Welcome to my week on the Holiday House Hop! I'm so very excited to share with you some of my favorite holiday and winter patterns! It is still REALLY hot here in the sunny south, but perhaps these frosty patterns will help you keep cool and inspire some pre-holiday sewing!
First, let's look at some (ok quite a few!) holiday projects, and then I have a yummy cookie recipe to share with you!
Celebration Slices
This is the Christmas Tree from my Celebration Slices pattern. The pattern offers three different celebration themed banners - Birthday, Halloween and Christmas! I love this little paper pieced pattern because it not only offers up three options, but because it is quick (one simple paper piecing pattern) and easy, and the fused applique offers a fun way to embellish and make it uniquely your own.
I came up with this pattern because I was trying to create a small wall hanging to fit a narrow space in my home. I thought - why not do more than one project for different times of the year that can fit in the same space? Ta-da - Celebration Slices!
Christmas Cactus
So...it has "Christmas" in the title, and yes, it is named after the plant of the same name. Christmas Cactus typically bloom at....wait for it....Christmas (!), hence the name. But, fun fact, did you know that there is a Thanksgiving cactus as well? I know - color me surprised! I found an article on the difference between the two versions here on the BHG website.
The Christmas Cactus version you see above is the first one I made a long LONG time ago, when I was first making hand dyed fabrics. It is actually the first quilt (ok, table topper, but still.....) I designed. I created the design because my mother had gifted me a REAL Christmas Cactus plant - a huge lovely she had nurtured for years. And my lack of a green thumb did it in. I felt terrible. Really.Terrible. So...I created this fabric version for her instead. I love the soft almost Victorian feel of this one.
I remade Christmas Cactus again a few years ago in some brilliant Island Batik fabrics, and I love this version as well. It kinda has a night blooming tropical plant vibe, doesn't it? I think the rich dark blue background contributes to that feeling.
Christmas Cheer
Christmas Cheer is one of my newest patterns, and it has some of my favorite pattern features: large blocks, easy paper piecing (ok, no I don't JUST do paper piecing patterns, but I do like to paper piece!), and a fun layout that reminds me of ribbon wrapped around presents!
I like Christmas Cheer because often time the charming Christmas fabrics we love so much have fairly large scale prints, and this really showcases them in a simple layout! And I really love the slightly retro vibe of this festive Free Spirit fabric! The line is called (appropriately!) FaLaLa by Maude Ashbury. Isn't it charming?!
Forest Frame
Forest Frame is a panel based quilt pattern, so if you don't have this adorable panel (it is from the folks at Timeless Treasures, and the line is called Rebel without a Claus.....I know!), then it might not have the Christmasy vibe - but I wanted to include it in case you DID have a holiday panel.
Yes, it is paper pieced (ok, now that I think about it, I do think almost ALL of my holiday patterns are paper pieced!), but it is worth it to create those fun spikey evergreen branch blocks! And those modern interpretive blocks are the inspiration for the name - Forest Frame!
Homestead
Homestead is the perfect example of how a FABRIC can make a project a holiday project. These simple log cabin blocks aren't REALLY Christmas - but when stitched up in these cozy spicy prints from Tim Holtz, they make the whole quilt Christmasy! I call this one Christmas Spice.
But the line had some cool crisp colors as well, and I couldn't resist pulling one together in those icy fabrics as well. I call this one Mint Chip. It makes me think of mint chip ice cream or peppermints. Yummy! Oh - and hey - guess what?! Homestead is NOT paper pieced! Woot woot!
Lovely Woods
Lovely Woods isn't TECHNICALLY a "holiday" quilt. But....it is a winter quilt. Shh...don't tell my other quilts, but this one is a secret favorite of mine. It makes me think of snow covered woods, icicles, and the hush after a snowfall.
Holiday quilts don't necessarily have to be stitched up in holiday fabrics. Sometimes it is the look or the feel of the project, or the memories it evokes. And just imagine it in some fun Christmas fabrics! I'm actually recoloring this pattern in an upcoming Michael Miller Christmas line - and it DEFINITELY has a holiday vibe in that fabric!
Off Center
Off Center is another of those quilts that isn't holiday themed by block, but rather because of the holiday fabric used to make it! Like Christmas Cheer, I like that it has big easy pieces to showcase those amazing holiday fabrics. Plus, because the pieces are big, it will sew up in a hurry so you can snuggle under it while humming Christmas tunes and sipping hot cocoa!
Steppe
Steppe is our last stop on the Holiday project tour. It uses a whimsical fabric line from Patric Lose, all done in narrow bands to create skinny blocks. I was thinking of holiday ribbon candy when I designed this one, and it makes me think of that every time I look at it! Now that you know the inspiration, can you see it too?
We've looked at my collection of holiday and winter patterns. I hope you enjoyed the tour, and are inspired to start your holiday stitching soon! I'd like to leave you with two things - my favorite Christmas song, and my family's favorite holiday cookie recipe!
My favorite Christmas song? It was really REALLY tough to narrow it down to one, but if I had to share one, it would have to be Good King Wenceslas. Why? Hmmmm....maybe because to me it captures what we feel at Christmastime and hopefully strive for the rest of the year - being kind and considerate to our fellow human beings. I found a rendition by Bing Crosby and it is beautiful. Listen for yourself!
Can you guess what our family's favorite holiday cookie recipe is? Hint - it is SUPER easy! Every year, my husband and my daughter gather in the kitchen and make no-bake cookies! It is so popular they have to make a double batch every time! Here's the recipe so you can whip up a batch with your family. And you don't have to wait until the holidays to make them - they are amazing any time of year!
Here's the dynamic duo from a long ago Christmas! This is swiped from a little memory book I created for that Christmas (I still love looking back at it!). Not to worry - I've typed up the recipe in it's entirety for you so you don't have to try to read hubby's hand writing!
For a PDF, click to Download No Bake Cookie Recipe.
There's just one more stop next week - Laura of Orange Blossom Quilts. But in case you missed any earlier posts, here is the schedule of Holiday Hop posts:
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