A Zombie-Thrones Christmas

One of my favorite parts of sewing my own clothing is being able to combine fabric and pattern in ways you wouldn't necessarily expect. I'm a child of the 80s, and kids clothing these days is far too gendered for my tastes - who decided boys get puppies and girls get kittens? And more importantly, what's a clan of zombie lovers to do when they birth only (or at least, mostly) daughters?

My husband's whole family is full of zombie fanatics. And when I saw this print, I knew it was perfect for any daughters-in-law my brothers-in-law might produce. Unfortunately it was a little bit big to be used on a baby, so into "deep stash" it went. But this past year my two youngest nieces just turned 2 and 4, and this year we were going to see them for Christmas.

For the youngest (who, fortunately, has grown like WHOA over her first 2 years and now fits a size 4), I made one of my go-tos, the Haven's Hoodie. It's fast, it's efficient, and it works great with panels. I couldn't just do her, though! Her older sister carries the nickname "Princess," and when I bought this panel, Danerys Targen from the Game of Thrones series was beloved by all.

Of course, after the GoT Finale... less so, but my niece can definitely have an obstinate streak some days, so perhaps the shirt can help signify the days when she's a little *too* hell-bent on having her way.

The shirt and dress were delivered in Christmas 2019, and both my nieces and their parents had happy faces after the presentation; after all, it's not everyday you get a Zombie Dress and a Game of Thrones shirt for your kids!

A Doggone Train of Christmas Gifts

Before I sewed, it was always hard to shop for my youngest brother A, whose tastes have remained VERY consistent for the past 30 years; over time, he's accumulated just about everything he could want! But of course these days, I know I can always plan on a handmade gift. In previous years, I've made him a  Gone to the Dogs Raglan and a Gone to the Dogs T-Shirt. This year, my stash was piled a little high, so he got *two* goodies from me.

The first was a Dalmatian-themed raglan, since 101 Dalmatians (the live action version) is his favorite movie. For the second, I drew inspiration from the Mickey Train Button-Up shirt I'd made for my Dad. My brother isn't really a woven fabric kind of guy, but fortunately I was able to get my hands on a yard of the same print in knit.

So, why let my husband and my son have all the fun? Here's my Brother on Christmas day opening up his Dalmatian Shirt:

And here he is opening his train shirt.

Look at that grin! Here he is later that day, rocking his new father/son set with my Dad!

It's a family full of handsome men, and well-dressed too!