One present

Guess it's OK to show you this one, since it has already gone to its recipient and even been opened.  Sorry for the slightly fuzzy pic - one quick snap was all that I could manage before having to get this present into its box.
To-night we had the Christmas party for the sewing store.  It really didn't take me long to come up with the idea of what to make for the present exchange.  A table full of women who all sew.  This pin cushion comes courtesy of DIY Dish, via Connie of Couturesmith.  Back in November there was a Pattern Review party at Connie's house.  (Sorry, I didn't tell you about that event!)  Connie had all sorts of interesting things planned to entertain us, as if getting together with a lot of sewers isn't entertainment enough.  One was sewing these pin cushion mannequins.  I didn't make one at the party, but I did take home a pattern that Connie had so thoughtfully printed out for each of us.  I also looked up the site where this came from - oh no - yet another source for all sorts of interesting things to make!  So now I have made my pin cushion with a few slight alterations and it has gone to live at the home of a coworker.   My fabric is an eyelet linen which I interfaced with fusible, mainly to keep the stuffing from peeping through the little holes.  Instead of a little ball ornament at the to, I finished mine of with, of all things, a little plastic top/lid thingy from a covered button kit.  It was the perfect size to fit into the neck hole, covered with a bit of the fabric.  I also added the lace and ribbon, because I needed to hide the neck - mine came out a little wrinkly - the mannequin's, that is, not the neck that my head sits on.  I also added the cord at the base just to neaten the whole transition to the candlestick base.  I do think that my sewing room could use one of these, too.  But first - there are other presents to finish, as well as garments to sew and show.  (Like the top that I wore to the party to-night - hemming finished just in the nick of time before getting ready to go.  Pictures soon.)