Winter Pines

January 9, 2018July 17, 2026 Elizabeth E.22 Comments

It all began here, with a visit to Gardner’s Quilt shop in Utah, where I saw this quilt. I realized I had many fabrics that would work, so purchased only the pine boughs and a couple of other coordinates:The two fabrics on the left are from Amy Sinibaldi’s latest line, Little Town, and the two on the right are from Lori Holt’s collections. I decided my brain hurt from some other projects, so went with the pattern they had at the shop. It’s called Rustic Pines, from Amber and Amanda and you can get it free online.

But…I didn’t really like the way they made the pine tree. Yes, they strip-pieced together some fabrics, cut out the trees, but they raw-edge appliquéd on the trees. Yeah, okay. I didn’t want my quilt to look old before its time, so I drew up a pattern in Quilt Pro software (RIP), that is really very much like the tutorial I already have for Christmas Trees.

The big difference is the size. I drafted this second pattern to match the size the pattern makers had for their trees, and you can download a PDF version of this tree here:

Winter Tree Download

The usual requests apply: don’t download billions for your friend and neighbors, but instead send them here to get their own. The tutorial runs about the same as Christmas Trees, with a few different measurements.

After making the tree add the right side by matching up the bottom edges of the piece. A teeny triangle will overhang the edge, as shown on the left bottom corner in the photo above. Stitch and press toward the tree (you’ll want your trees to look like they are in front of the background).

Match up the left side, again letting that teeny triangle overhang the background fabric (lower left corner in photo above). Stitch, then press toward tree.

Stitch two background pieces on either side of the tree trunk; press toward trunk. Line up the tree trunk with the tree’s top point, as shown. Stitch seam. I trim off the little triangles, too.

Because this pattern has you add an extra piece, I cut that too, and kept it to the side (but it’s shown, above).

I like to streamline my cutting. I cut two rectangles 6″ wide by 7-1/2″ tall, placing right sides of fabric together.

NOTE: This only works if you have TWO of each fabric, and place them right sides together. Layer up a couple of these rectangle sets — in units of two-right-side-together — then make marks roughly 1-1/8″ inches in from each side.

NOTE: It’s a FAT 1-1/8″ or a SKINNY 1-1/4″ measurement. Aim for something in between. Cut a diagonal line, as shown. Now you’ll have backgrounds for your trees.

But the deal is, you’ll have to trim that sticky-outee triangle shown above, which really is no big deal.

This is how I kept track of trees, backgrounds, trunks and bits-and-pieces. I layered them up, stitching a bunch of right backgrounds onto the tree, then right backgrounds onto the trunk. Head to the iron, then back to the machine to stitch on the right backgrounds onto the tree, then right backgrounds onto the trunk.

PAUSE, to slice off the bigger triangle, as I mentioned, then to the ironing board to press. Stitch the tree trunk unit onto the tree.

Time to true up the block. My tree blocks were slightly smaller than the pattern’s, coming in at 7-1/2″ wide by 9″ tall. Really, it just doesn’t matter — true yours up to your smallest tree and move on.

Arrange, and re-arrange until you like your trees, then sew on the extra strips, following the pattern’s instructions (shown below).

Stitch the sashing in between the trees, cutting that strip to the measurements of YOUR tree (mine was 11″), yielding strips of forest. Then lay out the shorter sashing strips (mine measured 7-1/2″) for the horizontal sashing, making sure to distribute your background prints evenly, then add the sashing square (as per pattern) and sew.

I had a bit of the pine branches fabric and the darker one with the berries, so used them to add two 3″ borders around my quilt. I just ran it up to the quilter’s and hopefully will have it back to enjoy before our Southern California winter disappears (it’s really only about 15 minutes long these days, given the effects of climate change). Today is a deliciously rainy day, and I can hardly wait to use my Winter Pines quilt on days like this!

Get the other free Christmas Trees pattern *here* (shown above)

Criss-Cross Quilt Top

December 29, 2017August 2, 2026 Elizabeth E.19 Comments

Criss-Cross Christmas Quilt, top finished December 2017
59 ” by 68″

It all started when my friend Leisa gave me a mini-charm pack of Merrily fabrics by Gingiber. Then the Fat Quarter Shop had the fat-eighth stack, and then when my making dictated more, I scooped up a layer cake of the line, and I was set (and I still have some left). I added Kona Snow, and got creative.

