Hey Everyone!  It's that time of the year again---time to start coming up with some quick and easy gifts for folks on our list.   I try to make the most of every single minute I have in the sewing room because I just don't get as much time in there as I want.  But I do want to give special, personal gifts to special people in my life.  I am quite sure that many of you can relate.

So here's a way to spend just two hours in your sewing room and have several gifts lined up for all those holiday parties you'll be attending.  With these hostess gifts in hand, you'll be ready to arrive in style at all the get togethers.  Make them up now so you can be ready to go at a moment's notice!

Now in the interest of full disclosure, I got this idea from my local Bernina dealer.  They had a sample hanging in their store that used the naughty/nice idea and I told them I was going to "steal" the idea for the season.  So these cute and clever cocktail napkins are inspired by those I saw hanging in the store.

These cute and clever guest towels and cocktail napkin sets are really fast to stitch up, so you can get lots of them done in a short period of time.  First you'll need to purchase the blanks here at www.annthegran.com.  They are called Funky Christmas Dot Guest Towels and Cocktail Napkins.  Too cute!

I used the Murphy design font for the cocktail napkins.  It's one of my favorites and I use it over and over again.  You can purchase that here at www.annthegran.com.  The font I used on the guest towels is one I found built into my Bernina Embroidery Software--called Craft.  It's becoming one of my favorites too.  Now I am a firm believer in printing paper templates of your designs so you can really achieve proper placement on your items (see photo below).  Temporary adhesive spray is a staple accessory in my sewing room.  I use it to stick the blanks down onto the hooped stablizer and I spritz a little on the back of my design templates.  I'd be lost without it!

Stitch away--you'll find you can get quite a few done in a small period of time.  I typically split a dozen cocktail napkins into two gifts---6 in each gift bag.  I pick up the gift bags from the section in the craft stores that have the cello plastic wrap made for baskets.  They almost always have some gift bags right there on the shelf.  Add a bow and you have a really pretty presentation.

The guest towels are really fun to hang in a powder room for guests to chuckle at when they go to dry their hands.  Which one will they use???  Cocktail napkins make a nice conversation starter over a glass of wine.  You'll be a hit when you bring either to the party!

Hope this helps you mark a few gifts off your list and Happy Holidays!

Susan

More embroidery blank products can be found here.