The girls went from target shooting with daddy earlier in the week to Sewing Club with mommy at the end of it.

We're going for well-rounded at our house.

The girls helped finish up the craft sale projects and made some ornaments to decorate the library's Christmas tree.

L. also learned how to use a Knifty Knitter with one of the sewing club's adult volunteers and has been busy making hats ... for her cats.

Sort of gives a whole new meaning to Dr. Seuss' tale for us.

I've also been sewing this week since I told the girls last year that I would make them Mrs. Claus capes for their various Christmas activities this month (with no such luck they would have forgotten that offer!).

Last year a friend let them borrow costume capes for the Portland Ice Arena's Christmas party and both girls loved the whole idea of them.

2006 photo from the skating party

But when it came time to make the capes, both girls wanted fleece and white fur instead of felt material. Felt would have been much easier to manage but I saw their point when they said the fleece capes would keep them warmer while ice skating and Christmas caroling as well as posing for our annual Christmas card picture (which will hopefully not involve locking Toddy the blind cat - and the keys - in the car again).

So I picked up some red fleece at JoAnn Fabrics $2.79/yard sale last weekend and some white fur fleece and got to work modifying a pattern I already had to make the capes.

Working with fleece fur is a real drag because it's really, really MESSY!

It sheds everywhere before even cutting it. I'm sure we'll be cleaning up the stray lint from this material for weeks to come.

But once the edges were folded over and sewn (which jammed up the machine multiple times), it stopped shedding so it does have some redeeming qualities afterall.

The girls said they thought the clean up hassle was worth it (I did have to agree their idea worked out in the end) and are ready for their various Christmas holiday activities this month.