Welcome!
Today is day 8 of the Christmas RAPPing Blog Hop and my day to share the project I have.
The word "RAPPing" in the title refers to Reverse Applique and Paper Piecing.
Margaret Willingham and
Nan Baker wrote a quilting book loaded with Christmas quilting project small and large. Here are some of the projects in the book.
You can find more on this book at
A few months ago, Nan Baker sent out an email to Island Batik Ambassadors, present and past, to participate in the blog hop. I am an alumni Ambassador and said, "Yes!" The PDF of the book was sent to us so we could choose a project.
I chose to make "Christmas is Coming," an advent calendar. I've wanted to make an advent calendar for quite some time. I had some Island Batik fabrics leftover from my Ambassador days and some I purchased in the past few years (because I really like the fabrics). I chose to use somewhat traditional colors in this piece. Except for the white-on-white, all the fabrics are Island Batiks. I am still quilting the layers with my sewing machine. Here is the project before layering:
I was pleased to be able to interchange the 4" reverse applique stars pattern with the 4" paper-pieced stars pattern in the corners. (I have carpel tunnel trouble and hand sewing with a needle is difficult.) Both patterns are in the book, along with many others. I will admit I added the lines to the paper-piecing patterns to creat the center diamond (yellow) so I wouldn't have to applique a diamond, even if by machine.
There were directions for both paper-pieced or machine pieced log cabins (with the paper pieced pattern included). I machine pieced and hand trimmed mine, since it's the way I always make log cabins.
The tree and "sky" in the center of the quilt were paper-pieced triangles. The directions, again, were clear as to how to print and connect the paper-piecing strips, as well as the numbering for the colors.
Here is my advent quilt almost all quilted! I hung it on my new photography stand. The bottom edge is straight, but draped back while hanging. And the photo was taken at night with ceiling track lighting, but the colors aren't the best.
Do you see how it looks like the tree has hexagons in it? I think that is so neat! I imagine with a little sketch-work, I could figue out how to make a very colorful hexagon-filled tree.
The size of the units were all spot-on when I was finished sewing them. I am very pleased with how it turned out. I am still deciding what to do for the countdown numbers. I have a machne embroidery for numbers that get put onto covered buttons that I would like to use. I really liked how Joan did her countdown
HERE on Day 1. If you haven't seen her buttons and bulbs, go look at it!
Here is the list of all the participants:
