Homemade Christmas Present Roundup

This year, I decided I was going to try to make as many homemade Christmas gifts as possible.  In typical Gemini form, I completely underestimated the time it takes to actually make homemade gifts.  Nevertheless, I was able to churn out a set of placemats (from a pattern from Amy Butler’s “Institches”) and matching napkin rings (my own creation) for both my parents and my mother-in-law, and a few aprons (again from Amy Butler’s book) for my sister and sister-in-law.  I guess everyone else is going to have to wait until next year, when I get my homemade-making-act together a little bit earlier.

Here are some nice shots of the placemats I made for my mother-in-law on display on her kitchen table.  You have got to love Amy Butler.  She puts the adorable and easy in make-it-yourself sewing.  “Institches” is a truly great sewing pattern book — definitely the first book I’ve picked up where I actually want to try every last pattern!