It’s always exciting when you put that last stitch in the binding of a quilt. I just completed my Lincoln Stars Quilt that I made last year (all it needed was binding) and the pattern is on sale in my Etsy Shop for $7 until December 31st, 2020!
This quilt has all of the ingredients for a good holiday throw quilt and was made with fabrics from the Merry Starts Here collection by Sweetwater for Moda Fabrics. I used black flannel for the back and the quilting was done by my SIL on her longarm machine. I love the swirled holly and berry that flows across the quilt.
The Lincoln Stars quilt measures 57″ square which is perfect to throw over the couch in the winter time. The pattern also has instructions for a 84″ square quilt if you want something larger. And, of course, you can change the look and feel with any fabric combination.
The quilt blocks are 14″ square. I made an extra one and enlarged it to a 20″ square for a pillow. I just finished that yesterday and now I’m ready for the whole Christmas decorating thing to begin!
Cooper has already claimed his spot. He’s my final quality control engineer.
I can’t remember the last time I stitched a binding on by hand, but I did for this quilt. I really enjoyed the process and the finished result is truly superior in looks compared to my all machine binding technique. But as I always say, finished is better than perfect; so we do what we must and I usually choose machine-finished binding.
Speaking of binding, I have a little tip that I’ve shared before but it’s worth mentioning twice. To determine where to stop at each corner when stitching on the binding, fold the binding at a 45 degree angle at the corner and make a finger crease. Stop when you get to the crease – this works on any size binding and any size seam allowance!
Don’t forget, you can purchase the Lincoln Stars Quilt pattern (pdf) in my Etsy Shop while it’s on sale through December 31, 2020.
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving if you’re in the U.S. For most of us it will be a much smaller gathering with the Covid restrictions in place. I’m finding some calm with the simpler menu and less stress of entertaining a big crowd. We will Zoom or Facetime with our family at various points throughout the day.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and for being part of my quilting family. Happy Thanksgiving!
I have some eye candy for you today! I finished my Stitch Pink quilt top and it turned out so well! This was part of a sew along at Moda Fabrics to raise money and awareness for breast cancer. The quilt block patterns are free and available on their website here.
I’ve since added a 2 1/2″ navy border all around it and now it’s ready for the longarm quilter. It’s not easy getting a picture of the entire quilt when there’s no one around to hold it up for me. The quilt measures 64″ x 76″ once the border is attached. It’s going to be perfect for a generous lap size quilt.
This is definitely not my usual color palette, but I’m glad I went with the navy background. I originally was going to use all blue and white for the blocks, but then I started playing with some cheddar colors and I liked the pop it added to the quilt. You guys all agreed with that idea when I shared some of the blocks here.
I absolutely loved sewing all of these blocks together. Each day for the month of October I had this to look forward to. It was a nice distraction from everything else going on in the world. It also reinforced the fact that piecing quilt blocks is my jam.
Each quilt block is unique, yet most of them were familiar to me as classic quilt blocks. Some of them were a twist on an old favorite, and I added my own twist to just a few. Here are all 30 of the blocks in the Stitch Pink quilt (in no particular order).
Stitch Pink Blocks
The background fabric I used is Kona cotton in Navy. The rest of the fabrics all came from my stash and are a mix of old and new. I’ve never made a quilt with a dark, solid background. It felt good to branch out of my comfort zone a little!
My version of the Moda Stitch Pink quilt looks right at home in my house during the fall months. I’m going to treasure it for a long time. You can see lots more inspiration on Instagram with the hashtag #modastitchpink.
Thanks for visiting today. I hope you’re looking forward to a wonderful week full of Thanksgiving preparations (if you’re in the states). It’s going to be a very small gathering for many, including us. Just four us! I’m looking forward to a more relaxed holiday with some bonus sewing time.
I’ll be back soon to show you a quilt that is really finished – binding and all, plus a little binding tip. Happy quilting!
With the holidays around the corner, I’m always looking for unique gifts that I can make for friends and family. Enter the Peppermint Snowball Candy Mat! It’s the perfect gift that combines two of my favorite things: candy and quilting.
That candy dish deserves something special to rest on. Or perhaps that plate of cookies would look so nice on this sweet little quilt. It measures 11 1/2″ square and is just the right size for a bowl or a plate to fit on top.
