Quilter's World: Poinsettia Centrepiece

 Sometimes life circles back on itself...

When I started designing quilts professionally, my first submission (back in...cough...1989) was to Quick & Easy Quilting magazine. The pattern was for a set of placemats using Seminole piecing.  Then editor Sandra Hatch accepted the design for publication and contacted me again to ask would I be interested in doing a regular column on that technique? Writing that column (pre-internet, and on my typewriter with hand-drawn piecing diagrams) spanned the next 12 years, and was a wonderful, wonderful learning experience. Eventually, three sister publications merged into a new and revised format, called Quilter's World. One of my designs appeared in the very first issue of Quilter's World, and made the cover for the second issue of the magazine, in Feb 2003.  

I went on to design for Quilter's World for a couple of years (issues shown below) ...leaving only to work on my first book.  And then my second.  And so on, and so on.  

Over Christmas last year, deciding that some of my Christmas linens needed updating, I sketched out a design for a somewhat modern table centrepiece.  It may not be a traditional representation of a poinsettia, but to my eye it's like looking down into the centre of one, with red leaves and a touch of green swirling around.

I knew those reds needed to be vibrant Island Batik, and they graciously sent me lots of these beauties to work with. Thank you, Island Batik. ♥♥♥ These are all from their Basics and Foundations, which are always available. 

With foundation piecing, it went together quickly.

"Birthing" the centrepiece  means there is no binding to deal with, making the finishing super quick.

They are quilted simply, with a leaf outline and pebbling in the centre.

The size makes it usable as a table centrepiece...

...or as placemats. As you can see, I've made several of these now, and they take no time!

I am delighted that Quilter's World still welcomes my designs, and have showcased this one in a newly released special edition called "Merry Quilted Christmas".  

The issue is filled with lots of full sized quilts, as well as smaller gifty projects you can work up in time for the holidays. The magazine is on newstands now (locally I've seen it at Pharmasave and Walmart) or you can purchase it online from Annie's.

Christmas In July

Five months from today is The Big Day and many quilters are starting their holiday projects now.  If you are one of those organized souls, here are a selection of designs which may inspire you. Above, is The Beauty Of Christmas which can be used on the wall, the table, or under the tree.  You can find that pattern here.

Placemats are a popular gift;  the free instructions for making these are here on my blog.

 Woodland Tree Skirt makes a pretty addition to your Christmas decor.

The pattern may be downloaded by following this link.

A Christmas quilt is so pretty and this one is great to use up leftover bits and bobs of fabrics. It is aptly named "Gift Scrapped". 

The pattern includes directions for a runner...

and placemats. You can download the pattern for "Gift Scrapped" here.

  This Simply Santa© Tablerunner is the epitome of quick and  easy.

 You can download the pattern here:

 Don't forget the matching Santa Sacks to hold your special gifts.

 Santa Baby ornaments were a huge hit last year!  Find the free directions on my blog here.

Of course you need special boxes to wrap everything in as well.  The free instructions are here.

More gift bags:

These are reusable and last for many years. The patterns are on my website in a printed version or available as a download.

Hopefully this will give you lots of motivation to get started.  Only 5 months to go!

Simply Santa

It's almost November, so like you I am thinking ahead to Christmas and looking for ideas for quickly stitched gifts.  I had fun coming up with this really, really simple table runner.  It doesn't take much fabric and the piecing is minimal.  The bold, graphic design lends a touch of modern to a traditional motif.

Because of the clever construction  method used (similar to a roll-up pillow case) it is completely machine sewn - no binding, no raw edges - everything is enclosed, turned inside out and you're done!

It was so quick to stitch that yesterday afternoon I had time to work out the measurements, write the instructions and make two runners.  Once you get the hang of it, each should take no more than an hour (the second one took 30 minutes, start to finish).

This "Santastic" pattern is available as an instant download. Have fun!

Where The Needle Takes You

The hard part:  not the quilting, but deciding what to quilt...  I hauled the pieced top around with me for two days hoping for inspiration to hit.  It didn't.

Sometimes the best option is to just put it under the machine and see where the needle takes you.

Fun!

A Little Christmas Nonsense

I've been goofing off...making fudge, going shopping, cutting holly...  Over the weekend after the bees were wrapped for the winter, I decided it was time to get a Care Package ready for my youngest at university. Exams start next week and he and his 4 room mates are up late hitting the books.  I figured they could use a little nonsense. Gathering my box of Christmas prints I sketched out a stocking shape, a little on the stubby side so that large hands could reach down inside.

