Saturday Sewing in November and homemade Christmas gifts

Jennifer has challenged her blog readers (which include the Second Saturday Sewers) to make as many homemade/handmade Christmas gifts as we can/want to.  I'd been thinking about what I could make for awhile.  Remember the crocheted blankets I made the kids last Christmas?  They are still favorites.  

But besides my immediate family, we don't really give gifts.  Our extended family (parents, siblings and their families) get homemade goodies.  And that's a great tradition I want to continue.  So this year I decided that instead of the store bought paper throwaway gift bags we gave last year, this year I could SEW reusable gift bags.  This way the recipient can use them again and again for whatever they want long after the treats have been eaten.  Working on those bags was my project this month.  And as usual, it's my most productive sewing day of the month BY FAR.

Jennifer made chili.  (and it was great)
She also made a rice bag as one of her homemade gifts.

Mandy completed a match box cars car carrier as one of her gifts.
WOW.  I love and wish I already had one for Son.  He definitely loves his cars.

Marie completed a reversible tote for a birthday gift.
And I'm modeling one of the reversible totes I made that will be filled with Christmas treats galore.

I also decided that besides the 6 totes I'm making for goodie bags, I'm also making two each for the kids.  They have LOTS of plastic food and love playing lots of games with it.  But have never played grocery store anywhere but McWane.  I asked her about it and Daughter said it's because they don't have a cart, grocery bags or a cash register.  Well, I'm making the bags, My mom found these great metal shopping carts that she's giving the kids ... and the jury is still out on the register.

This makes my total of homemade gifts this year: 10 reversible totes, lots of treats and something I have in mind for Husband.  Due to a car wreck last week and the deductible that has to be paid, I've had to abandon my original idea for his gift. But I have something homemade in mind that I think he'll love.