To tide ya'll over ....

While I'm finishing up the Dragonfly panel, I've got a couple of quick patterns for ya'll to help you get your homes decorated for Christmas early! Or make a whole bunch and give'em as gifts or sell at your guild's Christmas Bazaar (which is what I'm doing this year!) You can also blow up the patterns and use them to adorn a pillow! Use'em however you like - hopefully, they've got a million uses (okay, perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration)!

This is a "blast from the past" in our house ... we made these ornaments a couple of years ago and these were sew simple and sew adorable sitting on our tree! Appliqued with fusible and then optionally blanket-stitched around the edges (to give'em that "homespun look"), the longest amount of time they take to complete is the time you take choosing the fabrics!

The mouth on "Frosty" is a trail of French Knots. For "Frosty's" and Santa's eyes, you can just use a cluster of French knots if you don't feel like cutting tiny circles. And you can even make the cute little scarf 3-D by simply sewing ribbon (or a ragged edge strip of fabric) under the first piece - sandwiching it between the background and the first applique piece. Make sure to cut it fairly long - and then simply trim after you've lightly tied in a bow!

For extra "dimension" slip a tiny bit of stuffing under the pieces such as the snowman's body and head (which is all one piece), and his nose. For Santa, slip a tiny bit of stuffing under his cheeks and nose!

If you want to do these up extra quick, just use felt! Chances are, as the Christmas season rolls around, most homes have PLENTY of felt on hand! If not, these ornaments would be perfect for those themed color packs of felt that you can find at your local crafts store (or WalMart)!

To finish, sew around the edges with either a blanket stitch and stuff - then finish sewing the blanket stitch to close. Also adorable (and very quilty looking) is to sandwich the appliqued top with another piece of fabric right sides together and sew, leaving a small opening for stuffing. Then slip stitch the opening closed. If you like, you can also slip stitch a faux binding or ribbon on the edges!

These patterns, as I've always used'em, are 4 inches square. Not too big and not too small for hangin' on the Christmas tree! But like I said, you can always use'em at whatever size suits you best! :)

Until next time ...

Happy quilting & quilty hugs!!
Connie :)