Quick Gifts for Christmas

Aprons Make the Perfect Gift

There's still time to make special gifts for Christmas giving. Here are a few from my pattern store at www.craftsy.com to check out.

Looking for a quick-and-easy apron for kids? Check out my Little Helper's Apron. It requires minimal yardage and time. Choose just the right fabric for each child on your list to make them extra special. The choices are endless at you favorite quilt shop. I suggest you preshrink your fabrics before sewing, as these aprons will get lots of use by little cooks and crafters.

 If you have machine that embroiders, choose lighter fabrics and  add a favorite design to the bib portion of the apron.


Here are two more apron patterns from my Craftsy store to make for yourself or for gifts this holiday season. A Holiday Apron for Mrs. Santa Claus is an adult-size, one-size fits most pattern. It's all dressed up with fancy buttons and a pretty belt buckle...perfect for those days when the hostess must be in the kitchen.

If you love to embroider, my gingham Jingle Trees Apron with tickle your fancy. My grandmother made these in the 1950s for church bazaar fundraisers and I inherited one from my Mom. Simple cross stitching on gingham was popular then. 

Make one for yourself and for other hostess on your gift list. If you don't have time to stitch right now, you'll love having this pattern on hand to start your stitching for gift giving next Christmas!
You can use it to teach a child to embroider too.

Tiny red ribbons and jingle bells adorn the top of each tree and rickrack is stitched in place below the tree trunks.

 Mug Rugs...Fun and Quick to Sew for Gifts

Have fun stitching up your favorite mug rug from my Santa and His Helpers Mug Rug pattern. They require small amounts of fabric, and you might have just what you need in your scrap basket or fabric stash. Make in sets of 3 like those shown or make a set of your single favorite design. Mug rugs don't take much time to make and are wonderful gifts. Or, you can turn them into mini wall hangings or large ornaments by adding a ribbon to the upper edge.

 And here's a fun set to make for your favorite Yoga teacher...The Yin and the Yang of It! Applique two pieces to each one, quilt and bind, and you'll have a set finished in no time!

 Or, for someone you love, choose Owl Always Love You or Here's My Heart Valentine Mug Rug. These make great gifts for Christmas or for Valentine's Day.









So, time's a wasting. Choose your favorites from this array of simple projects and enjoy the process as you make special gifts for the ones you love!
Until next time,
Keep on sewing and smiling!
Barbara

Another New Mug Rug Pattern

I just might be addicted--to mug rugs. During the past month, I've designed many and completed 11 patterns. They are such fun to design using Electric Quilt 7, and they're so fast to make--talk about a little piece of instant gratification! I'm pleased to announce that my Turkey Time Quilted Thanksgiving Mug Rug has just joined the holiday parade in my pattern shop at www.craftsy.com.








Because mug rugs remind me of a nice cup of hot coffee, and coffee is always better with a sweet treat, this new pattern also includes two of my favorite harvest-time recipes: Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie and Easy Pumpkin Walnut Muffins. So grab your scrap box, search your fat quarters, and stitch up a batch of these fun mug rugs for your holiday table or to give as gifts. Then try one of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving-time treats. Enjoy!

Until next time,
Keep sewing, quilting, crafting, and smiling!
Barbara

The Trouble with Quilted Mug Rugs...

Just like you can't eat just one potato chip, you can't make just one mug rug. They're fun, cute, easy, and quick to make. I was a little late with Halloween so I bypassed Thanksgiving (for now) and skipped right on to Christmas. With over eight new designs from which to choose, I settled on making my three favorites and have grouped them together in a single pattern. Check out Santa and His Helpers at my craftsy store: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

If you prefer, the mug rugs can become oversize ornaments or package gift tags by adding a ribbon tie to the upper edge as shown in the photo of Rudy' Red Nose, above right. Or, if you use a muslin backing to cover the batting and the quilting stitches, you can write a holiday message on the back and add other "artsy" embellishments with stamping, doodling, etc. Pop them in envelopes to send to friends who will appreciate your handiwork.

Simply Santa is just that--really simple to stitch up in a hurry. Use poly felt for the beard, mustache, and hat trim and do free-motion quilting in the beard to simulate Santa's curls. For his hat, choose two red fabrics to help differentiate the two pieces. Add a white pompom to the tip of the hat.

     

Rudy's Red nose, as shown, is an applique enhanced with a flat button. When adding embellishments, make sure they won't interfere with your mug, if you're planning to use these as mug rugs.

Alfie the Elf looks like he's a little unhappy--maybe he's a little overworked! It's all in the shape of the mouth! Make it smaller and turn up the ends a little more when you stitch his mouth for a cheerier demeanor. Flat buttons replace appliques on Alfie's hat and shirt.

All three mug rugs are set up for fusible applique. The pattern includes full-size applique placement guides and reversed images for fusible applique. Use up scraps and cut into your fat quarters for these fun mini quilts. They are wonderful scrap buster projects and give almost instant gratification.

Set yourself up to sew multiples and you'll have a set or two done in no time. Check out the section on Assembly Line at a Glance in the pattern. 

