12 Months of Christmas Gifts

I can’t believe I haven’t shared this project with you guys yet! I have partnered with AccuQuilt this year to do a program I called 12 Months of Christmas Gifts. I’m making some home-made gifts with my favorite project dies. Rather than load all of this ambition into November and making myself weep, I’ve decided to make one Santa Stocking, then fill it up all year long with small projects. By the time Christmas rolls around, I’ll have a fantastic gift for someone.

As a little background, when I started quilting I did the usual thing. I killed myself trying to make a quilt for everyone in my family. I did that for a few years before realizing that I wasn’t enjoying that process AT ALL. Plus, my family members are no longer excited about quilts. The first one is surprising, but the second and third suffer from the Law of Diminishing Returns. (Think about that first Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup versus the fourth one.) *This is literally the only thing I remember from economics class, other than supply and demand.

I finally got smart and stopped doing handmade Christmas gifts. If I want to make something for you, you get it when I finish it. It’s a surprise to everyone, and I prefer it that way.

My original plan was to get a fat quarter bundle of fabric and use it all year, so all of the gifts coordinate. That plan went out the window for me right at the beginning. I didn’t find a bundle of Christmas fabrics I loved enough to use them all year long, and I don’t know who I will give the stocking to, so I don’t have a “good” bundle to work with. Rather than getting stuck on that, I just started using my stash to make the gifts.

In January I made a stocking using the Santa Stocking die and the Log Cabin BOB die, along with the classic letters. It is supposed to be scrappy, but I was in Florida when I made it, and I forgot to bring fabric for it, so I used up the leftovers from my Poinsettia quilt. In my excitement, I put Oscar’s name on it, forgetting that he will have no use for the items I’m planning to make. Then I made another one, and left it blank. Once I decide who I will give it to, I’ll add a name.

In February I used the letters again, along with the eye mask die to make a sleepy time eye mask. . I appliquéd ZZZ on it, as the mask only fits 3 letters, and we are a long-name family. The fabric is from my Island Batik stash, and the letters are wool felt.

For March I made this fun placemat using the Dresden Plate die. I’m not a big placemat user, but I love how this one came out! Wouldn’t it be lovely to make a whole set, but use different colors? This dresden fabric is an ombre I received from Gotham Quilts in my Stash Society bundle. It’s called Ombre in Turquoise. The background is from a bundle I ordered from Polka Dot Tea (I’m currently obsessing over low volume fabrics).

Watching the little pile of things grow is so much fun! I’m really looking forward to once again having a nice handmade gift for someone, but without all the last-minute stress this time. My plan is for the November and December additions to be really quick and easy. Actually, most of the projects are pretty easy – none have taken me more than an afternoon to make.

I am thinking about pulling out a bundle from my stash and making one set that looks amazing together. Just for photos. I’m also thinking I need to figure out how to cut down the eye mask and make one sized properly for Oscar. Now I should probably wrap this up and get ready to make my next project!

I hope you get to sew something fun today!