Snowman Bottle Covers with Tute!

I know it's a bit late for the holidays, but I wanted to post these Snowman Bottle Covers I made a few years ago for gifts. They were a big success (or maybe it was the wine and alcohol that was in them. Hehe.)







I sewed them out of towels using elastic to gather the sections. The bottom is open to slip the bottle in while the top is open to pour your drink. I put hats on their heads to hide the top when not in use. I used chenille stem for the nose and arms and black beads for the coal mouth. eyes, and buttons. Some of the ones I gave out had rosey cheeks, but I didn't keep any of those.

NOTE: Please read everything through before starting. I didn't make a pattern for this when I made them. But, upon requests, I have attempted one here. Please try it and tell me if it works out for you.

To make body:

My attempt to recreate the shape of the pattern.

1. Cut a cone shape with a hole big enough for the bottle neck and base out of a white bath/hand towel. Make it a little taller than the bottle. Wrap it loosely around the bottle to see that it will fit right
2. Trace a second out of a liner fabric. Cut out and set it aside.
3. Eyeball the placement for the elastic. Divide the towel fabric into thirds drawing lines on the wrong side. Sew two thin elastic bands along the lines while stretching as you sew.
4. Baste & gather the bottom edges of both the towel and liner fabrics right sides together. Sew over the basting the set gathers in place.
5. Unfold and sew the two pieces into one long continuous tube/cone thingy rightsides together along the side seam.
6. Fold the liner into the inside at the middle (actually the bottom) seam and stuff between the layers shaping at each section. It stays in place pretty well without sewing the sections.
7. Roll the towel fabric into a casing at the top edge with the liner fabric tucked into the roll and sew the casing down. Leave an opening about 1-1.5". Fish another piece of elastic through the casing. Tighten 'til it gathers and tie elastic in a knot. Sew up the opening in the casing. Try it out on your bottle.

Decorate

• Nose - I made a tapering coil out of orange chenille stem for the nose. Glue to body with fabric glue.
• Arms - Cut 2 piece of chenille in half and cut 1 of the halves in half again. You should have 6 pieces. Make a little loop on one end of each of the 2 long pieces of chenille. THis is what you will attach to the body. Twist the shorter pieces around the long longs at the opposite ends for fingers. Glue to body with fabric glue.
• Mouth, Eyes, Buttons - I used about 9-10 cheap plastic beveled beads for the mouth (4-5), eyes (2), and buttons (3). I glued the chenille to the towel fabric with fabric glue and sewed the beads on. Glue or sew the beads to the body.
• Rosey Cheeks - I used a little blush/rouge on the cheeks (not pictured).
• Scarf & Hat - Both are made out of polar fleece. The hat has a homemade pom pom mage of white yarn.

Geezer the House Elf Poppet

If you saw my blog post for the cornish pixie, you will kinda recognize this pattern. We got it from the Poppet-Along on Craftster.org. It is a really great pattern that is very easy to follow. Anyway, we tried our hands at a House Elf after my partner in the Harry Potter Holiday Swap (Gallery) made me one out of the same pattern. Hers is sooo cute that my niece flipped and wanted one. So, mom told her mother we would give it a try. After waiting what seemed like an eternity for the eyes, our first house elf is finally finished.

So without further ado...***drum roll***...

GEEZER, the House Elf!!!



At his favorite past time, jumping on the bed!


He has dishonored his family and is now banging his head on the wardrobe.



We used polar fleece fabric and a handkerchief for the tea towel.

We haven't finished the wings for the pixies, yet. Should be done, soon. Then, there are more pixies and another house elf planned for the near future.