Quiltmaker November/December 2018
Sipping hot cocoa by the fire, watching the snowfall, gorgeous holiday tables surrounded by our loved ones and no one is fighting… This is what December looks like in my mind. In actuality, it’s that time of year when I marvel at where the year went and spend the month frantically making quilts in every spare moment I can steal away. It’s like I have some kind of project amnesia where I forget how many hours I really need to complete a sewing project and how much stress I cause myself by not starting earlier.
As we were planning the projects for this issue and knew that gifts would be a theme, we chose several projects that were on the smaller size. Frosty Friends is perfect to make for yourself or a friend. Need a quick gift for your teen’s bestie or teacher? How about making a few Zippy Gifts and filling it with some fun treats or a gift card? Jolly Janglers can be stitched up in under an hour. You can make one this afternoon and hang it on a bottle of wine for a whimsical hostess gift.
For larger quilts, Scott Flanagan’s Snowflake Star is sure to grace your bed for months to come with its icy blue hues. Pinkberry and Good Tidings warm you up with those pinks and rich reds. If you love appliqué, Seasons Tweetings, by Associate Editor Erin Russek, is full of fun techniques and details.
Quilting and sewing is an amazing stress reliever (most of the time), so I am honestly not really surprised that I find myself in the same predicament year after year. Remember to take some time for you during this busy time. After all, quilting is therapy, right?
Tracy Mooney, Editor
Table of Contents
Gifts to Make and Give
- Zippy Gifts: Stitch up a few of these adorable zipped pouches to organize your bag or fill with treats and give as a cute gift
- Table Treats: Grab some fabric and clothesline to create these festive trivets that feature a unique design twist
- Pinkberry: Pink and purple batiks are the star of the show in this quilt design by Connie Kaufman
- Jolly Janglers: Primitive snowmen are the perfect quick sewing project for the busy holiday season
Appliqué Delights
- Polar Lights: Snowflakes abound in another design in the camper series by Terri Vanden Bosch
- Frosty Friends: Add a little whimsy to your table with Margie Ullery’s appliquéd placemats
- Season’s Tweetings: Dresden flowers and cardinals grace Erin Russek’s beautiful holiday wreath design
Patterns
- Christmas Crackers: Rachel Hayes will have you looking at panels in a whole new light and buying them in stacks of six after you see her clever new quilt design
- Snowflake Star: You can almost feel the chill in the air when you look at Snowflake Star, Scott Flanagan’s beautiful new quilt design
- Good Tidings: Get ready to snuggle by the fire under the warm batiks and striking pattern of Peggy Gelbrich’s lovely new quilt design
Pattern Pull-Out Section
- Download the templates, quilting motifs, and appliqué patterns for this issue.
Articles
- Sew Exhausted: If you have ever had one of those last minute projects that went awry, you will feel better after reading the stories of holiday sewing mishaps from the QM staff
- Fusible Appliqué: Erin Russek is back again sharing her tried and true tips for successful fusible appliqué
- Quiltmaker’s Top Gifts to Give: It’s holiday time and whether you are looking for gifts to give your quilting buddies or things to add to your own wish list, we have got you covered
Departments
- From the Editor
- Sew to Speak
- Find Your Inspiration
- Schoolhouse Steps: Triangle Squares: 8 at a Time
- Schoolhouse Steps: 60˚ Triangles
- Creative Spark
- Submission Guidelines
- Basic Lessons
- Addicted to Scraps
- Check out the quilt block and quilt layout from Bonnie Hunter featuring forty-two blocks set in 7 rows of 6 blocks to make a scrappy 48″ x 56″ quilt.
- Spotlight