I just started making…and putting them up..and making…and deciding to enlarge it…

Then I moved around the blocks, making sure the light of the mini-charm-square blocks were balanced against the heavier “filled-in” blocks. At some point I decided I was done.

I sewed them together, stopping mid-way to celebrate Christmas and get the flu. Because the flu shot is only partially effective this year, more people will probably get the bug. The good news, though, that by having had the flu shot, the duration and intensity will be lessened. I hope so.

I’ve got some year-end sewing to do!

UPDATE: The pattern for Criss-Cross is available on PayHip.

Christmas Quilts · Free Download · Free Quilt Pattern · Mini-quilt · Quilts

Tiny Tree and Teeny Trees

December 8, 2017August 2, 2026 Elizabeth E.22 Comments

I’m decorating for Christmas and wanted to change out my Tiny Quilt from Autumn to Christmas, but then got wondering how a teeny-weeny quilt would look, so got busy. These little quilts fit onto plastic picture frames:

I have two free patterns for you here, but please remember the drill: Don’t print off umpteen for your next class, or guild meeting swap or your mother. Please send them here to get their own pattern.

The teeny tree (4×6″) pattern is in this downloadable PDF file: Teeny Christmas Tree quilt

Updated, one-page version (2021): Teeny Christmas Tree quilt

The tiny tree (8×10″) pattern is in this downloadable PDF file:Tiny Christmas tree quilt

As you can see from the samples I made up, I play fast and loose with some of the placement of pieces, really using them more as a guideline for cutting, than anything else (although I did cut out the tree exactly).

Cut out all the pieces for the pattern you’ve chosen. As I noted above, sometimes I used the pattern (shown here before I added the labels) as sort of a general guidelines. You need an accurate tree, and a nice straight edge where you’ll sew it to the tree (the diagonal line in the photo, above).

I sewed the “sky” pieces to the sides of the trunks then trimmed the edge that would attach to the tree. More detailed tutorial is also on my OTHER Christmas Tree block tutorial, which is sized somewhere in between these two tree sizes. (I should open up a Christmas Tree lot with all these patterns.)

Sew the “right” side onto the tree. Make sure you keep the marked top triangle point pointing upwards.

Trim any stray areas (above), then add the other side.

Straighten out the bottom of the tree assembly. Center, then sew on the tree-trunk unit, pressing seam towards tree (so it looks like the trunk is under the tree).

Now to add the snowdrifts on the little tree. On the left, I sort of place that wedge-shaped piece, determine the angle but flipping it up and down (on the right). When I have the angle I like, flip it back up so right sides are together, and stitch along the upper edge. Trim.

Repeat for lower snowdrift. Trim excess.

For the bigger tree, I added on 2″ strips to frame the tree. It needed something to jazz it up, so I got rid of the bottom strip on the pattern and just used strips all around.

Layer with batting and backing and quilt. I did a meander in the sky area around the trees, then some straight lines in the snowdrift on the teeny tree, and some straight lines in the frame around the bigger tree:

I also quilted some swirls in the center of the tree.

Time to trim. The teeny trees trim to 4-3/4″ by 6-1/2″ and the larger tree is trimmed to 8-3/4″ by 10-1/2.”

Make a sleeve for the back by cutting a piece the same size as the quilt top, but then hem the lower edge, turning it up twice and top-stitching. I know it’s hard to see in this print, but again, feel free to check out the other tutorials of tiny quilts.

I brought out my Blythe doll and one of my husband’s nutcrackers to pose by the quilts.

Looks like Blythe has the hots for the Santa skier. And here I thought she’d go for the more traditional guy:

He does look a little formal. Hmmm. Evidently not her type.

Okay, that’s enough–I’m off to sew!

(Buttons added!)

