Deck the Halls QAL - Day 1

❆❆❆Update:  The complete pattern for Deck the Halls is now available for download in my Etsy shop.  The pattern includes material requirements, step-by-step instructions and full color diagrams to help you on your way.  Click here to view the pattern.❆❆❆

𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮 Deck the halls with boughs of holly! 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅰 Fa la la la la la la la la 𝅘𝅥𝅮𝅘𝅥𝅯𝅘𝅥

𝅘𝅥𝅘𝅥𝅮 Tis the season... for the the Deck the Halls Quilt Along!

This year's quilt along is inspired by the garlands and greenery, holly and berries, wreaths and ribbons that we use to decorate our homes for the festive season.  And because I'm thinking of hearth and home, this year I'm using rich cranberry reds and forest greens to give my quilt a warm, cozy look.

Once again, here's a list of the materials that you'll need for this year's quilt along:

• ⅞ yard background fabric
• ⅞ yard dark red/burgundy print for piecing and binding*
• 2 fat quarters red prints—one should be a medium red print and the other a lighter/brighter red
• 3 fat quarters green prints—one dark, one medium-dark, and one medium
• 1⅛ yard fabric for backing
• 40" x 40" piece of batting

*If you'd like to use a contrasting fabric for your binding, you'll need only ⅝ yard of the dark red/burgundy print and ⅓ yard binding fabric.

I'll be posting every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between now and Christmas and we'll finish on December 21st.  With each post, I'll reveal a new block or component and we'll assemble the quilt during the last week of the QAL.  Some of the pieces we'll be working with are small, but this project is suitable for most quilters.

Ready?  Set?  Let's get started!

2018 Christmas Quilt Along Coming Soon!

Yay!  It's quilt along time again!  And the theme of this year's quilt along is "Deck the Halls" — I'm thinking garlands and greenery, holly and berries, wreaths and ribbons...  

The quilt along will start on Monday, December 3rd and once again, I'll be posting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from the 3rd through the 21st.  The final project is a mystery that will be constructed and revealed in stages throughout the month.  This year we'll be doing fairly simple machine piecing (with some smaller patch sizes) making this quilt along suitable for most quilters, including confident beginners.

Here's what you'll need for this year's quilt along:

• ⅞ yard background fabric
• ⅞ yard dark red/burgundy print for piecing and binding*
• 2 fat quarters red prints—one should be a medium red print and the other a lighter/brighter red print
• 3 fat quarters green prints—one dark, one medium-dark, and one medium
• 1⅛ yard fabric for backing
• 40" x 40" piece of batting

*If you'd like to use a contrasting fabric for your binding, you'll need only ⅝ yard of the dark red/burgundy print and ⅓ yard binding fabric.

I'm going with a more traditional, warmer color palette this year—forest greens and cranberry reds set against a cozy tan background—but if you prefer brighter, more modern colors and prints please use what you love.

If you can't quilt along with us this year, be sure to follow along here or on Instagram or Facebook @JenDalyQuilts.  Hope to see you back here Monday!

—jen

Back to QAL page.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

6 inches of fresh snow on the ground is putting me in the holiday spirit!  I just checked the calendar and we've got a bit over 5 weeks until Christmas—plenty of time for some holiday sewing!  If you're looking for some ideas, here are a few of my latest Christmas projects:

The first is my "O Christmas Tree" advent calendar.  I originally made the calendar with muted flannels and assorted colors of felted wool to give it the warm, traditional look that I love.

But then I realized that the calendar would be equally cute made with a bright green tree and red, pink, and turquoise felted wool:

I'm not sure which I like better, so I may just have to hang both of them in my house this year—in different rooms, of course!  If you'd like to make your own advent calendar, you can find the pattern on my Etsy shop.

Next up is a sweet stitching project called "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas."  I made two versions of this project as well.  One is a little hanging quilt—perfect for a door knob, a cupboard knob, a hook, whatever you like!

The second version is a darling pillow:

Both versions would make great hostess gifts!  You can find the pattern for these little cuties in the November/December 2018 issue of McCall's Quilting.

And last, but definitely not least, are "Jolly Janglers," my felted wool snowman ornaments.  

These ornaments are so simple and easily made with scraps of wool and homespuns from your stash. And you can give each it's own personality by embellishing them with different buttons, tiny jingle bells, or embroidery.  An added benefit:  finding the little branch arms will get you outside enjoying the wintry weather!

You can find the pattern for these irresistible ornaments in the November/December 2018 issue of Quiltmaker.  I challenge you to just make one!

All of three of these projects require a bit of handwork, which in my mind makes them perfect for this time of year.  What could be better than stitching a snowman or embroidering a felted wool penny ornament while enjoying a holiday movie—cocktail optional?!  Bliss!

Happy Stitching

— jen

The Boo Crew

Here's a fun new project just in time for Halloween!

The Boo Crew is a 16½" square quilt that's the perfect size to display on a table or wall or to finish as a pillow.

And with simple blocks and stitch & flip corners, The Boo Crew is a treat to put together—perfect for quilters of all levels or for a quick weekend project.

The Boo Crew is also versatile!  Make it your own by changing up the color placement or palette. 

Here's The Boo Crew with a background made of two shades of purple and a black zigzag:

Or here it is with an orange zigzag:

And here's a monochromatic black and white version that I just love!

The pattern for The Boo Crew is now available for immediate download in my Etsy Shop. 

Hope you have fun with it and Happy Halloween!

Turning Leaves

Here in New Hampshire the leaves are beginning to change and fall is definitely in the air!  And to celebrate this most lovely of seasons, I've got a new Moda Bake Shop tutorial for all of you fall lovers.

My Turning Leaves pillow is made with a mini charm pack and a bit of background fabric.  It's easy to assemble and at 18½" square, it's the perfect size for either a pillow like mine or a mini quilt.

In fact, I tried a new technique with this little project that makes mine both pillow and mini quilt.  After quilting the top, I layered it with overlapping backing panels and bound it as usual.  From the front it looks like a normal quilt, but the overlapping backing panels allow me to insert a pillow form, turning it into a pillow. And best of all, when it's a pillow, the binding reads as piping.  I don't know who thought of this idea first, but it's brilliant!

My Turning Leaves pillow is made with "Spice It Up" fabric by Jo Morton—her colors and prints are just perfect for fall!

You can find the free tutorial for my Turning Leaves pillow on the Moda Bake Shop.  I've included plenty of photos to help you out and you can find detailed instructions on how to do the nifty pillow backing.

Have fun and happy fall, y'all!

Jen

I'm so excited to be taking over the All People Quilt Instagram account this weekend!  I hope you'll join me there starting Friday morning, October 12th to learn a bit more about me and to see some of my favorite quilts!  Can't wait!

jen

Monster Mash

Ready for a little Halloween sewing?!  

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine.
©2018 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved. 

Here's my Monster Mash quilt and I'm so excited to have it featured in the October issue of one of my favorite quilting magazines, American Patchwork & Quilting, on newsstands now.

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine.
©2018 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved.

This colorful project features fast and fun fusible appliqué and simple embroidery—great for a beginning quilter!

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine.
©2018 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved.

And it's versatile!  Pick your favorite faces and make a 4-block version of the quilt:

If solids aren't your thing, here's a version made by APQ quilt tester Colleen Tauke with print fabrics from the "On Maple Lake" collection by Pam Buda for Marcus Fabrics:

Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine.
©2018 Meredith Corporation.  All rights reserved.

You can even bind a single block and attach a ribbon to make a cute little quilt to hang on a door knob or hook.

These spooky but sweet faces are perfect for mixing and matching and making your own—have fun with them!  Happy Quilting!