Peppermint Snowball Candy Mat free pattern
I was going to do a step-by-step tutorial for the blog but I had some problems with the photos I took along the way. So it’s a free pattern that you can download for your own! Just click on the download button below.
I used fabric that I had in my stash, so it’s a mish mash of old and new. Most of the fabric requirements are 1/8 yard pieces. I ran out of the red grunge fabric for the pinwheels, so I had to make the center pinwheel different. But you could definitely make them all the same.
This pattern would also work well with charm squares. If you have a favorite holiday-themed charm pack, try it out! Just make sure you have good contrast between the snowballs and the pinwheels. My first attempt was a failure (kind of) because everything blended together too much. I’m much happier with my red/black/gray version.
The quilting on my Peppermint Snowball Candy Mat really stands out because I used Pellon Thermolam for the batting. This is a dense polyester layer that really shows off the quilt stitches. I use Thermolam for all of my table runners and placemats. I feel like it absorbs heat well and provides a little more protection than regular cotton batting. You can definitely use whatever type of batting you have on hand. This is a great project to use up those extra batting scraps.
I can also picture this little Peppermint Snowball Candy Mat as a great place to set a plate of cookies on top of for Santa Claus. I’m sure he would appreciate the extra special touch and perhaps remind him of Mrs. Claus. I’m sure she’s made a quilt or two in her day (along with lots of cookies)!
Speaking of cookie plates… if you’ve been following me for a while, you might remember my Cookie Plate Crumb Catcher tutorial from several years ago. This is another great Christmas gift idea that I love to customize for any holiday.
As the holiday season approaches, it’s the perfect time to start making lists of things to make, and I hope this Peppermint Snowball Candy Mat makes it onto your list. It’s sure to please someone including you!
Thanks for visiting today, and happy quilting for the holidays!
{I love the idea of “paying it forward”. I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others. I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts. I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site. If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}
Now that Halloween is over, I’m ready to focus my attention on Christmas sewing (and Thanksgiving of course). There are so many fun projects to share and I’m sew happy you’re joining me today!
Note: If you use Pinterest, please pin from the original source and not this blog post. Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link.
I’m super happy to announce Jacquelynne Steves’ My Hometown Block of the Month is coming in February. You can sign up for this free BOM now and there are kits available to purchase (optional). I’ve participated in five of Jacquelynne’s BOM’s and they are always beautiful and well done!
I seem to collect charm squares, so I was so glad to see this free Charm Square Blossoms Baby Quilt pattern from Caroline at Sew Can She. It looks so sweet and quick to sew!
I love this clever Hidden Snowflake Block from Quilt Jane. She uses a slice and dice method to make this beautiful 24″ block. It’s perfect for a pillow or make several for a quilt!
Hidden Snowflake Pillow @ Quilt Jane
Check out the new eBook by Carina Gardner, Fabulous Christmas Quilts. You can also purchase an add-on video course that will guide you through every project!
It’s the perfect time to make some Christmas tree ornaments, and I love these Stars Hollow ornaments from Suzy at Suzy Quilts. I can picture lots of these hanging from my tree!
November is the perfect time to bake up these Simply Amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies by Ingrid at Eat Well Enjoy Life. You won’t have to feel guilty about these cookies because they’re free of refined sugar and gluten free, and still absolutely delicious!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies @ Eat Well Enjoy Life
I love a good quilt label, and Dawn at First Light Designs has made the process simple with her tutorial for printing quilt labels on fabric. It’s the perfect finish for your quilt!
Printing Quilt Labels on Fabric @ First Light Designs
Thanks for joining me today for Sew Thankful Sunday. There are some very creative tips and projects that are being graciously shared online. Now make like an elf and get busy! 😉
In California, fire season is lasting longer than ever with warmer and drier conditions persisting. Since the beginning of 2020, over 4 million acres have burned in California. As of this morning, nearly 4,100 firefighters continue to battle 22 wildfires across the state. I’ve had many people ask about donating quilts for fire victims and today I’ve got some suggestions for you. On a lighter note, I just returned from visiting our grandchildren in Austin so I’ve got some cute Halloween pictures at the end of this blog post.
Image Source: CTV News
WE CARE
In 2018, WE CARE was formed as a way for the quilting community to support the victims of the Paradise Fires of Northern California. This group, led by Kathy Biggi, has expanded and grown in numbers and in outreach. Many of you who follow my blog were quick to offer help when I posted about WE CARE in 2018, and it was greatly appreciated. Currently they have over 55 guilds and numerous individuals working with them.