Free Quilt Pattern · Sewing · Totes and Purses · Tutorial

The Visual Story of a Sewing Kit

August 30, 2017August 9, 2026 Elizabeth E.14 Comments

*Rescue boats fill a flooded street at flood victims are evacuated as floodwaters from Tropical Storm Harvey rise Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)*

Okay–here’s what helps keep me busy while I’m watching hours of footage about the Hurricane Harvey disaster: hand-sewing. So I came up with my own little sewing kit. Start Here, with this rough sketch of a pattern: Sewing Kit_opquilt-pattern

and these dimensions:

Cut out. Quilt Soft & Stable lightly to backing, as you just want to hold it in place, you don’t want to distort it. NOTE: although it doesn’t show really well, I cut two of the notions pocket (thimble and thread glide); the dotted one (you can see it below) is the lining. Remember to cut with wrong sides together, as the pattern piece is not symmetrical.

Stitch it together along the curvy top, and the right side. Turn inside out, topstitch along the curvy edges. and make the pleats. Top stitch along the two sides and the bottom, holding it in place to the inner lining. I like light linings, so I can see what’s going on.

Refer to above photo for the rest of these ~~sketchy~~ detailed directions.

Sew down one long side of the scissors pocket; turn and press. Turn in 1/4″ on the other long side; press. Top-stitch the scissors pocket onto the lining. Slide your scissors into place, and figure out where the ribbon needs to go: backstitch a ribbon into place.

Match up the backing with the lining and all its decor, putting wrong sides together and pin. All the edges will be raw edges. Find the center line (where you will fold this closed) and stitch down the center to anchor the parts together.

Insert the zipper between the two zipper pocket pieces, cutting zipper down to size after sewing thread tacks on each end to keep the zipper on its track.

If you want a needle holder, cut a piece 1-3/4″ by 4″ and stitch to the zipper pocket as shown in photo above. Then fold the zipper-pocket-assembly in half, creating a pocket. (You can see the aqua ribbon sneaking into the pocket in the above photo.) Place zipper pocket on right side of lining and stitch around this narrowly–just to hold it in place.

Lay a spool of thread on all the corners and trace; cut the edges into a rounded edge. You can omit this step, and just do the corners like a quilt binding.

Bind the edges with a double-fold binding: cut a piece approximately 20″ long and 1-1/4″ wide. Fold raw edges into the center and press. Open out binding; first stitch WST with binding to back. Fold to the inside, pinning or glueing to keep in in place, then topstitch. Make two other double-fold pieces, roughly 12″ by 1-1/4″ and zig-zag. These are your ties. Stitch them to either side of the outer edge (refer to photo way below).

Add other trim: two buttons for the “String & Button” closure (yes, that is its official name). I found some interesting thick string and sewed that through the little pocket at its tallest point and then knotted it behind the pocket. I used Fray-Chek on all raw edges of string and ribbon and ties. To close, you wrap it around the button (shown, above).

I use the Superior Threads Bobbin Donut in doing my hand stitching. I tried and tried to think of a way to get it attached, and finally resorted to sewing a ribbon to the center.

I also tried it out on their new Super Bobs box, which is what is replacing the Donut. They still have a few donuts for sale on their website if you hate to see it go. Truth: I probably won’t shove the donut or the box into the sewing kit…but I might.

I realize that I assume you have some sewing knowledge when I posted this, but another Truth: it’s also for my reference if I ever want to make another one. The very cool fabric on the outside is from Timeless Treasures Fabrics a few whiles back. It’s called Lux, if you want to go looking.

Why did I make this? I have lots of pouches and bags and I love them all, as most came from friends. I also have a couple of sewing cases, too, but I found myself toting around my stuff in a zipper baggie, as nothing quite suited me. So I know this is what works for me, but maybe you can find something in here that will work for you.

It matters little how much equipment we use; it matters much that we be masters of all we do use. ~Sam Abell

I have to say that my attention has been preoccupied with the victims of the Houston flooding. My son and his family moved there a week ago (I know!), and I try to keep tabs on them as much as he is able to. I’m not the only one focused that way, with loved ones being flooded. We’ve contributed to the Google Hurricane Harvey Response (they’ll contribute matching funds), and there are many other charities where you can donate. Please consider helping in this way, as this is catastrophic.

And One More Thing: Get your own Emergency Supply Kit. Have water, basic necessities, food that’s portable. None of us can expect that rescue will be a part of our community’s offerings, in case of disaster (and you know what your own disaster can be). We have to expect that we’ll need to help ourselves first.