Ugly Christmas Sweatshirt Project Expands

Companion Creations  (2 of 2)

Ordinarily, as Christmas approaches I begin to prioritize my "to do" list in an attempt to simplify life and maintain my equilibrium. Adding a last minute project would be vetoed immediately. But 2020 is not an ordinary year. 

With the family unit all together, no holiday gatherings or festivities to fill the calendar, and one sweatshirt well under way, it was inevitable that a second "ugly Christmas" sweatshirt would follow. Another imaginative family member did a quick sketch which became a reality. 

  

We made a few adjustments to this sketch. The squirrel was placed on the ground, silhouetted against the white of the snowman to show off his furry tail and make more space for the scarf. We also flipped this design so the two snowmen would face each other if/when they are worn side-by-side.  

These two snowmen are a reflection of the personalities that envisioned them. I imagine they may be modified or embellished in future holiday seasons. Perhaps it will become a tradition to add a little something each year. Or maybe we've just added a new tradition of creating a Christmas project together. At our house, it only takes one enjoyable experience with an activity to make it worthy of including it in the tapestry of our family traditions. 

Just a quick tip for sewing contours: pay special attention to the order in which each section is sewn with a zigzag stitch. Begin with the outlines of the objects in the background or behind other shapes, then tackle the contours that overlap those spaces.

 

This will ensure that the outlines of the shapes at the forefront are continuous, unbroken at the points where two lines meet.