Countdown to Christmas

Ok. Raise your hands. Who’s tired? Certainly all the giftmaking and Christmas preparing has got a few of you exhausted like me. So, here we go. Let’s wrap up this blogging gift idea extravaganza in one fell swoop. I present: The Final Five Gift Ideas! Use your creativity and run with the ideas. The possibilities abound.

1) Quilt Expressions Gift Card. For those local sewers out there, don’t forget we are running a special Christmas promotion. Buy a $50 gift card, get $10 coupon to use in the store after the holiday. Convince all your friends and family to come in and get this perfect gift, or (like so many of our deserving shoppers) buy one for yourself!

2) Notions. There are so many notions that every quilter needs and maybe there’s someone you know whose toolbox is incomplete. If you haven’t noticed, our online store is now bursting full of all the essential notions. Might I recommend a 12” x 12” rotating mat, a 9 ½” square up ruler, or an ergonomic 60 mm rotary cutter? Or maybe your friends have it all and need a sewing tools holder to take it everywhere with them. Or make a goodies basket with some crystal head pins, rotary blades and a fat quarter bundle to top it off. You can’t live without this stuff!

3) Pillowcase. Get some kids fabric and whip up some simple pillowcases for all the little ones you know. We’ve got safari animals, trucks, surfing monkeys and much more for some fun prints. Or use the new Amy Butler line for a funky, modern look for your favorite friends. Another idea from Rodi here at the store: if you’re making a quilt for someone, make a pillowcase in the same fabric to give them the quilt in! It’s also a great way to store away your quilts so they are protected and are easy to identify. Need a pillowcase pattern? Email me at stacy.henzler@gmail.com and I’ll send you a Quilt Expressions original pattern for free.

4) Panel placemats. Check out all the panels we have on our site. Cut out the smaller motifs and add a simple border and a back for fun themes on your table. Here’s my favorite by Sandy Gervais. It’s on sale, too!

5) Precuts and a free pattern. Order any pre-cut Bali pop, jelly roll, layer cake or charm pack this week and we’ll send along a free pattern to use with the pre-cut. Wrap it up and it’s like a ready made kit! If you’re more ambitious, put in a note that says you’ll make it…after the holidays.

There you have it. An explosion of gift ideas comin atcha. Phew. Did we make our goal? I lost count somewhere between making wallets and learning about luggage tags from Della. Time for a blogging vacation (at least until Monday.) Happy sewing out there and have a safe and fun holiday!

Panel Quilt

Nine days ’til Christmas. We polled our local StashBusters group last night to see how many of our ladies were all done with their holiday shopping. Is anyone ever really done? And as the big day nears there are hundreds of other procrastinating shoppers at the mall. That’s why I’M going the handmade route.

So, for all you die-hard quilters out there who really just have to give quilts, but may not have enough time to bust out a king-sized masterpiece, a quick way to go is a panel quilt. We still have some Christmas panels left in the store, and all you have to do is throw on some borders and you’re in business. Use one panel and a few borders for a holiday-themed wall hanging. Or use a panel with multiple motif blocks and put borders around each motif to make bigger blocks for a lap quilt. Use flannel on the back for a cozy Christmas Day quilt that is perfect for warming up with by the fire. The cute blocks below really would make fabulous placemats, too!

–Posted by Stacy

Fabric Photo Frame

One of my favorite personalized gifts is to give a photo. It’s a great way to remember a special moment you shared with someone. This year I’m sending a photo to my five- year-old niece of us together I when she was two. I’m going to write the story of that day on the back of the photo so she can remember my favorite parts of her early childhood as she grows up. What’s better than sending just a photo? How about sending it in a cute, handmade frame? We found an awesome magnetic photo frame pattern here. It’s perfect for hanging up on the fridge and all you need is some cardboard, fabric, batting and magnets. Have fun!

– Posted by Stacy

Headbands

I am just hooked on making these headbands. They are so simple to make and can be done in so many combinations. I can’t stop stitchin’ them together for everyone I know (and, let’s be honest, I’ve got a healthy little collection for myself at this point.) My boyfriend thinks I’ve gone out of my mind. But that’s only because he caught me in a crazed moment when I dumped out an entire basket of Karen’s stash and was sifting through it all (sprawled across the sewing room floor) to find every usable piece of fabric to make MORE MORE MORE. Ok, maybe I do need to scale back a little bit. But not before I get you all hooked on this fun project.

First, cut fifteen 2” x 2” blocks of 2-3 different coordinating fabrics. Sew them together in a long line for the top of the headband.

Pick a fabric for the back and cut to fit the size of the top. Place right sides together and sew all the way around, leaving a 3 inch opening. For the ends, I tapered off to make a point — it makes it easier to tie around your head. Invert and press. I used a pencil to help invert since the fabric is so long and it helps make really nice corners. Slip stitch your opening and you’re done!

You can make your blocks skinnier to have a really pieced effect, or just use long strips for both sides. You can make the band fatter or skinnier, depending on how you prefer your headbands. Play around and be creative!

