not just knitting going on

 I'm not going to mention the number of days remaining before Christmas. Suffice to say, it's coming sooner than expected. On top of that, my MIL's birthday is mid November. (There's a couple of other family birthdays, but we just do cards and lottery tickets for siblings). Every year, my MIL takes advantage of the timing of her birthday, and requests things that make Christmas easier. From me, that means Christmas cards. My MIL is someone who still sends out dozens of Christmas cards, each with a hand written note. She complains about it every year, starting in November, and I just shake my head, and ask why she odes it if she hates it so much. She just gives me the look that says regardless of how she feels about it, she will do it every year, because that's what you do. (She's very proper, and is all about convention). So, for her birthday, I always make her a few dozen Christmas cards.

While card making, I also started on some Christmas gifts - some family members request them. My MIL gets a number of Sympathy, Thinking of You, Thank You and Birthday cards. (I used to make Get Well Soon cards, but she asked me to substitute Thinking of You - "At our age, we aren't really getting better..." is what she said).

Then there was a selection of birthday cards as well. One of my SILs really loves getting these for Christmas.

 To add to my MIL's birthday gift this year, I decided to sew up some gift bags. (Actually, I decided to do it when I found a container with a bunch of these already done, half done and cut out, ready to be finished)

 Some are embellished with lace and ribbons, and some depend on Christmas based fabric.

 I also had some red and gold satin ready to sew up (only red ones shown here). They really show the composition of the bags - so simple. Straight side seams, then I corner the bottoms to give it a more 3 dimensional feel. (By cornering, what I do is on the inside at the bottom of the side seams, I sew across the corner to fashion a squared off bottom. Sorry, I'm not really describing this well - it's early, and I'm on my first cup of coffee).
You can see it here

 I also catch the ties in one of the side seams if I don't want to make a casing across the top - this allows for a really decorative type of tie.
When the bag is filled, the cornered bottoms help it sit flat, and the ties give it a luxurious look.

My MIL really hates wrapping gifts, so this should help a bit. My one worry is that she won't want to use them and give them away (She's like that). I'll have to tell her that she can use them for family, and we all promise to give them back to her for next year...

There is still knitting going on as well, I promise!