately terrified of and fascinated by: socks!

Reflections

It's been so long since I've been in this little space that talking about Christmas is truly "looking back." But the close of 2018 felt like that in many ways, as we contemplated our (nearly) four years in Virginia drawing to a close.

I took some time in the midst of the holiday hubbub to make two little stockings for our Christmas tree this year. It seemed a good way to remember both of the little babies we've lost in December. This was my first foray into sock-making (Raveled here and here), and I "embroidered" our babies' initials in silk floss.

There were celebrations, too, as Little Man turned a not-so-little eight years old this December. I usually try to surprise them with a themed cake, but he very specifically requested a desert cake with his green pickup truck on top. And he wanted to help decorate it! I'm no professional decorator, clearly -- but I am blessed with children who have low standards in that department. They're always delighted with their cakes, and I hope it stays that way (because I doubt my skills are going to magically improve as they get older...)

December was a month of goodbyes, as we prepared to head west. Sadly, we had to part with our "girls" -- here they are having a final hen party before being packed up for their new home. Happily, a really sweet family answered our Craigslist ad, and we have high hopes that there will be mutual satisfaction between hens and new owners.

A last trip to the zoo, as well. Some of the animals that are usually harder to spot were "up close and personal" that day, much to our delight. I'm personally a fan of Fennec foxes, and this fellow seemed as curious as we were:

 One of the tigers came right up to the viewing window as we arrived, and prowled back and forth for several minutes while we watched:

And the reptiles are a bit easier to spot in their smaller enclosures -- but still, this fellow was right up against the glass for us:

Of course, there were much more painful goodbyes, as we parted with friends and church family. I'm so glad we were able to celebrate one more Christmas in Virginia before moving. It was a joyful but peaceful day, just the way I like it best.

And just like that, 2018 was over and 2019 began. The first days of January were an exhausting, hectic blur, and before long, we were on our way west...

Love and Joy Come to You

Hope you all had a lovely Christmas! We had a quiet day at church and home, and enjoyed being together as a family (my husband was deployed last Christmas).  

I feel like there is so much "pressure" at Christmas time -- on the one hand, there is the ridiculous, commercialized, "Christmas is all about the gifts" message being blared in every ad and store in town. Did anyone else notice $50 stocking stuffers?! And on the other hand, there is well-meaning Christian community which, in an effort to avoid being caught up in the materialistic chaos, pushes "the Reason for the Season" so hard that you feel you're not "doing it right" unless you have ten advent readings daily and your children love Jesus so much that they don't even want Christmas gifts. 

We finished this two days before Christmas (no, we never procrastinate!), inspired by this one. I love how it turned out! The
tiny wreath is just a wire frame, so we can easily refill it with fresh greenery next year. Pallet wood, free. Paint, stashed.
Wreath frame, $2. That's my kind of Christmas cheer. *wink*

I'm trying to find the middle ground. I certainly don't want to fall prey to materialism. I don't believe that Jesus was actually born on December 25th, though I am more than happy to celebrate with the rest of Christendom on that date. And I also think that the truths of Advent should be celebrated year-round, not force-fed once month a year! That said, I do have my eye on the Prepare Him Room devotional by Marty Machowski for next year. This year, we read Scripture, had conversations with our children about why we celebrate Christmas and why we give gifts, and enjoyed the celebration!

And here it is lit up at night!

I think I was every bit as excited as the littles were -- I love making and wrapping gifts (though we try to be conservative), and their anticipation was contagious. I'll have to share the rest of our hand-made holiday soon! To my great delight, the Christmas pajamas (opened on Christmas Eve) were a huge hit, and they all fit beautifully with room to grow! I think total cost was bout $5 per child, so it turned out to be both practical and economical.

Our yearly "free" Christmas wreath -- we always pick up extra greenery when we
get our Christmas tree (there's a huge bin of free trimmings), and I stuff it into a
grapevine wreath. A few accents and it's ready to go!

May the love of God enfold you as the year draws to a close, and a new one awaits!

"Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.

To Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Even so. Amen.

'I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.'"

Revelation 1:4b-8

Dreaming of Christmas

Last year I made the Littles each a set of Christmas pajamas. Which I failed to photograph or post about, of course! Little Man had a red moustache shirt with green pants, Laddie got a green moustache shirt with red pants, and Rosa got a red-and-green FairIsle nightgown with red pants. They're all still wearing them regularly! So when I passed a rack of adorable (and DEEPLY discounted) fabric at JoAnn's a few months ago, I couldn't resist having another go. Maybe this will be a tradition?

Of course, I made it easy on myself last year by using knit fabrics. No closures required! But this year I fell in love with flannel. Not only that, but I purchased the fabric without knowing how much I'd actually need. Always a good idea... 