I was glad to receive an email from Kathy last week telling me that they continue to provide quilts and pillowcases to displaced school children from the recent fires all across California. Here is an excerpt from that email:
Thank you to everyone working so hard getting quilts ready for the 2020 fire victims. What a year! We currently have between 900-1000 quilts ready to go (stored in my guest house). Sounds like a lot, but one school district can require half of those in a flash. Berry Creek Elementary alone will need close to 100 when they are ready to receive them. Like everything else in 2020, delivering quilts is a real challenge. I have contacted schools in almost all of the burned communities in Northern California. But with fires still smoldering, power outages, and schools closed due to COVID, the response has been slow. Unlike Paradise, where we worked with one school district, there are numerous districts and schools within those districts that need to be contacted. We have to show patience on our end. We want to help….not become part of their chaos.
To answer the question, “What size?” 40-ish x 52-ish is a good size, but anything works. “What age?” We could use 2nd to 4th grade, both boy and girl. It is very helpful to have the quilts pre-measured with the size pinned or taped to the quilt.
WE CARE contact information: For more information and where to send quilts and supplies, contact Kathy Biggi at kabrabit@yahoo.com. Right now there is no formal website but Kathy says she is toying with creating a Facebook group. She has given me permission to share her email and that is the best way to contact her.
Sew Creative – Oregon
Oregon and Washington have also been battling wildfires. Sew Creative, a quilt shop in Ashland Oregon, is accepting large lap-size or bed-size quilts. They will distribute the quilts to fire victims in their area. You can ship a new or mint-condition quilt to them at 115 E. Main Street, Ashland, OR 97520. They greatly appreciate your help!
I had heard that Bear Creek Quilting Company in Oregon was accepting quilt donations, but the need has been filled thanks to many generous quilters.
Happiness is a Warm Quilt
The Facebook group, Happiness is a Warm Quilt, is gifting quilts to wine country fire survivors and others throughout California. You can find more information below:
Even more important than quilts (who would have thought?) are basic needs that can be supported with monetary donations. Below are a few ways you can help.
The Red Cross continues to help wildfire victims by setting up safe refuges and providing financial support. You can help people specifically affected by the California, Oregon or Washington wildfires. Write “California Wildfires,” or “Oregon Wildfires” in the memo line of a check and mail it to your local Red Cross chapter with the completed donation form. For California Wildfires you can also text the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
The California Community Foundation has set up a Wildfire Relief Fund to support both mid-term to long-term recovery efforts for those affected by California wildfires.
The California Fire Foundation’sSupplying Aid to Victims of Emergency (SAVE) program brings immediate, short-term relief to victims of fire and other natural disasters throughout California.
I feel like this list could go on and on. I wish I had the time to investigate further, but I’m thankful that you’re still reading! Your thoughts and prayers to all victims are always welcome and appreciated.
Halloween Cuties
Switching gears – I am still recovering from our trip to Austin. By that I mean my legs are sore and I’m still tired! It was so worth it and we had a blast. It amazes me how excited our grandkids are when we come to town. I think it’s because we give them 100% of our attention and we play with them nonstop. And maybe spoil them just a little!
Ben, Clara & Amelia
My daughter, Kelly, made butterfly costumes for the girls and a bumble bee costume for Ben. She is so creative and let the girls help with placing their colorful spots on their wings. They were the cutest family of pollinators ever!
For many children this year, trick or treating wasn’t an option. I can remember Halloween being my favorite day of the year as a kid. I would have been devastated if it was cancelled. My grandchildren are at a magical age where they didn’t miss a beat! Each adult hid behind a bedroom door and handed out candy as the kids knocked on each door. Then we had a scavenger hunt for goody bags (that grandma made) in the backyard. Best Halloween ever in my opinion!
Now I’m back home and missing them as I always do. But the business of life kicks in and I find that there are so many wonderful things to enjoy at home. We just planted our winter vegetable garden, I finished my last block for the Stitch Pink Sew Along, and I am wrapping up a BOM project this week. I’m working behind the scenes on a new Christmas tutorial for you guys that will be a quick and easy project. There’s always something to be thankful for and this Sunday I’ll have a new list of Sew Thankful’s for you! Thanks for taking the time to follow along and happy quilting!
