Hopefully you have been enjoying the holidays!  

Before you take down and store all your Christmas decorations, have a look around.  Is there anything missing?  Is there anything that really has seen better days and perhaps should be replaced or updated?  Don’t wait until next year when you pull out the decorations again to take note of what you need.  By then you’ll be pressed for time and have to make something in a rush, or rush out and buy something.   Take a few minutes now.   You don’t have to purchase fabric yet, just buy the patterns and then throughout the year, when you are in the mood, or have a lull, you can look for fabric and get started.  Even if you wait until fall, at least you’ll know what needs to be done without relying on your memory. (I don’t know about you, but my memory gets worse every year!) Get ready now and make next Christmas less stressful.

How are the stockings?  Are they getting worn?  Are there new family members that need one.  Have there been any announcements of impending births?  (screeee!!!!)  The new baby will definitely need a new stocking.  Choose a stocking pattern now and write a note right on the pattern to remind you who needs it. 

Do you have an empty spot on a wall that’s just begging for a cute wall hanging?   We have well over a hundred Christmas Wall Hangings; you’re sure to find something that will add to your decor.

Now would be the perfect time to start a Christmas Block of the Month quilt.  Come December of next year, you’ll be glad you did!

Don’t forget tree skirts, ornaments, dolls, table toppers…. better yet, check out our entire Christmas pattern section.  Browse, plan, and enjoy the good feeling of being prepared!

Do you need a new Christmas Tree Skirt this year?  Here’s several suggestions…

Christmas Celebrations Tree Skirt will put presents under the tree before you even do any shopping!  Measuring 54″ x 54″, appliqued lights and candy canes with holly leaves are scattered among the presents.

You get lots of choices with the Tablecloth/Tree Skirt pattern from the Quilters Patch.  The 12″ squares can be pieced blocks, embroidered, appliqued or fussy cut a holiday print/scene.  Make a tree skirt or a tablecloth (or both!). Scallop the edges… or not! Your choice!

Kathleen Colleran designed this art deco looking elegant tree skirt.  It would make a terrific wall hanging as well.  Winterberry Star would work with other fabrics and could be a year-round wall hanging.

Poinsettia & Holly decorate this tree skirt.  The points look tricky but they are really easy to do with detailed instructions and lots of illustrations.  Two sizes, 52″ and 66″, so you can pick which would work best for your tree. 

Got a soft spot for Scotties? Let them parade around your tree is this Scottie Tree Skirt.  Look, they are all dressed up for the occassion!  This American Jane pattern, designed by Sandy Clop, measures 50″ x 50″ and will be certain to be the envy of many of your dog loving friends.

Holly, Berries & Pine from Prairiegrove Peddler offers instructions for a 42″ tree skirt, a 16″ pillow, and a 17″ x 34″ table runner, all on a light background.  You could make the background a shade darker, and use brighter greens and reds for the holy and Berries.

There’s more! Check out the rest of the tree skirt patterns and pick a favorite.

Did you do any “Christmas in July” sewing this year?   Every December I swear that I’m going to start first thing in January to sew for Christmas.  I plan to do a little each month so that come the next Christmas I don’t have to deal with the frantic rush to finish or with the sad reality that there was so much more I wanted to sew in time for the holidays and just didn’t have time.  January slides by without a stitch.  Then February is gone.  I rationalize that I’ll start in July.  Yes.  That’s the ticket!  Did it happen this year?  Um, no.  But there’s still lots of time left so I started browsing and planning today.  Here are some patterns I found….

A church and 22 houses surround the Christmas tree in this village.  Every house is a pocket and the roof is a flap.   The grandkids will love this Advent Calendar!  I’ll love being able to use my scraps to make the village as colorful as I want.

This All Tangled Up reindeer looks just how I feel when I get out the Christmas lights.  Thankfully the tree is pre-strung and I just have to deal with the lights that surround the windows.  I know a few people that could relate to this image…. it would make a great gift for them. 

Having a nativity scene is difficult with little grandchildren who think the pieces are toys.  Northwoods Nativity is a great alternative.  The nativity is visible so the little ones can see the wonder of Christmas but they can’t dismantle it!

