Here Come the Christmas Quilts

It's December and I can't wait to share a few favorite Christmas quilts with you.  There are not enough weeks to blog about them all, so some will have to wait until next December.

When my 2007 December issue of America Patchwork & Quilting arrived the end of October, I knew right away that I wanted to make this project.  It's a little mini quilt sewn up into a bag.  I convinced my friend Kay to make it with me and we went to Hollyhill Quilt Shop in search of fabric.  I wanted one to keep and one to give away to my parents for Christmas that year.  We were able to find the very fabric the magazine had used for their sample and I purchased enough to make 4 bags.   I know my original plan was to make two, but I knew I would find people to give the extras to.  My parents and my sister, Karen got one in 2007 and I recently finished the fourth and gave it to my brother for Christmas in 2010 (that's recent to me).  And mine looks pretty on my red front door.

While shopping for the bag fabric, I noticed this quilt on display.  It uses a jelly roll with all the fabrics from the same fabric collection as the bag.  Jelly rolls typically include forty 2 1/2" x 42" strips of fabric.  In 2007, jelly rolls were a relatively new thing so there weren't as many patterns designed specifically for them as there are now. This one is called "Fields of Flowers" and was a brand new pattern by Sandy Gervais of "Pieces from My Heart".

It was quick and easy to assemble.  The 2 1/2" long strips are cut into 10 1/2 " pieces and then sewn together in random groups of five to make a finished 10" square.  There are 32 blocks total.  They are assembled in diagonal rows with the tan colored setting triangles on the sides and corners.

The finished quilt is about 56" x 71" which is about the maximum size I like to quilt on my little Pfaff.  I did an all over stippling in the pieced center section and straight lines on the setting triangles. 

Last Christmas I folded it up and laid it over my pie safe and just left it there all year.  The house and trees didn't stay all year but they are back for Christmas.  I bought the "Quilts" house for myself last year for Christmas and I love it.  It lights up (if you turn it on) and there is a quilt inside the front window.

And just like I did for the bag fabrics, I bought twice as much as I needed so someday I'll have to make up the other and give it away.   Which reminds me.  It's time to announce the first "I Make Quilts" quilt give-away.

I put the name of every commenter on my blog and on Facebook in this jar.  I carried it into the family room and picked one name with Kent and Abby as my witnesses.

Congratulations Monique.  Let me know which quilt you would like and I will bring it over to you.  If you have forgotten your choices, look back at the Fall Mystery Quilt to see pictures.

Maybe next week, Monique will let me post a picture of her and let me tell you about how fabulous she is!  She can quilt, too!!

And here is a close up of the little bag on my front door.  It just makes me smile.  Here's to getting all of our projects done on time; or, at least enjoy trying.