What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

The last post on our Christmas in July event brings a few more ideas for crafting and sewing fun. Read on for holiday inspiration you can start now.

Make adorable sewing ornaments by wrapping empty thread spools with glittery trim, and adding some cute embellishments to the top and bottom.

See the tutorial on the ornaments above along with the cookie cutter button ornaments below on my post Handmade Christmas Ornaments.

Use your embroidery machine to stitch out small motifs or holiday words. Then use a large covered button kit to mount the stitchery, adding trims and a ribbon hanger ...

So, I hope we all went crazy embellishing the stockings from yesterday. How many did you end up with? I have nine.

Now, pull out your larger beads in all kinds of sizes and materials. I have glass ones, plastic ones in all kinds of colors and sizes, bits from broken jewelry, wood and metal beads. Decide the order in which you want to string your stockings. Note that the openings have not been stitched closed. Leave them open for now.

Begin the string at the bottom of the stocking you want on the bottom end. You can use two ...

I was looking at the Prosperity Sewing Hens I made a few weeks ago, and mulling over the Christmas in July event I wanted to do. I briefly considered making hens out of Christmas fabrics, when another idea hit me. What about Stockings instead? A wish for abundance at the holiday time with family and friends, an abundance of food and maybe even a few gifts. Maybe you can see me rubbing my hands together with glee, what an opportunity to embellish!!

Start by downloading the pattern – Abundance Stockings

For each print, cut one piece of fabric 4-inches x 9-inches ...

I first heard of prosperity hens almost 2 years ago, when reader Becky mentioned them in a comment, then sent me a photo of hers. Prosperity Hens originated in India where having a flock of chickens could make a difference for a poverty stricken family. They are meant to bring prosperity to a home and are generally hung near a doorway or window. I kept her photo, and the project stayed in the back of my mind. When the longarm went down again, and I found I had time on my hands, it seemed a perfect time to finally make ...

Last week I got farther along on Koi Pond, and then was stymied once again. I finished beading all the fish, and they look great, but the purple beads do not shine as much as I had hoped. You have to be fairly close to the piece for you to notice them.

The last element I wanted to add was a water lily in the open space in the lower right corner. I pulled fabrics, trying to find something with a subtle print to add some dimension to the applique. Deciding on one that seemed to match the pebbles in ...

This past week, I have been on a mission to find some small projects that our guild area group can make for our shop at the show next year. Knowing it will take some time to find the right ideas, I’ve been looking for quick projects with pizzazz. Thank you, dear readers, for your input on this subject some days ago. Your comments were immensely helpful, and combined with my research, I am looking for specific things in a project. I think that items with embroidery will do well, as many sewists do not embroider by machine. So something ...

From time to time, I have to decrease the amount of quilted and crafted items in the house or I would be covered up in them. So, time for a sample sale, to move some things into other hands. I have some cards left as well that were not appropriate for Safelight but still fun, so those are up for sale, too. This is a great time to pick up a gift for someone, or treat yourself. Particularly for my readers who do not quilt, you can have a handmade, unique item for your decor or to give to a ...

So many things to chat about today! Several projects were made this week, with specific purposes in mind. First, a dear friend is moving away, and I wanted to make her a special card. It will have a little gift inside. The card is a trifold, with stamped thread spools on the front with ribbon and a cord with a bow.

Inside, two sentiments let her know she will be missed, but is wished well in her new home.

I finished two fabulous books that I recommend highly! Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus – A woman with her own mind ...

Can you believe that July is almost over? This summer is going by in a flash! As of today, we have five months and two days to Christmas, so we might want to get to some projects now to finish with time to relax and enjoy the holiday season. With that in mind, I have planned a couple of fun ideas for your sewing pleasure! I’ll show you a quick wall hanging, then a round up of some past projects you can use as gifts. Then, we’ll have a fun blog hop for more projects!

First, let’s ...