Making Red and Green Stuff in December

In December, I often get the urge to make gifts and other things for Christmas, how about you? December is always so busy for me (and for everyone else too, duh). But I hardly ever think about doing it in July and if I do it usually passes. Fall is always typically busy too, until after Thanksgiving, so the only time I really like to focus on Christmas gifts is in December. That probably sounds like I'm cutting it short and I usually am. I've never been an early shopper. I start my Christmas shopping whenever it snows. But then I go shopping and can't decide what to get and so I think "Hmmm, maybe I should just MAKE something," LOL.

 

If you feel like making things in December too, have I got some ideas for you.  This is the LAST month for our  Small Quilt challenge that we started in January.  I chose  the Turkey Tracks quilt from my book Remembering Adelia (on page 69). To make this month's challenge, follow the pattern in the  book. Of course you may make it in colors other than red and green. (But the red and green is too cute, isn't it? That's why I picked it for this holiday month.)

This quilt would make a really cute gift for a friend. If you don't have the time, why not just buy her the book so she can make it herself, LOL?

 

 

 

 

 

Last week, before December actually arrived, I played around with making some quilty ornaments and came up with a few small "redwork" ones. They turned out so cute I decided to create a pattern and I just finished having them printed up this weekend.

 

 

 

How sweet and scrappy are these?? The pattern booklet to make them is now available for sale on my website and is similar to the Schoolgirl Club pattern booklets (4 pages plus a design insert). The pattern also includes antique graphics and some historical info on redwork traditions. 

 

 

 

 

I timed myself when I was making these and the actual stitching took about 20 minutes and then another 30 minutes or less to put it all together. There's still time! So, if you have a hankering for making some cute red and green stuff, you're in good company. I'll be doing some stitching in the evenings and making a few more of these to give away.

 

I'm notorious for making useless handmade gifts for people. Cute things, sure, but what exactly are they for?? Watch, someone in my family will get one of these ornaments and then look at me and say . . . "Uh, what is it? Oh, like, to put on the tree??" Well, I think they're sweet. And like it or not, some of them will be getting one of these.