Hello everyone,
I’m Deborah and it is just about my favourite time of the year: time to get out all the lights, put up the tree and start making presents to put under the Christmas tree.
Like most of the sewists here, I cannot resist to sew up some gifts, to give my presents a more personal touch. I can put all my love in them. ❤️
And that is precisely why I love Ellie & Mac Patterns: they allow me to sew up some of the coziest presents. But it gets even better, because the patterns I used for these gifts, are FREE patterns!
That’s right, free.
For the upcoming festivities, I have sewn the Grow with me Pajamas and Snuggle blankets for my daughters!
Actually, the Grow With Me Pajamas are a regular in this house. I love the fit and how you can play around with panels or colour blocking. When you omit the ruffle, it is perfect for boys too!
My daughters favourite part of the design is the fact that they can pull the legbands over their feet when it’s chilly in the evening or at night.
A fun extra for those of you that like twinning: there’s an adult version too!
You can find the free pattern here: Grow with Me Pajama & Night Gown.
For the Snuggle Blanket, which was on my to sew list for quite a while, I encountered a problem… I didn’t have the correct amount of fabric. So I had to improvise a little.
I actually had to cut it less wide and then cut extra strips to add at each side, to make it wide enough to be able to wrap my girls in it.
This is how I tackled it:
I cut out the pattern piece out of my main fabric (a soft minky fleece), but about 4 inches (10 cm) shorter in width and then I took my second main fabric (a regular fleece) and cut out two strips with a width of 4 inches (10 cm).
I put the strips raw edges together with my main minky fleece fabric after determining the middle lengthwise, and started pinning it from the middle up to each corner.
On my first Snuggle Blanket, I did this form y front main fabric as well as my lining fabric. I finished the blanket as it is stated in the pattern manual.
On my second blanket, I didn’t have enough fleece left to add. I was only able to cut two strips (instead of four for main and lining). So I have sewn the blanket without the strips added, and then, when my blanket was ready, used the same technique as I did on my first one, but sew them on by hand. To do so, I used the ladderstitch, so the threads aren’t that visible.
My daughters are so happy with their Snuggle Blankets, they have been snuggling ever since!
The pattern for the Snuggle Blanket can be found here.
Next thing I am going to do, is use my left over strips to sew up some matching scrunchies and ear warmer headbands! Did you know you can find a free pattern for those on the Ellie and Mac Website as well?!
Here’s a list of all the free patterns that Ellie and Mac offer:
What are you waiting for, go check out those free patterns and get started on those Christmas gifts!
I wish all of you some happy sewing and the loveliest holidays!
(Written by: Deborah Ingelrelst)
