Christmas Pajamas

It feels like the holidays are in full swing! Wherever we go, there is Christmas music playing and gifts and decorations for sale everywhere. Are we the last family in this world holding onto the day-after-Thanksgiving decorating tradition? Our tree may not be up yet, but there are plenty of preparations underway!

Christmas Pajamas - a classic tradition!
We've always given our son one gift on Christmas eve - special pajamas, of course. And up until now, I've just shopped around to find the perfect pair.
But this year, while shopping for some binding fabric for the Spinning Spectrum quilt, my son picked out a snowman print and asked if we could turn it into pajamas. How could I turn down such a cute request? He won't be little for long, and may not always appreciate handmade things.

Well, I'd already had my eye on a couple patterns, but I did a bit more browsing (I love seeing what others make!) Here are a few of my favorites.

If you are looking for a FREE pajama pattern or tutorial, one of these may help you out:

Pajama-Rama Top & Bottoms - Shwin & Shwin

Taylor's Pajama Pants PDF Pattern - Create Kids Couture 

Flannel Christmas Nightgown - Riley Blake

Simple Pajama Pants Tutorial - Simply Modern Mom

How cute are these pajamas with the bottom flap?

Faux Union Suit Tutorial - Dahlhart Lane

Or if you don't mind paying a few dollars, here are a few others:

Alex & Anna Winter PJs - Peek-a-Boo Patterns

(I have this pattern and it is great! Great directions and photos make this one easy - even if you're intimidated to sew with knits)

Sweet Dreams Button-Up Pj Set - Peek-a-Boo Patterns

Lazy Day Pajamas - Blank Slate Patterns

Wish me luck! Love handmade holidays!

Busy Bicycles

Do you remember this stack?

Well, once I delivered my Spinning Spectrum quilt to the Festival of Trees last week, it was time to pick up work on a few other little projects. First up, these bicycles! I love this print (Sarah Jane for Michael Miller - On the Go in navy) and picked a few Riley Blake dots and stripes to go with it. 

Before long I had all the hourglass blocks complete and sewn together...

and it is so busy! I should have known; these prints are very bold and a strong contrast to the white-on-white background. A little much? We'll see...

Pin basted and ready to be quilted!

A Colorful Finish

Alright, way overdue for an update, I'd say!

I'm working on another project - my biggest yet - and I'll just say, I'm a bit more tired than usual. :) Excited as can be, but just not my productive self. This project will be complete in the spring! It's been a looooong time coming, so we are very, very grateful.

So even though I have been sewing, I've haven't kept the pace up on the blog. But I'm feeling good and have a few projects I'm excited about, so we'll keep plugging along, if you care to follow.

So it's time to share my favorite quilt ever! My Spinning Spectrum quilt is finished!

This quilt was more time intensive than my usual simple baby quilts. I stretched myself on the design and piecing - a paper pieced pattern that I drafted myself, and my first paper pieced project. 

When the quilt top was complete, I was really pleased. It came together just as planned. And I just wasn't sure if I could quilt it myself. I almost sent it off to a long arm quilter!

My husband encouraged me to see this project through to the end - on my own. I really struggled coming up with a design that was relevant to the quilt top and manageable on my machine. The quilt sat for almost two weeks while I doodled and tried to make a decision. Then one night an idea popped into my head and I knew I had it!

I quilted in straight lines, originating in the center color wheel, a vertex within in each triangle, and then angling out to the edges of the quilt. The quilting lines are spaced 1" and give the finished quilt a great texture.

These stars are a fun secondary design.

The finished quilt measures 48" x 48", intended to be a wall hanging.

Though this would be fun to hang in my craft room, it's destined for Festival of Trees. Today was the first day to enter quilts, and just like last year, I took a peek behind the scenes after I dropped off my quilt. Imagine a huge room with tons of people working to receive, sort, and price lots of beautiful gifts, most handmade. It's a real life Santa's workshop! You can just feel like excitement; and I'm grateful to be one small part of it!

Read more about Festival of Trees (and a bit more info here and here), or see the quilts I donated last year.