I’ve been busy sewing this month. Between birthdays and Christmas, there’s a lot of presents to be done!

I made drawstring backpack/bags for my nieces from Lotta Jansdotter’s Simple Sewing: Patterns and How-To for 24 Fresh and Easy Projects with Pattern(s). I added a zipper to the pocket and appliquéd their initials. This one has a DKNY zipper pull from my stash. I think it was a sample zipper I obtained up when I worked at Nike. Nice and easy pattern, especially nice after doing lots of hand sewing on the dress below. I attempted to make the drawstrings as the pattern called for, but they didn’t slide well at all through the denim, so I just used some cord. I plan on putting their other gifts in them.

For one niece birthday I made this dress for her American Girl doll with a gorgeous cranberry taffeta from the Mill End Store. She wanted something like “Samantha’s Cranberry Party Dress”. The seams in side were bound with Seams Great, much nicer looking and lighter than serging. I put snaps in the back because I couldn’t bear putting velcro on the dress after spending so much time on it. I tacked down all that ribbon too. The pattern is free from infinitefreedom.com . There are matching shoes from a Vogue pattern but I don’t have a picture! Hopefully she brings her doll dressed so I can get a picture.

Packing stuff up tonight as I head out to Texas tomorrow. I need to get pictures of the other bag and the Cabbage Patch outfit I made for the other niece. Little girls are fun to sew for!