I’m really huge on tradition. I absolutely love it and I have to admit … I’m a bit of a child when it doesn’t happen. For 30 years of my life I always did the same thing on Christmas morning … except once that I can remember because of the stomach flu. So, when they decided three years ago that we wouldn’t uphold that tradition anymore since so many of us were grown up and had other places to be … I was devestated. I pouted the first year on Christmas day … it just wasn’t the same. I tried to get my act together for the second year for my kiddo’s but it still wasn’t just it yet. And then this year I was determined to not think about the old traditions and figure out some new traditions.
First … my sister-in-law was here for the first time since Cedi was born on Christmas morning. T he girls were so surprised when she walked down the stairs Christmas morning! Santa had brought their aunt home! Later when we asked what there favorite Christmas surprise was it was a unanimous response … “Aunt Karma!”
We proceeded to play games and my parents came to visit. Capri and I decided to sneak away and work on a little Christmas sewing project.
We were going to make the ‘Card Table Playhouse’ from Sue Marsh’s book – Doodlebug Day Camp. This was going to be our winter break project but I’ll be honest … I have a lot to do over break. I needed to either do this now or it wasn’t going to happen. So … we snuck away at Christmas and got started!
Capri picked out all the fabrics for the project and sewed together all of the roof shingles. Before I knew it – she was chain piecing … she figured it out by watching me! So cool to see how quick kids can pick things up!
I gave Capri pretty much free range of my fabric stash for this project. I have to admit that I did swap out one of my Tula Pink ‘True Color’ pink fabrics that she picked out for an older Riley Blake ombre that I’ve already used in a bunch of projects. I just couldn’t use that Tula just yet!
Of course I hadn’t quite planned it all out yet and there are parts of this pattern that need some fusible fleece and some fusible webbing. Luckily – I’m a designer for thermoweb and I just happened to have some things in my stash.
I used the ‘Stitch n Sew’ Sew in Fleece for the playhouse. Since it wasn’t fusible I did a little bit of quilting in wavy lines with my walking foot just to secure everything down. The Heat N Bond Fleece Fusible High Loft would have also worked great and wouldn’t have needed the quilting.
For the place that called for interfacing I used this Heat N Bond Fusible Interfacing. I know it says ‘for dresses and blouses’ but I didn’t have any other interfacing on hand. I have to say – it worked great and I would use it again for this project.
By the time we left for our Christmas celebration that night we had this much done … plus all the shingles stitched!
When we got home Capri went to bed adn I just sewed all the main pieces together.
In the morning she helped me place the velcro strips, pin them on and do all the final sewing/trimming of the playhouse.
Before we knew it – our playhouse was done and Capri was testing it out!
I’m not sure which is my favorite fabric on this playhouse … but I do love the gnome border fabric we used for the door!
On the inside for the lining I used some Very Hungry Caterpillar fabrics, book shelf fabric (every fort needs a library) and some huge floral print fabric. Not only is it fun looking on the outside but it’s super fun on the inside too!
Capri is already on the lookout for a project we can sew next Christmas! I have a feeling this is going to be the start of a very awesome Christmas tradition!
I Konw what you mean about traditions. When my sister got married 3 years ago our christmas eve tradition of dinner at my house then church and early morning presents at mom and dads changed. They even changed what we ate-roast instead of turkey. Still miss my turkey. I know cook just for my parents, and we put off presents until almost noon (IT KILLS ME) But this year Dad and I went to his workshop and did a quick little project. It was fun! Love your fabric choices on the fort! Ive always been a big fort lover. My favorite were staking the corners of an old sheet thrown over moms clothes line!
Our families Christmas Traditions have changed so much, that the only thing we still do are homemade caramel rolls at 11:00 and dinner around 5 or 6. These weren't changes we wanted to make, but were forced to make, not because of marriages or anything else, but because my other, unwed son, doesn't seem to want to spend time with the rest of us. He came home Christmas Day long enough to eat a caramel roll and open gifts(the only reason he came), and for a hour for supper. My disabled son doesn't understand, and frankly, neither do we. I guess we will come up with new traditions, but really all I asked for was for my son to spend from 11:00 to 6:00 with us. My husband and I are both disabled now, and I'm worried that when we can't do anything, is my disabled son going to be alone for all of his holidays. Sorry for the rant, but I don't know what to do. We did find out a week ago that my husband's family is getting together January 16th, but my family hasn't called about any dates or whether or not we're having any get together at all. I had surgery yesterday, might as well as my lovely son hasn't even inquired how it went, or come over. Oh well, rant done. Sorry. cdahlgren at live dot com