DIY Hostess Gifts - Quick and Easy Coasters

Are struggling to find an appropriate gift within your budget for someone special? Or perhaps you are determined to have your holiday gifts handmade to convey how much you care about that special someone? With a few 5" x 5" squares of fabric you can mix and match your way to making these awesome little mug mats.

They can be dignified and uniform or mismatched and whimsical. Either way, with very little sewing, these can be whipped up in an hour or two. Tied with a bow or tucked into a gift bag with coffee beans or tea, they make a thoughtful hostess gift that's a bit more creative than the usual bottle of wine. 

With leftover scraps, simply follow this ever so easy tutorial from SoChick! The Blog. 

We found the tutorial for these Boxy Bags from SoChick! featured in our last DIY Gifts to Make post.

Boxy Bags - Quick DIY Spa Bags for Guys or Gals

Gifts made from your hands are the best and will be the most cherished of gifts. These easy to sew toiletries bags make the perfect spa bag for her or shaving bag for him. 

They make great use of fabric scraps or remnants with brightly colored contrast zippers and tabs for variety. Pretty floral patterns for the girl's bags and rugged camo or denim fabric for the boys.

This year I had 35 on my list so the assembly line was employed to make quick work of the job. I filled the Spa bags with my hand crocheted wash cloths, scented soaps, bath salts an aromatherapy candle and herb tea bags. The guys bags were filled with shaving stuff and hand knit wool socks. The possibilities are limitless. 
 

And so easy to wrap! Just tie a ribbon around the bag and you are good to go!

Find the tutorial to make these wonderful little bags at SoChick blog. Her visual tutorial is so easy to follow you will be a pro after the first try.

Straw Hats to Crochet - Free Pattern Download

Square Brimmed Straw Hats to Crochet

For Spring Break or Summer fun in the sun, these easy to crochet hats made with straw are cool and lightweight. Easy to make. Download these easy to follow instructions.

The Humble Applique - Using Scraps for an Elegant Embellishment

 I found this little crop top years ago in a thrift shop. Being an admirer of all varieties of textiles this little top with it's applique figures was most intriguing. This Chinese or Japanese embellished cotton fabric is probably from the 1940's or 1950's. Though piecing and applique have been used in some of the earliest textiles, this particular form was a popular post WWII technique.

 The figures and their clothing are cut-outs and appear to be attached with no more than tiny stitches all around the edges with embroidered details.

The thread pony-tails are a particularly delightful embellishment. 

The figures are engaged in butterfly catching and enticing a cat to play with a ball and string. When I examined it closely it appeared to be re-purposed from something else.

These delightful little children lighting firecrackers and catching butterflies were found on a tablecloth available on ebay. Perhaps a tablecloth is the origin of my red crop top?

Available on Etsy

Available on Etsy

These two vintage tablecloths are another example of the  fine art of applique and embroidery and are available on Etsy.

Simplicity, as well as the other major pattern companies and Mail Order sources as well, printed transfer patterns to help form more uniform shapes. The pansy motif in this very well used 1946 Simplicity pattern was very popular and you can find examples of these motifs on vintage linens of that time period in antique shops or even your grandmother's attic.

This exquisite example of pansies in applique and embroidery is a sleeve to carry ladies hankies. 

But there are no rules when it comes to applique. These ladies hankies with very modern looking motifs are from the 1920's and 1930's. Simple color blocks are used to create wonderful accents. And what an amazingly economical embellishment.

But don't underestimate the creative potential of applique. The delicate hankie, a blouse or apron is no less a ready canvas as the iconic "Poodle Skirt". Whatever you choose, explore the possibilities and make your mark. 

1900's Corticelli Crocheted Bedroom Slippers - Free Pattern

From the 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet Book 1

Slippers are an easy to make and always welcome gift - even if it is a gift to yourself. This is another free slippers pattern from the Corticelli Lessons in Crochet Book 1 from 1916 found at the Antique Pattern Library (Love this site!!). The Antique Pattern Library is a website offering a wealth of public domain pattern books in needle arts, woodworking and other home crafts to download and share but not to sell. Have something to contribute to this site? Please visit the Antique Pattern Library and inquire about submitting something for their archive.

Princess Dorothea Crocheted Picture Hat Pattern - 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet

Princess Dorothea Picture Hat - 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet

I seem to be obsessed with these 1900's Corticelli crochet patterns. Last week I featured a lovely little crocheted evening bag from the 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet Book 1. This week we have an elegant brimmed hat with velveteen crown and bow trim. This pattern, as well as the evening bag and crocheted slippers were found on the Antique Pattern Library website. This site offers reproductions of public domain pattern books to share and not sell. Please visit and peruse their vast (and growing) library, and consider lending something from your collection to share and help build this amazing resource. Download the Princess Dorothea Hat Pattern Here.

Princess Louise Crocheted Evening Bag - 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet - Free Pattern

Princess Louise Crocheted Bag Number 275

Last week I posted the pattern from the 1916 Corticelli Lessons in Crochet for the Princess Phoebe Slippers. Today I am posting a pattern for the Princess Louise Crocheted evening bag. The pattern appears to be a pretty straight forward circular design with an edging to accommodate a drawstring. Lined with a pretty satin or velvet this bag would be a lovely accompaniment to any evening attire. 

Download HERE or visit the Antique Pattern Library for this and more from their online library of patterns to share (not sell).