After months of planning, sewing, and wrapping, you’ve created real magic this holiday season. I’m so proud of you!
Now it’s time to kick up your feet and rest. Treat yourself to a cup of peppermint cocoa and a warm soak in the tub.
You know, quilters love to give and serve. But sometimes we forget to take time for ourselves. So every Christmas, Jenny plans a special project meant just for YOU.
This year, she is using Shannon’s Cuddle® Cuts Minky 2-Yard Cuts to make a quick and easy throw blanket that is so luxuriously soft, you can wrap it around your shoulders and relax like the quilting royalty you truly are!
The Cactus Pincushion from Missouri Star Live displayed in a terracotta pot.
Long gone are the days of your grandmother’s red tomato pincushion! In the latest installment of Missouri Star LIVE, Courtenay demonstrates how to make a unique cactus shaped pincushion that will not only add a modern elegance to your sewing room, but will keep all of your pins safely tucked away for future use. Whether you’re “planting” your cactus pincushion in a traditional terracotta pot, or celebrating your love for Missouri Star by using a Thimble Container, this handy project is a must-have addition to your sewing studio.
Cut out the paper cactus blossom template. Use the template to trace and cut 2 cactus blossoms from the accent felt scrap. Set these aside for the moment.
Hint: Because you are sewing through layers of felt, you may need to change your needle to a larger size and sew slowly to ensure even stitching.
Lay 1 petal shape atop another, right sides out. Using a medium zigzag stitch, sew around the curved edges, leaving the bottom edge open. Repeat with pairs of the remaining petal shapes to make 3 units.
On only 1 of the sewn units, measure 1¾” from the widest point of the curved edges and mark a vertical center line.
Stack the 3 sewn units, aligning the edges, with the marked unit on top. Use Wonder Clips, binder clips, or pin as needed to hold the stack together. Sew the 3 units together along the marked center line, backstitching at the beginning and end.
Pin a fabric flower to the top of your Cactus Pincushion for a beautiful final touch.
FINISHING
Stuff each of the 6 tubes you just created with fiberfill.
Hint: The eraser end of a pencil or small dowel comes in handy to stuff the skinny tubes (Don’t forget you may find a wooden rod in your Poly-fil bag!).
Lay 1 cactus blossom atop the other at a 45° angle so that the ends of all 8 petals are visible.
Sew the blossoms together by hand, slightly gathering the top petals so they have 3 dimensions.
Sew the cactus blossom to the top of the cactus.
Cut the styrofoam cube as needed to fit inside the thimble container. Use the glue to adhere the sytrofoam to the inside of the pot. Use additional glue to adhere the cactus to the top of the styrofoam. You can fill the pot around the styrofoam with aquarium rock or even glue some rocks around the base of the cactus to finish “planting” your cactus.
Stick in some of your favorite pins and your cactus pincushion is sure to prickle your fancy!
Needing some more help? Download our Free Printable Pattern or Join Missouri Star’s very own Courtenay Hughes as she demonstrates how to create this adorable, quick and easy project on the replay of Missouri Star LIVE!
In the olden days, laundry was scrubbed on washboards, hand-mixed bread was baked in finicky wood-burning stoves, and the Carpenter’s Star was stitched with labor intensive y-seams. It was a lot of work. Thank goodness for modern innovations!
This week, Jenny is whipping up an Easy Carpenter’s Star using big half square triangles. It’s a gorgeous quilt that comes together lickety-split! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
The periwinkle plant is so resilient, it can survive extreme heat, drought, pests, you name it! Those pretty little flowers just bloom and bloom—even when life isn’t perfect!
So here’s my new motto: be like a periwinkle! Don’t give up if your stitching isn’t straight! Don’t despair if the seams don’t match up perfectly! Just do your best, and have fun creating your own Stretched Periwinkles with Jenny! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
(Psst! Watch all the way to the end for two bonus projects that are made from the scraps!)
They don’t make them like they used to. Many of us were fortunate enough to have learned the art of quilting from our ancestors; parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles have long since been the best teachers to pass on the gift that is quilting. They stitched differently, as limited resources required more time and perseverance with each block. Each stitch was made with love though and the quilts survived, being passed down as family heirlooms for generations to come. Those beautiful patterns, bound in time by thread, became classics of the quilting world.
These projects have carried with them a sense of expertise, but there is no need to be an expert to create one of these timeless treasures. In honor of National Quilting Month, check out these five beautiful, traditional patterns and use your newfound knowledge to create something your family will cherish for years to come!
Stars and pinwheels are both iconic symbols of quilting. Quilt patterns including pinwheels and stars dating back to the 1800’s have survived demonstrating that quilter’s captured their surroundings and incorporated motion into their blocks. Using 10″ squares of precut fabric, the Stars and Pinwheels Quilt is an easily achievable project rich with history and tradition.
Consider keeping in theme with tradition when selecting fabric for this project. Elegant florals in a classic color palette really capture the ambiance of this quilt. Mercantile or primitive fabrics will add the traditional touch you’re looking for; we suggest Zellie Ann 10″ Squares for Benartex to truly create a timeless masterpiece.
When Jenny purchased an antique quilt block online, she never expected to discover a true hidden treasure within. Adorned with traditional pinwheels and complimented by a delicate border, when pieced together these blocks form a larger picture that’s full of the elegance associated with quilts from long ago.
A hint of color goes a long way with solid white backing. A Summer Breeze 2019 Jelly Roll from Moda Fabrics the perfect combination of vintage florals and bright colors that will make this quilt stand out among the rest.
This labor intensive classic has never been easier! The Granny Square, commonly used in crochet patterns, has been a long standing staple of the crafting world. Traditionally this quilt pattern requires numerous small squares be pieced together to create the desired effect, but with the help of Jenny’s modern approach to this classic, the Turnabout Granny Square Quilt can be made by any level of quilter and cherished for years to come.
The Dresden Plate can trace its history back to the 1920’s where it quickly became one of the most popular patterns of it’s time. Emanating from a bygone era, the Dresden Plate is still a popular and widely sought after pattern today. The process of making this gorgeous pattern has changed though and now through the use of templates, this pattern has never been easier to create
Although our quilting styles, tastes and patterns have changed, the customs associated with quilting have withstood the test of time. Wedding quilts have a rich historical importance because they were often well cared for and passed down through generations. The Royal Wedding Quilt, a simplified variation of the antique English Wedding Ring Quilt, puts a modern and streamlined twist on a classic project.
Balance this quilt with both light and dark 10″ squares for a brilliant contrast. Again, try to keep in mind the popular quilting fabrics of the past to capture the motif of a classic. Rhapsody in Reds 10 Karat Crystals for Wilmington Prints is a great place to start building these quilt blocks, the bold reds and subtle cream colors blend well to provide the desired effect of the design.
