I’ve been doing a pretty good job of keeping on top of my “To Make” list for Handmade Christmas this year. As previously mentioned, I’ve managed to knock out most of the really big items (phew!) and have been working on the ones that take a lot less time and effort for me (read: anything that requires a sewing machine).

Of course, that meant it was the perfect time to halt all of the projects currently in progress and focus on something that was completely not-Christmas.

Because, naturally.

I follow a number of sewing blogs (so many sewing blogs! With folks who make so many different types of things!). One of those bloggers also releases her own patterns. I’ve been focusing most of my sewing time on patterns from independent designers (well, for my own personal sewing. For Robert’s stuff, it’s a mix of Thread Theory – an independent company – and Vogue), as I’ve noticed they tend to allow for a wider diversity of body types and sizes.

[For instance, I am in LOVE with Cashmerette patterns, because all of them naturally come with different pattern pieces depending on your cup size…meaning my shirt dresses actually FIT!]

About…oh, I want to say two months ago, one of the designers I follow put out a call for new pattern testers. I signed up and have been waiting for news, and about three weeks ago, I got my first patterns to test.

I can’t tell you about them yet. We’re only allowed to give very vague peeks. Nothing that will give anything away. So I’m afraid this is all you’re going to get for a while.

But I was very excited to test out one of the patterns in particular, and have already planned a couple more tweaks to the test pattern piece I have. They are both incredibly fast projects. So fast that it actually took me longer to print out and assemble the PDF patterns than it took me to sew them up. The fact that I printed the pattern out incorrectly (and didn’t realize it until I had assembled them all) is immaterial.

With the tests completed, I’m back on track for Handmade Christmas. I’ve got six projects with a hard-finish due date of December 25th, and then seven which can be finished the week after (the benefit of family coming to town after Christmas). I’m feeling good about the timeline…which means, of course, that something is going to happen between now and then…but we’ll worry about that when we come to it.

I’ve also given myself a little carrot, to encourage finishing early, rather than the 11th hour on Christmas. I stopped by FPB the other day to get some supplies for the last lap of makes and wound up finding some absolutely delightful fabric in the sale section. I didn’t go in with the intention of getting fabric for myself, but it was way too good to pass up. I know exactly what I want to make with it – a Cashmerette Lenox shirtdress (yes, another one) – with a fun holiday vibe. If I can manage to get everything else done by this Friday, I should have time to knock out a new Christmas dress for myself. And it will be hilarious.

No peeks, in case I don’t make it. For now…onwards, good friends! To Christmas!