 It was fun to mix and match the prints for the contrasting cuff.

Because these are not intended as heirlooms, stitching the names on free motion was a quick and easy way to go.  I had the 5 stockings done is less than an hour.

Stuffing them was so much fun:  packets of hot chocolate, Christmas Eve tea, peppermint kisses, caramels, boxes of raisins, fruit snacks, bags of Santa jujubes, chocolate coins, and of course a candy cane.

The stockings nestled in snugly with some other Christmas goodies and were couriered out this morning.  It was a fun surprise on the other end when it arrived this afternoon, and the boys loved having their names stitched on the socks.

We never grow too old for such nonsense.

Gift Scrapped - The Printed Version

Last year I designed this fun Christmas quilt and offered it via download through Craftsy.  I've since heard from many who would prefer a printed version.  So, here once again is Gift Scrapped, this time in a more traditional format.  You can read my original post on the quilt here. 

The pattern, which includes directions for a lap quilt, table runner and placemats, is available for purchase through my website, or locally at Mrs. Pugsley's Emporium.  And if you are more of a digital devoteé, it's still available on Craftsy as well!

Do You Sew Christmas in July?

I don't, but based on the number of "hits" this pattern has received over the past week I'd say a lot of folks do.  This is Gift Scrapped For Christmas, a pattern I developed to use up my collection of little bits and pieces of Christmas prints.  It's a great scrap-buster, and there's no cutting of small squares (just strips) and no matching of seams. Assembly goes very quickly.

There are several sizes of projects included in the pattern, you can make it as big or small as you like just by adding more squares.  Directions are given for placemats...

 ...and table runners.

You could even make a mug mat.

The pattern is available for $7.00 as an instant download through Craftsy.  You can find a full description http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/home-decor/gift-scrapped-for-christmas/38933

Hit Or Miss

It's been a mixed up month of Sundays.  Last week, the dedication of the New Year's antependium was postponed because of a snow storm.  The plan was to do it this Sunday along with the one for Epiphany.  Because of another forecast of pending snow and an early morning sky that looked like this, we hit the road early to deliver youngest back to university.  

You have to respect the wisdom that quipped, "red sky in the morning sailors take warning."  I have to add that when I think of this line, I also recall when we taught eldest son the corollary of "red sky at night, sailors delight."  He watched and waited for his first time to say it and excitedly came out with, "Red sky at night, pizza delight!" (For those unfamiliar, Pizza Delight is a local restaurant chain!) Thankfully yesterday we managed to return home without incident in the first of the snow...but missed the dedication service. 

Here's the one for New Year's, which was a difficult assignment.  I ended up stitching this one three times before I was happy with the results.  All the colours of the liturgical year are included - red, purple, green and white - with white predominant as that is the current season.  The central motif is a blended cross/star, merging the two main symbols of the Christian year.  The antependium is pieced of silk habatai and, although you cannot see it well, is quilted in a "palm tree" fireworks shape in the white centre circle.

The Magi for Epiphany was a fun, colourful piece.  I decided to let the kings fill the width of the space in an almost comic book/caricature look.  My post last week which was entitled "Magi-cal Mystery Tour" was tongue-in-cheek because they remind me of the Yellow Submarine figures.  It was fun to glitz the wise men up a bit, but in an exaggerated way;  there really is no point in fine detail as you want it all to be seen from the back of the church.  The king on the left has a pin tucked top on his crown and silver drageés stitched on his gift.  I was stumped finding a feather for the turban of the central king.  I visited both craft and sewing supply stores to no avail;  no one had packaged feathers.  Finally a store in Truro told me the only feathers they had were in 8 foot long boas.  That's a lot of feathers when you only need one...Sigh...As I stood deciding which colour of boa I would be adding to my wardrobe, I spotted 3 red feathers on the floor beneath the display.  I quickly asked the clerk if I could have one, and she laughed and handed it to me with her blessing.  It would normally have been swept away, thus literally one man's trash being another's treasure.  This king's gift of gold is topped with a shiny gold sequin.  The third and tallest king has a small beaded tassel on his cap, as well as a balled fringe trim.

The bottom was cut to resemble the roof line of a castle.

Other than gold lamé for one gift, the kings are stitched entirely from Chinese silk on a silk dupioni background. They add a splash of colour to a season of white.