Just Some Little Sewing Projects

We've been out of town for a week, but before we left, I accomplished several little projects. 

  I realize the above photo is a bit blurry, but the first project was to make personalized keychains for the boys' backpacks.

With Riley starting kindergarten next week, we decided to let him get a new backpack.  However, I'm sick of Lightning McQueen (his preschool backpack), and would prefer he didn't get any sort of "character" bag.  So I made a deal with him- he could get a non-"character" backpack, but he could hang a Lightning keychain on it!  Good compromise, right?

 

Of course, if Riley got a nametag, Noah needed one, too!  As you can see, he's still using his Diego backpack until he finishes preschool.

 

       

I already had Lightning fabric and some other fabric with animals on it, so the rest was pretty easy (especially with an embroidery machine!).  The boys love them, and when they're ready for a change, we can just make new nametags!

 Avery is also starting preschool next month (just 2 days a week), so she needed a new backpack as well!  I found this sweet one for only $4 at Walmart. 

There was just enough room under the butterfly to add her name.  I embroidered it onto felt, added another color felt behind for contrast, then hand-stitched the patch onto the pocket.  Cute and easy!

Here's another project I took on spur-of-the-moment.  Riley did a drawing of a dinosaur that he really liked.  So I stitched it into a little blanket for him!

I added some extra scrap fabric around the edges and some striped seam-binding.

I backed it with some satin so that it would feel silky to cuddle with.  It turned out really cute, and he loves it!  Next step is to do the same with one of Noah's drawings- he draws some really cute little birds and flowers! 

We're having Avery's second birthday party tonight, even though her birthday's not for a couple days.  I've finished her topsy-turvy doll, and will show you photos of it soon!