Would you believe there has been a little sewing going on in our home? For years, I’ve admired the work of everyone in blogland who makes beautiful and crafty clothing, toys, garlands — just fun handmade stuff. I firmly believed that I was a Non-Sewer. First, I don’t know how to use a sewing machine (and don’t have one anyway, unless you count the Singer Slant-o-Matic in my garage that has been hanging out on Craigslist for weeks without anyone asking her out. Interested? I’ll totally set you up.)

Anyway, I never really thought I could sew ANYTHING, and it always made me a little sad. But then, I saw these felt ornaments on my friend Carrie’s blog, and thought – hey, I can buy felt. I can probably thread a needle. And I bet I can figure out how to sew an X. So I went to Michaels, got felt, embroidery thread and some needles. THEN, I got inspired again by these sweater trees I saw on Pinterest. Off I went to the thrift store and bought a handful of XL t-shirts with pretty colors and patterns.

I figured Christmas tree cones are  a lot like unicorn horns, so I found a left-over party hat and used it as a template to cut the t-shirt fabric. I threaded the needle, and pushed it in and out of the fabric. And guess what? I was sewing. Then I had my kids pick t-shirt fabric and colored embroidery thread, threaded needles for them, and let them go to town sewing their own trees — however they wanted. I explained we were striving for imperfection — giving our trees character.

We stuffed them with polyfill, cut out and sewed a circle of t-shirt fabric on the bottom, and made tiny stuffed stars to glue on top. I just love our little Christmas tree family on the mantle, and the kids are so pleased that they made them themselves.

I also have to share a close-up of my daughter’s stocking:

Any suggestions for treats Santa can leave in there (under the ballerina’s skirt)?