Christmas Cards from Quilt

Just before Thanksgiving, I ordered 20 Christmas cards through Shutterfly using a photo of my Island Batik Christmas in July project (above). The cards arrived today and I am very pleased with them.

I cropped the original photo to fit the card. I have room on the wood, at the top of the card, to stamp or emboss some words, like Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings,etc. I left the inside blank so I could stamp or print my own messages.

I have used my quilts a few times over the years to create cards for various purposes. I order only when Shutterfly has a discount or free cards, so I only pay tax and shipping fees.  I make sure each card costs 50 cents or less. These cost 40 cents per card. The cardstock is a very good quality as are the envelopes. I also begin a photo book of my quilt projects in my account. As I finish more quilts, I upload the photos, write the captions, and save it until a great offer comes to my email or Facebook--usually I use the one free book offers and only pay shipping. I now can say I have been published!

Have you ever used your quilts with a photo service opportunity?

I'm off to write some Christmas cards!

My Dresden Wreath Tutorial

I've been asked to expand upon how I made the Dresden Wreath HERE. 

I am more than happy to let you know how I made it. 

I am using some other fabrics since I don't have enough pieces of the Island Batik fabrics I used. 

Also, for the purpose of actually seeing the process, 

I found the white fabric worked better. 

I used the June Tailor Dresden Express(TM) to cut the 22.5 degree wedges 

and a chopstick for turning out the points of the 

Dresden blades (which I will describe later).

Press fabric(s). I used 4 colors, but any number of colors could be used, 

including loads of scraps! I layered 4 fabrics, which I cut at one time.

Trim up the bottom edge of fabric along a straight grain. Trim fabric top so fabrics are 7"high. The width of the pieces should be about 5" (or more) to accomodate the widest part of the wedge. 

Use the cutting guide grooves for the 22-1/2 degree wedge (red arrows shown below).

First cut

and it's done.

Second cut

done.

Fold one wedge in half, right sides together.

Sew 1/4" along wide end of wedge.

Trim off 1/8" of seam near folded edge before turning.

Turn right side out and use chopstick to turn point out.

Fold sewn tip down to align with center fold of wedge 

and press (wrong sides will be touching at this step)

I match the outer points of the blades and begin sewing from there 

down to the narrow part of the blades.

Sew the wedges together with 1/4" seams (in a pattern if that is the plan).

Press seams open. 

Cut circle or fussy cut a novelty fabric to cover center hole.

Sew on from right side. 

If the Dresden Wreath does not seem to lay flat, 

I take a little bit more of a seam on a few of the blades--just a thread width or two

until it lays flat. That appears to be the nature of fabrics, 

especially when sewing bias edges together. 

I centered the Dresden Wreath on background fabric choice and 

as described in the previous post, appliqued it using a blind hem stitch. 

If you make a Dresden Wreath, please send me a photo, I would like to see all of them!

patchworkbreeze@gmail.com

Island Batik Christmas in July

An early Merry Christmas!

The Island Batik Ambassadors were challenged to create a project 

with a Christmas theme for our July posts. 

I made this Dresden Wreath table topper using some of 

Island Batik's Holiday Happenings fabrics. 

The background fabric is Mirage from Timeless Treasures out of my stash

with metalic lines in it.

The Island Batik fabrics just popped on this background. 

I give a brief summary of how I made this table topper. 

After sewing the blades of the Dresden wreath 

and machine appliqueing the fussy cut deer for the center to cover the hole, 

I used a blind hem stitch to machine appliqued the wreath to the backing fabric. 

I used Dritz Wash Away Wonder Tape to hold the wreath in position. 

 I wanted the wreath to be puffy, so I used 2 layers of batting. 

Sewed around the blade points and around the circle center. 

Then I cut one layer of batting from the outside of the wreath. 

 I spray basted the backing to the other layers. 

Using a green embroidery thread for a finer stitch and less prominence on the top

and thread that matched the brown color of the background. 

I quilted the base of one blade, up the side (and down again) of that blade. 

On to the next blade base and up and down the next joint seam. 

All around to finish it. 

I made a small stipple on the background fabric 

using a gold rayon embroidery thread

that blended so well with the background. 

I squared it up to 17" and used binding from the background fabric. 

I sew bindings to the back, bring it around to the front 

and top-stitch the edge from the top.

This way I have it completed totally by machine

and no hand sewing (which causes flare-up of my carpal tunnel problems).

The bobbin thread is the same thread I use when quilting the piece 

so it appears it is part of the quilting.

Are you sewing Christmas projects this month?

Have you gone to your local quilt shop for a Christmas themed sale?

Quilting: My Mood Returned

After a month when I just couldn't get into the sewing mood, I am doing a good job of accomplishing projects on my list. 

I finished up a few "Americana" potholders for the 4th of July. I forgot to get a photo, but not to worry, I am making a few more because I liked them and want a few for myself. Binding is all that's left. 

I went right to work on my Mid-Century Modern Bee blocks. Years ago I made so many log cabin blocks. I forgot how much I liked making them. I made 4 blocks, not knowing which I would want to mail out. I finally decided to mail them all! 

I have loads of scrap fabrics and I think these blocks will be a great way to use up scraps. I have ideas spinning in my head on how to make them. 

However, the next project I have begun to work on is the Island Batik Christmas in July project. The fabrics I have pictured below are from the Holiday Happenings Collection. I'm not sure I will use the print on the top right, just doesn't seem to be too Christmas-y for me. 

I am planning on making a Dresden piece using one of my wedge rulers. The Patchwork Pearl posted the link to an article about Wedge Quilts, from Modern Quilts Unlimited, which was very good. You can read it HERE. I am going to look for the "Wedge It" tool that is talked about in the article. I can see so many possibilities for future quilts when using it.

We Island Batik Ambassadors don't have to design our Christmas in July projects using Electric Quilt, but there are some links in the Modern Quilts Unlimited blog under WEB EXTRAS that show how to design some projects in EQ. If you are interested in learning more about the possibilities of EQ, take a look at some of them.

In celebration of Electric Quilt's 25th Anniversary this year, Island Batik is hosting a double giveaway with the folks at EQ! Both posts (one on the Island Batik Blog and one on Behind the Mouse, the EQ blog) will be posted on July 10 and the giveaways will be open for entries until the 25th. Island Batik will be giving away an EQ software package and EQ will be giving away a fabric bundle. 

I have scheduled a day at Insprirations of Art Studio to used the Sweet 16 (this photo from HandiQuilter.com). I have 3 quilts our charity group needs quilted. It always feels great to have projects completed. 

Off to sew; are you sewing something for Christmas this summer?