How do Quilters Prepare for the Holidays?
The upcoming holiday season often brings stress with it. Finding time to prepare for the holidays usually means juggling the schedule. Many quilters sew year-round in preparation for the holidays. This year, I was not one of them. I had my focus on downsizing my projects, using up my scrap fabrics, and organizing my chaos. However, I still have a few weeks before I decide how productive my year was.
This year, I am working on ornaments and gift tags for gift-giving rather than quilts. My schedule was too packed through the early Fall. It’s time now just to play and create with fabrics. I will share what I am working on.
When You Have a Deadline
How do you keep yourself focused when you have a deadline, such as the holiday season? Sometimes, I have to encourage myself to stay focused, but I have found that I like having a movie playing in the background. I am listening to it as I am sewing, and that almost guarantees I will be productive for a couple of hours in my sewing room.
If time allows, I like to organize a quilting day or, better yet, a weekend with friends. It is impressive that even with chatting, how much I can accomplish! There is something about fellowship with other quilters that helps me stay productive.
Please share some ideas on staying focused when you have a deadline! Let’s keep each other on task this Holiday Season.
Holiday or Seasonal Quilty Ideas and Projects
When I decide on the project(s) I am working on for the coming season, I remind myself that my style doesn’t fit everyone. This encourages me to create color combinations I wouldn’t usually use; it is good to stretch my creativity.
Fabric Snowflake
I have made paper snowflakes to decorate during the holiday season and a month or so into the winter. I found a fabric version with Heat’n Bond Ultra that I will try this year. Check out Quilting Digest for the directions and a video.
I will share my progress when I start them. I pulled some antique-looking fabrics for the holiday ones, but I will also pull some frosty fabrics for the rest. These would look great as part of the gift wrapping. The size of the snowflake can be changed by changing the size of the original square.
UPDATE:
I love the look of the snowflake when it is done with paper. The fabric ones are too heavy and do not hang as nicely. Another problem is the fabric peeling apart because of manipulation when creating it. Thankfully, I only attempted one to begin with. I will pick out some double-sided scrapbooking paper to use this year. Smaller snowflakes look great on packages. The larger ones I hang in my entryway; the air movement from an open door makes them move and spin.
Fabric Quilt Ball
Some of the quilt ball ornaments on my tree are 20+ years old. I first learned with the 3″ styrofoam ball, but I now use a 2″ one. My tree isn’t that big, and I just mix the two sizes on the tree. Look at the circled area on the photo for one of the ornaments.
Here are the general directions. For the 2″ styrofoam balls, cut the fabrics to 1 1/2″; also, make sure your pins are smaller. I am using 1″ straight pins for mine. The links for the styrofoam balls and straight pins are for your information. I do NOT receive anything if you click on them. There are no affiliate links at this time.
In the evening, there is something nice about sitting in my recliner working on these. Hubby is usually watching something on television that I have no interest in, but it is nice to be in the same room.
Holiday Treat Bags
I just came across these little treat bags, the perfect size for a gift card and a couple of treats. The directions tell you two fat quarters will make four bags. My hope is to work on these this weekend to get a head start on the holiday crafting. I can also see them as a present topper. If you have the option, you could add names or monograms to the tiny bag. I will add a picture once I finish one.
Additional Holiday Projects?
What are you working on this holiday? I am always open to hearing about more quilty/crafty projects to add to my creative chaos. Send me ideas, and I can add them to this page; send me a link, and I can share that, too.
Until next time.
You may be interested in these posts on Scrappy Quilts and Quilting UFOs.
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