I had no suitable patterns for the boys, so I decided to wing it by tracing existing shirts. I'd already decided to nix any kind of collar, and opt for a simple v-neck button-up. Less fabric and less stress. I drafted all of the pants patterns from existing pants, too. I'm becoming more confident with that (for pajamas, at any rate!), and I kept the patterns I made for use as the children grow -- no sense going through the work again. I tried to make everything a tad on the roomy side, so there's room to grow. 

Miraculously, they went together with very little effort! Laddie's sleeves required a little extra finagling, but they worked. I made a facing (using the black buffalo check, because I ran out of the bus fabric), which finished off the neck edge nicely. I didn't even bother to keep the image uninterrupted across that front opening -- these are pajamas, after all! The "stripes" match up, and that's good enough for me. *wink*

I didn't have any appropriate buttons on hand (somehow my vast collection of mother-of-pearl buttons didn't seem quite right...), so I picked up eight cheap black buttons for less than $2. Again, pajamas.

For Rosa, I thought the buses were not just the thing. Lo and behold, on the same rack of fabric there was a distinctly feminine Eiffel Tower print! And nearby was a matching pink check flannel. Perfect for my Madeline-loving little girl.

I used McCall's 5695, a pattern that's been in my stash for ages. However, I used the short puffed sleeve pattern piece and lengthened it to make a long sleeve -- I do NOT like the "bell" shaped long sleeve in the pattern that's fitted at the armscye and gathered at the wrist. Gathers at top and bottom, thank-you-very-much.

Simple pants (with a bit of ruffle at the top!), a silver plastic KAM snap for the back opening, and these pajamas were done.

As for my fabric? I couldn't piece together the scraps of all four fabrics to even make a yard! Somehow I managed to buy the perfect amount, despite having no idea what patterns I was going to use -- or even a solid design idea, for that matter. Hopefully these will loved as much as last year's pajamas. And hopefully they'll fit, too...

They'll get to open these on Christmas Eve, so they can wear them for Christmas morning. A little extra excitement, and something that will be well-loved and used in the coming year.

Hung by the Chimney (With Care)

At some point while visiting with family for Thanksgiving, I came up with the brilliant idea of "doing stockings" this year. I've wanted stockings for a while now, but the idea of spending money on trinkets to fill them with when there were already perfectly good gifts under the tree... Then my sister mentioned a list she'd come across of inexpensive, semi-useful stocking stuffer ideas. With my one reservation assuaged, I was ready to roll.

We toyed with the idea of matching (or at least very coordinated) stockings, but when I saw a Nutcracker ballet slipper stocking I had to make it for Rosa -- she absolutely loves the Nutcracker ballet! But what about the boys -- should each child have an individualized stocking? What about future children? Should choosing stockings really be this difficult? Definitely "no" to that last one! I finally found this Knight Stocking, the only one of its kind I've been able to locate on the interwebs. Perfect for Little Man -- and by changing a few details, I could make one for Laddie, too. If more girls or boys come our way, I'll reuse the slipper and knight patterns and change the details to personalize them. Different shoe colors for girls, different shield colors for boys. Still matchy, but unique.

Design was not too difficult -- I didn't even bother printing off the ballet slipper pattern, because I knew I didn't want the toe that "pointy," and as soon as I see the words "enlarge the pattern" my eyes glaze over. The knight stocking didn't have a pattern at all, since it's a ready-made stocking, so I was on my own for that. I made the patterns roughly the same size and shape, added seam allowance, and went fabric shopping. Which was a bit of a kafuffle, because JoAnn didn't have the fabrics or trim I'd hoped for, and I had to wing it. As it was, I still wasn't sure exactly how the knight stockings would materialize! The ballet slipper was more straightforward, and I even managed to snag some beaded trim that was sure to delight Rosa.

I added two little beaded dangles to the bow after I took this photo, for a bit of added "glam"

Construction was pretty straightforward. Cut out the pieces, bond the exterior pieces to heavyweight fusible interfacing, decorate, and then sew together. I came across a picture from this Easy DIY stocking tutorial as I was looking for design inspiration, and liked the construction method (though I didn't end up turning the edge over to make a cuff). I slowed up a bit with the boys', because I still didn't have a concrete idea of the design. But it came together, little by little! I'd purchased about four yards of tiny silver cord trim that was on clearance for 25 cents per yard, because I was so desperate to find something -- it turned out to be exactly what I needed for the bottom of each "boot." I used a narrow zig-zag to stitch it down in a diamond pattern, and I love the result. And only 16" to spare. Phew!