No Time Like the Present...

to start your holiday sewing. And, speaking of presents, why not stitch up a set of my placemats, Presently Wrapped, too? The napkin is folded to form the bow on these easy-to-sew mats. Or, if you love Santa as much as I do, check out Santa's New Suit placemats with a napkin designed to look like his hat.

 

And, if you're looking for an easy Christmas wall hanging to deck your holiday halls, I think you'll love A Heartfelt Christmas. It features easy piecing in the background and fusible applique. You can add embellishments to the tree if you wish for a truly one-of-a-kind tree!

These projects will keep you busy with holiday sewing and they're easy so you're sure to get them done in plenty of time for Christmas...if you start now.

Until next time,

Happy Holiday Stitching

Barbara

Sew Pretty Sew Easy Tote Bag--Great for Gifting

Sew Pretty Sew Easy Quilted Tote Bag

I wanted to design something pretty and practical and this little tote bag was the result. It's a great "scrap buster" project--each of the four fabrics required for the piecing and the lining require 1/2 yard or less. Add a bit of lace--three yards will be more than enough--and some polyester fleece and you have a finished bag in no time. It has simple square corners and two side seams that are bound for a neat finish inside and out. A hanging pocket inside is the perfect place for your phone, a pencil or other small items to keep close at hand.

The sewing is fast and easy. Polyester fleece between the two fabric layers adds just the right amount of body and requires only minimal quilting. I did a simple grid of squares in the center panel only, plus the stitching that holds the trim bands in place adds straight lines to anchor the pieced panel to the fleece and the lining. All pieces are cut across the width of the fabric so there is no bottom seam. It really couldn't get any easier to make it.

Sized at 15" tall and 13-1/2" wide, the tote is the perfect bag for book club meetings, quick errands--or even to hold a small knitting project. With Christmas coming, this is the perfect for anyone on your list who loves bags. You can make several in one sitting--and you might just have the makings for all of them in your fabric stash. I made mine in just a few hours, once I had the design finalized. While I love floral prints and lace, other fabrics will work too. Go bold with a bright modern print and eliminate the lace for an entirely different look.

Like all of my patterns, you'll find this one in my Craftsy pattern store at: http://www.craftsy.com/user/153303/pattern-store

I'm headed back to the machine to whip up some Christmas-themed mug rugs. I had such fun making the ones for Halloween, that I just had to get back to designing them. I'm getting pretty good at designing appliques in Electric Quilt--I don't do well with pen and paper, but EQ has made an "artist" out of me! Read my previous posts to see my "ghoulishly easy" Halloween mug rugs.

Hope you're having fun getting ready for Christmas--my favorite Holiday. I'm ready to start sewing gifts--after I finish a set of mug rugs!

Have fun sewing, quilting, and crafting.
Until next time,
Keep on sewing and smiling!
Barbara

Such a Pretty Pumpkin Centerpiece

I was shopping in Michael's yesterday and found most floral items and pumpkins on sale. I snatched up one of their hollow "plastic/rubber" pumpkins—difficult to know what the composition really is—plus a candle ring with "silk" leaves in fall colors, and a few sprays of golden and brilliant red velvetized leaf sprays--all on sale. The pumpkin was $4.00, the candle ring $2.49, and the sprays $1.69 each. For $10.00 I had the makings for a pretty pumpkin to add to my growing collection.

Here's how you can make your own:

1. Place the candle ring on top of the pumpkin and use a sharp knife to barely pierce the pumpkin all around the ring to mark the cutting line. Remove the ring.

Stab-cut around the marks to make opening.

2. Use a sharp knife to stab through the pumpkin into the hollow space, following the line you drew. I suggest making stabs rather than trying to "saw" along the line. Lift out the stem/lid and discard. 

Lift out and discard the stem/lid.

3. Tuck the candle ring inside the opening; you may have to coax it through. 

Tuck leafy candle ring inside the hole.

Then use a glue gun to secure it all the way around. You may be able to get glue on the ring itself, or not, but you can certainly put glue all the way around the opening and gently press plastic stems and leaves into the glue.

Use your glue gun to secure the ring inside the opening.

Oh so easy--and pretty too!

4. Remove the velvet (or silk) leaves from the plastic stems—there is usually a little plastic "cap" at the end of the stems that will pop right off so you can slip the leaves from it. Arrange the leaves underneath the leaves in the ring to add another circle of foliage, arranging as desired and securing with "globs" of glue from the glue gun. Primp the leaves as you go and glue in place.

6. Ta DA! I've placed my pumpkin in among others in my collection to create a pumpkin "tablescape" in my entry hall.

The really cool thing is, you can use the pumpkin just as it's shown for a centerpiece or in your mantel arrangement—OR you can tuck flowers and foliage through the center opening of the ring down into the pumpkin to use it as a vase. You could also set the pumpkin inside a fall wreath to make it into a more elaborate centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. If you want to "light it up" hide a candle "plate" under the foliage and add an LED candle (battery operated)--safer than the real thing!

Easy and inexpensive—that's how I like my craft projects for seasonal décor!

I know, I know! This isn't sewn or quilted, but it's fun and easy and I hope you like it!

Until next time, Keep stitching (and crafting) and smiling!

Barbara