Christmas Tradition

Get your sewing machines ready friends, it's time to sew for Christmas Eve.  It is a common Christmas tradition to give and receive new pajamas on Christmas Eve.  This is something that my family has done since...forever. And I have always loved it.  But I discovered and new twist that makes it much more fun for me.  I make each member of my immediate family a new pillow case each year. Each one gets two different fabrics, one for the front side and one for the back side...they are interchangeable so you can choose which ever suits your fancy that day.  One that is pretty and can go with any bedding situation.  And one that is unique to their likes that year.

I will show you the beginnings of my Oldest and Youngest's Christmas Eve pillow cases.  They will soon be bedazzled...that's bedazzled Sister of mine...NOT vagazzled.  Let's just be clear...

They both have this fabric for one side.  It's pretty and modern and girly.

My Oldest's.  She has a thing for wolves...who can blame her.  She loves to play like she's a wolf and that we're a pack of wolves who are secretly living amongst the humans.  We have to be top secret and not let the humans know we are actually wolves....they can't know we really live in a cave and like to eat small furry creatures.  Now technically these are foxes.  I made this side out of Lizzy House's Outfoxed fabric line. 

See, they're pretty wolfish.  Plus they have cute Hedgies.

My Youngest's.  She has a thing for pink.  As long as it's pink it's her style.  This is Hoos in the Forest by Doohikey Designs.  It's got adorable creatures...deers, skunks, owls, hedgies as well as cute blue trees.

See, how cute are they!!!
Here's the awesome thing about this pillow case pattern...

They have pockets built in to hide the ugliness of a bare pillow!  They are deluxe!  Of course if you're Mr. Because I Can, then you disregard the pocket and just let your pillow hang out like a ruffian.  But, if you're me and my daughters, you definitely use the pocket.  Embrace the pocket, it will redefine your pillow case existence!

Please, if you want to make these adorable pillow cases, refer this website and tutorial as it is awesome!  Besides the awesome pocket, they are also edged in cute crochet.  I haven't crocheted their edges yet...obviously.  But here's an idea of what it will look like when I do...

Now, this is a cautionary tale....as you can see the birds on this pillow case are not facing up and down...they are sideways.  I followed the directions completely on the above tutorial...the only problem is, it doesn't take into account if your fabric needs to face a certain direction.  If this is the case, please cut accordingly....as you will see I have made a couple of these pillow cases...which brings me to an important point...PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!

There are flowers on the top of those vines and cute little bugs that only go one direction.  Sigh.  But on a positive note...

The pocket on this one is darn cute!

The most egregious case of all...These kicking Kung Fu fighters.  Oh well.  Live and learn.  It's all good.

Be aware that you will need to use one of things thingamajigs...if you've ever wondered what they are and why you got them in a sewing kit...it's for hemming.  At least that what I use it for...maybe it has additional uses...but besides measuring...duh...and hemming I am not sure what.

These pillow cases are a pretty painless process and they are so cute and you can go crazy personalizing them.  So I say think a little bit ahead and make them for your families!  It's a fun family tradition.