More homemade goodness

Tonight I'm highlighting a few other projects I've worked on this Holiday season. First up, Brad had asked me forever ago to make a cover for our hot water bottle/heating pad. The plastic casing can get pretty hot against your skin without some cloth as a buffer. It's something I've been meaning to do forever, and I finally got around to it as part of his Christmas gift!

New hot water bottle cover

I went with a very soft chenille fabric and stretch stitching (not my favorite stitching technique). I also added a velcro strip to the back to keep the cover secure on the bottle. I think it turned out pretty well, and Brad seems pleased. Hopefully this one won't get too destroyed so I won't have to make any more!
Next up, I've had the idea for a while to make some cute flower headbands. The basic idea was in a few sewing books I had been reading, and the peony template I found online. The concept of the headband came together pretty quickly, and I'll admit, this project was super easy. It's a bit time-intensive scissors-wise, but once the pieces are cut, all you need is a bit of tacky glue and a needle and thread. Knowing how to make french knots helps as well. :-)

Peony headband

Hurray for giving homemade gifts!