Chick-A-Dee Hollow has an entire line of Vintage Ornaments.  The design is preprinted and precolored.    The embroidery and embellishment (you know, the fun part!) is all that’s left to do.   This looks like a great take-along project and would make a great little gift.  Or maybe an entire set of them as a gift for someone special.

Well, I think I’ll spend part of my week with some Christmas fabric and Christmas patterns.  I’ll think about the snow to come, and think cool thoughts.   Maybe then I won’t even notice that the heat wave is still here.

If you tend to like bright quilts, with lots of color and pizazz then you will love the patterns by Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobon (and, yes, they really are sisters). Quiet, muted quilts just are not part of their repertoire!   I think the quilts they design are a reflection of their personalities.  If you follow the Me And My Sister Designs blog then you know what I am talking about!

Even the binding on the Happy Dance Quilt is bright and colorful.  The pattern includes cutting instructions for using fat quarters, eighth yard cuts and layer cakes.  Measuring 78 1/2″ x 78 1/2″,  you will have a whole lot of Happy when you are finished!

What little girl wouldn’t consider this a Sweet Treat to have in her bedroom.  Cover a table, or toss over the end of the bed.  All the applique is layered and raw edge so, besides all the colorful cheerfulness, you get plenty of texture and dimension.

The first in a series, Easy as 1…2…3 has instructrions for 3 different quilts that are very fast and very easy.   One is just right for a jelly roll and the other two showcase a fun fabric in the middle and you can use charm squares to make the borders.

Tipsy Quilt Pattern is somewhat muted compared to the other quilts, but it’s still rather colorful.  The block centers are just right for fussy cutting a fun fabric.

Send Flowers is a very easy stripy quilt with layered raw edge appliqued flowers….. just for fun!

We’ll have to revisit Me and My Sisters Designs in the near future because we haven’t even touched on the bags and purses.  And they have a super cute pincushion set…. super cute!  And LOTS more quilt patterns!

The QuiltersWarehouse home page is all dressed up for Christmas.  You’ll find quick links to lots of Christmas quilt patterns . . . .  all kinds of patterns for all kinds of Christmas projects.

Most of these patterns would make great gifts either all sewn up and made for your non-crafty family and friends or the patterns themselves for any quilters you know.   Of course even quilters would love to recieve a project already finished – and they will truly appreciate the work and love that went into the making.

Any patterns that you really like, but know that you won’t have time to make before Christmas, you can add to your wish list. Maybe you’ll find them under the tree come Christmas morning.  Then while the rest of the family is dozing after all the festivities, or playing with their new “toys” you can “play” with your new patterns.   Or add a quilt jigsaw puzzle to your wish list.  That’s something you can enjoy with family and still get your “quilting fix”!

Just click on the blue “wish list” button that shows up on every item page.  

And don’t forget the Christmas Quilt Fabric.  If you don’t use it this year you can never have too much stash!

Soon you’ll be decorating for Christmas, pulling out all the decorations you stored last year.  You’ll put out old favorites and probably realize that one or two ‘old favorites’ just can’t make it another year.  Here’s your chance to add a new item or two to your holiday collection.

Has your Nativity set seen better days?  You might want to replace it with this stained glass wall hanging quilt pattern of a Manger Scene.   Baby Jesus lies in a manger with Joseph and Mary gaze down at him.  The Star of Bethlehem shines down on all of them.   Measures 26″ x 23″ when finished.

Are your stockings dirty from too much coal?   Or do they have rips from too many oranges?   Start fresh with these folk art stockings.  You’ll be able to keep in tradition and say “The Stockings Were Hung….”

Its always fun to add a few new ornaments every year.  This Vintage Ornament 6 Bird House is pre-printed and pre-colored.  All you have to do is the fun stuff…. the embroidery and the embellishment.   Chick-A-Dee Hollow has several different Vintage Ornament patterns.

And there’s still time to make a quick quilt.  Raggedy Pine should go together fast and not sacrifice any cuddliness.  Measures 50 x 54.  It’ll be a favorite for snuggling under and it will also look great tossed over a couch.

So, do an inventory of your decorations.  Then make a plan to sew a few new items.

Happy sewing!