I like to wear mine with the solid side out. Can you believe this is the same headband from the first photo?! It's less quilty, but I guess I favor simplicity sometimes.

If you’re giving these to a quilter friend, you can wrap the headband around a spool of thread or a skinny pincushion for a cute way to display your gift. I made a trendy headband out of a red batik and a black and white zebra fabric and will wrap it around some fierce red lipstick to give to my fashion-forward big sister.

We added a little felt pincushion to the top on this one!

Having my picture taken for the blog is a little awkward. Especially posing. So here's how I warm up. Maybe my boyfriend's right about being a little crazy. FOR HEADBANDS!!!

–Posted by Stacy

Fabric Luggage Tag

Have you ever been to the airport and picked up the wrong bag on the luggage carousel? Well, trust me, it is embarrassing. I thought I was smart when I bought a red suitcase, but as it turns out there are lots of red suitcases out there. To help you find your luggage, here is an easy to make tag. Since they are simple and fast to make, you can whip up some of these for all of your friends and family in time for the holidays. So pick out some fabric and make it bright — you want to be able to spot it easily.

Supply List (you can use scraps, but if you are buying fabric this amount will make two tags)
- 1/8th yard of bright fabric
- 1/8th yard of heavy fusible interfacing such as Décor Bond
- 1/8th yard of heavy clear vinyl

Cutting Instructions (cut one of each)
Fabric –
• 4″ x 11″ piece for the tag
• 2″ x 15″ piece for the loop
Interfacing –
• 3 ½ ” x 10″ heavy fusible interfacing such as Décor Bond
Vinyl –
• 2 ½” x 4 ¼” piece

Sewing Instructions
Press the 2″ x 15″ loop piece in half (the long way) with wrong sides together. Open up the loop and press each side to the middle crease. Press in half again. Stitch close to each edge.

Center the interfacing and fuse to the wrong side of the tag fabric.

Fold the tag in half – it should now measure 4″ x 5 ½”. Sew both long sides using a ¼” seam allowance.

Clip Corners and turn inside out. Press the top edge to the inside and insert the loop in the center of the opening.

Edge stitch around the entire tag. Center vinyl piece on the front of the tag and stitch on three sides, leaving the top side open. (Hint: I found that using removable scotch tape helps keep the vinyl in places as you sew. Also a “non-stick” pressure foot for your sewing machine really helps too.)

Slip in a business card or a piece of paper with your name and address and you’re done!

Happy sewing,

Della

Charmed Gift Bags

Now, don’t let the name get you confused. These cute little bags are actually made with fat quarters, not a Charm Pack as it would seem. Rather, they are meant to hold a charm pack, making it one of my favorite gifts to give to all the quilters on my gift list. They are also perfect for little girls to carry as a purse. My favorite girlie pink collection is It’s A Hoot by MoMo. The cute owls and pink polka dots will certainly make any little girl happy, especially when you fill the purse with little goodies.

We get asked for this pattern all the time. You can find the pattern and tutorial on Moda Bake Shop. Here is a link to download the pattern: Charmed Gift Bag. The directions are very detailed, making it easy to understand, even for beginners. If you are running out of time to make a gift for your quilting friends, this one is easy to put together as a kit. Four fat quarters makes three bags.

Happy sewing,

Della

Holiday Cards

This next crafty project is as much fun to make as it is give away. And you get to use up your smallest pieces of scraps you have laying around. (Since my stash is still small, I hang on to the smallest strips of fabric. I have a hard time letting go. Maybe you do too…)

These holiday cards are a great way to send out your family’s seasons greetings, or to package up and give away as a bundle of blank cards to a friend. Here’s how you do it:

Print a holiday greeting onto a sheet of 8 ½” x 11” card stock paper. (Two per page.) Align the greetings so one is about half-way down the page, the other at the bottom, both centered in the right half of the page. If you want a personalized message on the inner part of the card, repeat this process and carefully reinsert your sheets into the printer, making sure the message will properly print on the opposite side of the page.

After printing, cut the sheet in half so you have two 8 ½” x 5 ½” pieces. Score the pieces with a pin on the outside so they fold in half.  Use scraps to create a tree, heart, star — whatever you can imagine.  Get creative! Glue them down with a glue stick to hold in place. Stitching is optional for a sewer’s touch, or you can use fusible.

To give these as a gift, pick up envelopes at an office supply store and bundle it all together with a ribbon!

I really spread out for this project.

Before I even started, I put my thinking cap on and sketched some Christmas ideas.

– Posted by Stacy

Purse Pockets

I’ve been making a ton of purse pockets for gifts this month and they’re a quick and easy way to give a cute little something to nearly anybody you know. All it takes is one or two layer cake squares and there’s a million ways to customize them and make ‘em all a little different. If you’re like me, sometimes you don’t want a big bulky wallet – you just need the bare essentials–debit card, drivers license, insurance card, and of course my coffee punch card. (Who can survive without their morning espresso?) The purse pocket looks just like a pocket, fits the essentials and I can quickly throw it in my purse or pocket. If it’s brightly colored, it’s even easier to find! If I’m really traveling light, these little wallets can even squeeze a few other items in there like chapstick or your car key.

