Christmas in July: Quilts for All
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. If you haven’t had a chance to check all of them out, here is the full schedule:
July 10th- Siobhan of www.cdm365studios.com
July 11th- Joise of www.hiddenstitches.com guest blogging on www.cdm365studios.com
July 12th- Lissa of www.lovinglylissa.com
July 13th- Jen of www.dizzyquilter.com
July 14th- Swan of www.swanamity.com/blog
July 17th- Emily of thedarlingdogwood.blogspot.com/
July 18th- Siobhan of www.cdm365studios.com
I thought today for our final post I would talk a little about holiday quilts. Holiday quilts is really a very broad term that can cover all different types of quilts. It could be a quilt that is specifically themed for Christmas with Santa Hats and Gingerbread men. Or it could be one that uses a more winter theme- hello snowflakes! The fabric you use could also make it holiday themed, whether you opt for a retro kitsch Christmas or a classically elegant Christmas. These last two are perhaps my favorite options. I love being able to make something that hints at Christmas but can be used for a longer time, or use Christmas fabric and try out a new pattern that I have wanted to make.
Going with a red, green and white color scheme for a simpler pattern is also a great way to easily make gift quilts (and if it is holiday themed, consider gifting at Thanksgiving so the recipient can use it that year). Take, for example, the Color Storm quilt that I made in bright florals and pindots. Change it over to reds and greens and all of a sudden you have a holiday quilt.
Another great option is changing up your quilt’s center. Consider patterns that are based around panels; these are quick and easy quilts to make that can easily be themed for different holidays and seasons (not just Christmas) depending on the panel you select. For Jelly Roll Square I have a variety of different quilt blocks free to subscribers that can be used in the center to provide a different seasonal feel. For Christmas I love using the Fir Tree Block.
And don’t be afraid to go with unconventional holiday colors and patterns. When I designed Cat Tails, the fabrics I chose for the mock ups were all based around the Santa Paws collection which features Christmas Cats. While the colors may not be the traditional Christmas colors of deep reds and greens it still provides a lovely background for the cats in Santa hats.
To help everyone get started with their holiday gift making I have put together these three quilts into one bundle. The Christmas in July Bundle includes Jelly Roll Squared, Color Storm and Cat Tails, all of which are easy to sew and make perfect gift quilts. Purchasing the bundle will save you 50% on the patterns and get you set up for success with this year’s holiday quilting. But act fast- this bundle will only be available for the month of July!
Thank you again to everyone who participated in this blog hop, and to everyone who followed along. Stay tuned for our next blog hop, which will feature organizing solutions to help you keep track of your supplies and make the most of your sewing time.
Happy Sewing,
Siobhan
CDM365 Studios
