Some nifty thrifty stuff to share!

The YouCanMakeThis.com "Thrifty Under Fifty Challenge" is in full swing, and my team is off to a great start!!! We are organized, motivated, and ready to sew - WOO-HOO! Two of my team-mates have already made significant progress towards their goals. I'm very pleased to introduce you to them and show off their fantastic creations!

First off, meet Wondermommy, a mama of two and bona fide supercrafter. This gal does it all - crochet, sewing, painting, baking...you name it! She doesn't just stand around and show off her crafting muscles, either. She shares her patterns, tutorials, sew-alongs, and links to other amazing resources. She made her first half-dozen gifts from a free pattern by Wee Wonderfuls.

These sweet little "Wees" remind me so much of Russian matryoskha dolls. I love the use of fabric in these babies! What a feast of colors and designs! And guess what??? She didn't spend a single dime on this project! In fact, she has joined forces with a few other team-mates (myself included - eeeek) in the superhuman challenge of making ALL of her gifts from existing stash! These babies are proof positive that Wondermommy has the power to minimize consumption and maximize creativity. To see additional pictures and learn more about her projects, tune into The Adventures of Wondermommy.

Next, meet another superhuman seamstress over at Dragonfly Flittings. Talk about energetic! She has FOUR little ones, and has already made great progress towards her holiday gift-making goals. She is another jack-of-all trades, is wise beyond her 26 years in the craft category. She knocked out 10 of these soothing presents in no time flat!

Vist her blog to learn more about these great hot-packs, cold-packs, and eye pillows. She gives a detailed breakdown of supplies and price. The ingredients are natural and yummy, making this the perfect gift for the granolas (like moi) on your list! And can you believe she is making 16 presents for under $2??? AMAZING!

And I squealed out loud when I saw this creation on her blog:

She made this awesome hoodie for her son Cameron. You aren't going to believe where the materials came from, either. The solid fabrics are cut from T-shirts (two were outgrown, one was free). How is that for repurposing? The adorable dinosaur fabric (which looks an uber-expensive import) was a deep-discount score from a local fabric shop. So for just a few bucks, she made her son an amazing one-of-a-kind garment that is going to be so special to him. Are you wondering what pattern she used? Come on, you must be :) ! I am beyond proud to tell you that she used MY pattern "All the Rage Raglans" - YAY! This eBook contains patterns and instructions for making raglans in sizes 6m-10/12 years. It includes info on working with knits, reconstructing old T's, and adding hoods. I am so thrilled to see what this talented little bug made from those instructions (though the pocket and sleeve stripes are totally her own creativity at work)!!!

So what did I accomplish this week? Err...Not much. I've been in serious cleaning mode, but I did get some things cut out and embroidered. These ladies and the rest of my team have me so inspired - I can't to get back into the sewing groove!