You’ll need:
- Two 5” x 10” pieces of fabric in different colors/patterns (In my opinion, they look better if you choose a larger-scale print for the outer fabric and a complimenting fabric for the inner. Small- scale on the outside is less dynamic.)
- One 5” x 10” piece of fusible web (the heavier the fusible, the stiffer it will be.)

Here’s how you do it:
- Iron on the fusible web to the wrong side of one of your pieces.
- Place your two pieces together, right sides together, and pin in a few places.
- Sew with a ¼” seam allowance all the way around, leaving a 2” hole. Beginner’s tip: make sure you sew all the way around the corners. It’s impossible to slip stitch a corner at the end. It’s best if you make your hole in the middle of the long edge.
- Turn inside out and press. Slip stitch your hole.
- Top stitch across one end of your pocket (the part that isn’t going to be the flap) about ⅛” from the edge.
- Fold your pocket in thirds. You can play around with size here — You can decide how long you want the pocket, how far down you want the flap to go, etc. I made mine come almost all the way down to the crease so it looks very similar to a wallet. Once you’ve figured out your proportions, press your creases.
- It may be easier to attach a closure of your choosing before you do the final top stitching. It can also be added on at the end.
- Top stitch around the edge of the rest of the pocket. This is what holds the pocket in place. Annnd you’re finished!

I used the heavy-weight fabric from the Oz line.

It fits all my "cards"

Variations:
- Use batting to make the pocket a little fatter and squishier. You could even quilt it-but then you’ll need to bind the edges.
- Instead of making the flap of the pocket square, round it out or make it a triangle for something different. A rounded flap really makes it look like a pocket.
- There are a million ways to make the closure. My first “mock up” pocket I made a button hole and used a button. It’s a little slower to get it open, but looks cute. You can sew on some velcro and still sew a button on the top flap for decoration. I prefer a snap. Fastest way to fling it open and whip out the cash! Just be careful not to use magnetic snaps — they will destroy your credit cards.
- Use home dec or mid-weight fabric to make the exterior a little tougher.
- Make the body of the pocket a little bigger and attach a strap. Now you’ve got a wristlet!

Here's my mock up with a button hole.

GIVEAWAY!! We will be giving away a total of SIX fat quarters to one lucky individual. Each pair of fat quarters are perfect complimentary colors and patterns so you can make three pockets of your own. How can you win? Make a comment to this blog entry with your first name and email address and you will be entered to win. Our winner will be chosen on December 13th so don’t delay. Invite your friends to enter, too. Maybe they’ll win and make you a purse pocket for you out of the prize fabrics!

Three different colorways to please all your friends!

– Posted by Stacy

Snip Eze

Do you have someone on your Christmas list who is no-nonsense about what kind of things they want as gifts? Take my mother for example. (Hi, mom.) She pretty much only wants something useful — an every day kind of object. Forget the “fluff” stuff. No candles, no clothes, no candy. She wants tools. As a creative person herself, she doesn’t want you to make her a bag. She wants to do it herself, duh! Luckily we’ve got all kinds of favorite sewing tools and notions that you can give to the handy people in your lives. And here’s our favorite.

Snip-Eze scissors. Holy cow, ladies, do you have these snips? Hands down the best on the market. I could not sew without them. Everyone here at the shop covets these babies and give them as gifts every year. If you don’t own them yet, get on the wagon already!

Instead of trying to squeeze my fat little fingers through the holes of most snippers, I love that all you have to do is grab and squeeze to make a cut with this pair. The pointy, sharp blades are curved, so they’re great for ripping out stitches (ohhhh do I have to do this all the time) for piecers and long arm quilting. We’re serious. These will be the best snips you ever own.

– Posted by Stacy

Gum Drop Pillows

Well, friends, it wouldn’t be the holiday season if it wasn’t also the flu season. So can you guess where I spent the last four days? That’s right. In bed, sick. Sadly the blog has been a bit neglected. But I’m planning my comeback strategy and we will be getting you a rush of Christmas Gift Ideas at top speed. Stay healthy out there.

This project is perfect for kids, teens, or even your college-bound children and grandchildren. They fit in any playroom, bedroom, or dorm room and can be for both boys and girls. Well, that covers just about half my gift list! And here we have it: Gum Drop Pillows.

We have three Gum Drop Pillows in the shop at our Toy Table. The kids literally dive-bomb these super-squishy pods once they see them and are perfect for sitting on at a low table. You can use a variety of fabric — our mid-weight twill fabric is perfect for these — or a 100% cotton. We used fiberfill in the middle to give them a really firm, but bouncy structure, and here’s another tip. You can save a little cash if you save your plastic grocery bags. Stuff a bag with bags, and put it in the center of your pillow. Stuff the fiberfill around the outside, and you’re done!

The best part is they are so easy to make. The pattern we used is called “gum drop pillows” by Amy Butler and includes instructions for both a 24” and an 18” pillow. You can buy it in our online store. There are only a few left, so grab ‘em while you still can!

– Posted by Stacy