There are 2 weeks left until Christmas and suddenly that wonderful idea you had of making handmade gifts for everyone has turned into a nightmare (been there). Well don’t worry, there are still some different options to add a wonderful handmade touch to holidays this year! So without further ado, here are my top 10 recommendations for last minute handmade gifts:

This year we have been talking about different ways to use your stash, including some of those smaller pieces of yardage and scraps.  So far we have discussed small projects, scrappy quilts and converting quilt patterns  into scrappy quilts.

It’s time to talk about batting. So far we have discussed sorting fabric, using scraps (or at least some uses), and using the fabric you love, but the other major component most quilters have in their stash is batting, and left over batting pieces. I am right there with you.

Let’s face it - we all end up in a creative slump at one time or another. For some people that means not being able to come up with a new idea, for others being overwhelmed with too many ideas. Today we are going to talk about 5 quick and easy games that will help to spark your creativity and get you past any creative block you might be having; and best of all you can use your scrap stash for all of them!

Have you ever come across a fabric collection that, the first time you saw it ,you just thought “what fun!” Nothing fussy, nothing pretentious, just fun. That is Night Rainbow by Deborah Fisher, of Fish Museum and Circus. And thanks to Windham Fabrics, Deb and Jen, I got to play with this collection early!

In May I talked about setting up a star themed swap, and well, I decided since it was officially summer it was time to take a break from stash busting and organizing to have a little fun, and a swap seemed the perfect option. I wanted to do a star theme for a lot of different reasons.

The theme for this year is working from your stash, and typically we tend to think of this as working with scraps, odd remnants, and making pieces that are a” little too small” work in a project. But this month I wanted to tackle the flip side of this - the fabric we love and don’t want to “waste.”

In January I wrote about how to set up your fabric stash so it worked for you. Well this month I want to talk about how you can actually use your stash in any type of quilt pattern, making it scrappy (even if it doesn’t have the instructions for a scrappy version).

I need to do something creative every day, but was finding that often my schedule was getting in the way of even having 10 minutes free for creative things.

This year one of my big goals is to use more of my fabric stash. After all, I have all of this beautiful fabric that I have bought. I should use it in some projects.

So, November may be a little early to start talking about the new year and making plans for what is coming up, but as I see more and more coming out about what everyone is doing next year I thought, well why not jump in and let you all know what is coming up for the rest of this year (basically December) and in 2024? So without further ado, here we go!

How many people have a hard time taking good pictures of their quilts? I am definitely one of you. I find it isn’t an easy task but one I always want to do, and not just to share the quilts with all of you but so that I have a record of the quilt.

It’s the final day of the Christmas in July Blog Hop and I just want to say thank you to everyone who has participated. Over the past week there have been great ideas for decorations, gifts and kid friendly projects.

Guest Post by Leslie and Josie of Hidden Stitches

Christmas in July is a favorite not quite holiday. For many of us, Christmas in July is hot… really hot. Not exactly quilt weather… or is it?

It always feels a little strange to start thinking about Christmas in July, but as a quilter it is an absolute must.

Last night the first two patterns in the new Step Up Series went live. This is something I have been working toward for a while, and am very happy to see finally come to fruition!

When you start looking into being a more sustainable quilter it can be overwhelming, from ethically sourced fabric, to reducing your carbon footprint and more. And like many things when the information becomes overwhelming it may feel easier to tune it out.

Not a formal bed, it is a cross between a pillow and a quilt that can be easily moved to help accommodate your cat's rotating nap schedule.