As the construction process began, Rosa became interested in what I was doing, and I eventually gave up and told her that they were stockings. I was planning to hang them up as soon as they were done, anyway. She seemed quite impressed that I knew how to make stockings, and asked me if my mother had taught me how! Later on, she began giving me recommendations for what I should put in her stocking (chocolate), and a timeline for when I should shop for things to go in the stockings (the next day, or maybe the day after). Oh, the easy confidence of the four-year-old!

My efforts were rewarded by their excitement over the finished stockings, though! Now, just to fill them...

Handmade Christmas

Christmas has its challenges when it comes to children -- how does one achieve that delicate balance between giving gifts without fostering materialism? While we're probably far more conservative than average, it's still easy to get carried away. There are so many toys that I know our children would love! 

This year, we tried to augment current "collections," or upgrade toys that they already love but have outgrown. And always books -- this year Rosa got A is for Annabelle, Little Man got Curious George and the Firefighters, and they jointly received The Tale of Three Trees and Journey (which is now one of our favorites; it's delightfully whimsical, and surprisingly "well told" for having no words!)  

Rosa's other Christmas gift included play food, a new apron, and a little tin tea set. She has this Stephen Joseph kitchen set (a gift from her "Mumsy") so a few accessories seemed like a good idea.

The apron was simple -- I used a little canvas apron (via the Publix Preschool Pals club) as a template, rounding the bottom edges for a more feminine flair. A little bit of trim, bias tape, and a wee pocket later, it was ready! All done in less than one nap time.

The pink polka-dot fabric came from a visit to Denver Fabrics about seven years
ago! It's a lightweight canvas, perfect for an apron. 

For play food, I settled on a slightly breakfast theme -- pancakes, eggs, strawberries, and orange wedges. I'd like to branch out over time, but I knew those particular foods would go over well (and I already had the necessary felt!). I also stitched a simple grocery bag, loosely following the instructions from Sew Magical for Baby -- I reduced the size to be more suitable for little hands, and kind of winged the construction process. It's a hard pattern to mess up!

And then, a week before Christmas, I found the tea set of my dreams while browsing World Market's website -- searching for "tea tins," I came across their Floral Tin Tea Set. Rosa is fascinated by tea, but I'd thought it would be a while before she was ready for a tea set due to my aversion to plastic sets and the likelihood certainty of a porcelain set shattering within weeks (or days, or even hours!). But a tin tea set? And one that evokes Cath Kidston, at that? Never mind that fact that it already perfectly matched the apron I'd just made for her! Granted, her pancakes are bigger than the plates -- but so far she hasn't complained about that. *wink* It even came in a little case, which makes storage simple.

The orange wedges are a bit primitive, but I'm very fond of my seeded strawberries!

The tea set necessitated a little stash of tea bags -- I saw some that had been made using a real tea bag as a template, so I tried that. Did you know that a tea bag is actually a tube of filter, folded and stapled? You do now! Some sheer musliny fabric from my stash served for this miniature versions, and I did actually fill them with a sprinkling of Earl Grey Moonlight. They smell heavenly! Ric rac and felt for the tags, and they were ready.

And here's a snapshot of the wee little lady herself on Christmas morning -- she lost no time in serving out steamy cuppas  (though for some reason she insisted on removing the tea pot's lid before using it. Hmm.).

I was less involved in Little Man's present, simple by nature of what it was! We went with a Robin Hood theme for our outdoorsy boy, which meant a bow, quiver, arrows, and a felt cap. Pablo had made him a small PVC bow and a single PVC arrow about a year ago, but it was time for an upgrade. This time Pablo made a nicer PVC bow with more shaping, and applied a shoe polish "stain" that looks like a real wood grain. I fashioned some black leather into a grip which was glued/stitched on. Oh, and Pablo made eight wooden dowel arrows, complete with fletching and carved nocks. Plenty for a young marksman!

The quiver was also made out of PVC, slightly flattened into an oval shape. We covered it with pleather (resorting to some interesting techniques to finish the bottom!), and riveted a leather strap to the top and bottom. 

The felt hat, of course, was my domain! I used this free tutorial for Little Man's Robin Hood hat, printing it out at 80% -- the size is perfect! I may make a sturdier version in the future (his is just felt, and rather thin felt at that), but for now it's just right. Little Man has been wearing this ensemble almost non-stop since Christmas, especially since we recently watched the old Erroll Flynn Adventures of Robin Hood movie as a family. 

Lessons learned this year? Get an earlier start! In fact, this year I really want to be more prepared for gift-giving events in general. Birthdays and Christmas are quite predictable, so why not be ready early and avoid last-minute stress?

But overall, considering the innumerable cups of "tea" I've been served and the frequent archery exhibitions I've been invited to view, I'm pretty sure we can count this year's Christmas gifts a success!