Christmas - and My Next Project

It is so good to be able to share Christmas Day with at least some of our Grandchildren.  This year we were with two of them for Christmas Day, then in the next couple of days we had visits from 3 others.  Just one didnt get here this year. That is the one with the Santa hat over his eyes.  All 6 grandchildren are featured in this collage.

One of my daughters surprised me on Christmas Day with this gift. (which is rather difficult to photograph).

I hadn't mentioned to any family member that I would like a travel iron to take to classes.  However my daughter went along to Sew This and That, my local patchwork shop and asked one of the staff members for help is choosing a gift.  The staff member then rang my friend to ask her for some ideas.  Between them they decided on this little iron.  All of them agreed that I dont let on too much about what I would like - so it was quite a task for them.  So I am doubly pleased with the gift, and that we have such  helpful staff at the store.  It is perfect to use with my new ironing board that I made recently.

My next project will be to make a protective bag for it.  It did come with a light one, but I would like to make something a little more padded to protect it when travelling.  So..........watch this space.

I decided to keep the first sleepover bag -  I made for myself (not quite as well made when under time pressures in a class - noone else would notice probably but I know there are things I could have done a little better.)  So I made two more of them, one for each of my sisters.

I also made each of them a matching shoe bag.  One of my sisters picked it up and said "...and a bag to carry the wine"  When she realised it had shoes written on it she said I would have to make the wine one for her birthday.  I can do that - but that is later in the year.