When the word went out that we would be Christmasing in July again this year I knew what I wanted to work on. I had just downloaded Simply Snowmen Redwork from Designs by JuJu for my embroidery machine. My brain went into overdrive for several days and these are the resulting projects.
The first thing I worked on was a sweet little Christmas card.
Looking at it before stuffing it I thought it was so cute that I decided that the snowmen would make a great set of coasters. OK are there any Dr Who fans out there? Is it just me or does the little fella on the bottom right have a major resemblance to a Darlek ? OK maybe it is a bit much a Darlek with a heart, but....
Got them finished and decided that they needed a little pizzazz so I figured out how to add circles and designs to the original pattern and viola.
So originally I was done creating for this hop at this point. But then I came across a posting by Mister Dometic on Fabric Weaving. Looked like fun so
I dug out some Christmas scraps and tried my hand at a couple of potholder/hotpads. Granted I had no problem weaving but I need a bunch of work on their finishing. I do improv pretty well. Also known as faking it so they are gift worthy.
Well then I thought I could make something a little bit bigger so I started to make a set of placemats. The first one was great. A good size placemat at 12 x 16
A few days later I made the second one. It went together great but just didn't look right. I was having so much fun I accidentally made it 2 inches wider. 12 x 18 is just a bit too large for me for a placemat. So maybe instead of 1 gift set of placemats I now have 2 gifts of small table toppers. Sounds like a plan to me.
Well that's it for today but I'll be back. I hope I gave you some incentive to start with your Christmas creating. Remember it doesn't have to be big. It doesn't even have to be red and green. Just from your heart,
Thanks again Sarah and every one else who is contributing to the success of this annual event.
Here is a list of all of the other participating quilters who are creating for your pleasure this year. Don't miss any of them. They are all terrific crafters with wonderful imaginations.
Also below is the form for a chance to win the lovely FIGO fabric fat quarter bundle.
Sunday, July 14th
Monday, July 15th
Tuesday, July 16th
Wednesday, July 17th
Thursday, July 18th
Friday, July 19th
Saturday, July 20th
Sunday, July 21st
Monday, July 22nd
Tuesday, July 23rd
Wednesday, July 24th
Thursday, July 25th
And remember, too, there's a giveaway! FIGO Fabrics has donated a fat quarter bundle of their new Christmas line, Wintertide...
...and one lucky reader will get to take it home! All you have to do is fill in the form below with your full name and email address (don't worry, I won't use it for anything beyond notifying you if you win!). Entries will close on Tuesday, July 30th, and I'll announce the winner here on Wednesday, July 31st - New Year's Eve in July!
Be sure to click "Submit"!!
All very cute and colorful.
ReplyDeleteI recently pulled out my potholder frame so that GDs can weave some potholders. Thanks for all the great ideas.
ReplyDeleteCute snowmen!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea to make woven pot holders, they would be nice and thick too.
ReplyDeleteThe woven mats are wonderful! I just checked out the links for the weaving tutorials. Looks like a fun project for when the snow flies!
ReplyDeleteYou always go into your projects with zeal, and you've done it again with your Christmas items. Good stuff here! As I was looking at those pin cushion/coaster snowmen, I was thinking how fun they'd be to color with Derwent Coloursoft pencils. Helen Stubbings perfected that as a faux appliqué technique, and I have used it several times with hand embroidery. I like what you did experimenting with weaving too. Pot holders and placemats are good ideas. Have you tried weaving with a Wefty Needle?
ReplyDeleteThe snowmen are cute! Loving that wovenplacemat too!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun array of gifts! I've got some redwork patterns that I've been trying to figure out how to best use, and these are some good ideas. I also love the weaving projects! I've been hoping to try the diagonal version sometime, but this looks easy and quick. Thanks for all your hard work, Selina!
ReplyDeleteHo, ho, ho, Selina! OMG - those snowmen are SO cute. Truly, I have two very close friends that would just die over having them. ~sigh~ I know I absolutely HAVE to make a set for each one of them. thank you for that! And your placemats - well, everything you've shared are oh so tempting. Really love the woven idea though - so many things you could do with that, right? How did you contain yourself! HAHA! ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteWhat a great group of projects! Thanks so much for all the ideas!
ReplyDeleteGreat gifty ideas! That fabric weaving looks like fun and I love the snowmen. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh my!! Your definitely were on a roll there!! Awesome ideas..& so fun! Thank you for sharing!! :) I'm going to try the weaving projects, I too made Tons of the potholders when little! lol The fabric idea looks super fun!
ReplyDeleteCute play with the redwork. It's been a long time since I tried the woven, it is a knack. But you got some sweet projects from it.
ReplyDeleteGoodness! SEW many ideas. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat gift ideas and projects, Selina! I saw that video by Mr. Domestic on fabric weaving, and am afraid it has piqued my curiosity! LOL Definitely need to give that a try! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWhat pretty little snowmen! They would even make a very pretty little quilt!
ReplyDeleteToo funny about the placemat sizes! Cute projects!
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried the fabric weaving yet, but it looks like fun! Love your little embroidered snowmen, too!
ReplyDeleteYour snowmen are so cute! The weaving looks like fun. I might try that after I finish what I'm working on.
ReplyDeleteSo cute, as squares or as circles. I was only disappointed to find it was a machine embroidery pattern, since I hand embroider, but I can use other designs ... they just won't be as cute as yours!
ReplyDeleteWow! So many cute projects! You’ve been really busy 😀 xx
ReplyDeleteI think those pot holder kits is where it began for many of us. Your pin cushions are adorable.
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet little coasters!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun way to use those snowmen!
ReplyDeleteI love it when one project morphs into something else! So many great uses for one pattern. Thank you for inviting us over!
ReplyDeleteWhat inspiration! Thanks for sharing this great list of things to make for the holidays.
ReplyDeleteLove your little stitcheries since I enjoy embroidery myself. Thanks for sharing your woven project as well as the link on how to do it. What a fun idea.
ReplyDeleteThe snowmen would be perfect little ornaments for the Quilted Christmas Trees that are in our blog hop this year!
ReplyDeleteLove everything....The bluework snowmen are gorgeous and I really love the fabric weaving items.
ReplyDeleteDesigns by JuJu was one of the very first designers I started buying from when I got my first embroidery machine eleven years ago. They are dependable and so adorable. I love your coasters, especially after you added the extra stitches around the snowmen.
ReplyDeleteall fabulous!! I've tried to do the tumbling blocks weave many times, I just can't get the third pieces in there correctly.
ReplyDeletethanks for sharing and Merry Christmas⛄⛄⛄🎄🎄🎄
Hey Selina!!!! Great projects! Love the woven pads and placemats. And you know that I was the recipient of a really nice hand embroidered snowman quilt!!! But...I'm going to have to buy a Solaris!!!!!
ReplyDeleteLove you!
June - NJ