BH&G Holiday Crafts 2020

You never need an excuse to get out your crafts supplies. Yet Halloween and Christmas are two good reasons to flex those crafting muscles and expand your repertoire of techniques. In this issue of Holiday Crafts magazine, you will find opportunities to create decor for every room and gifts for everyone on your list. Embrace enchanting crafts for the fall and winter that will inspire you to fine-tune familiar skills and explore new crafting adventures. We’re crafters, too. Settled into our at-home work spaces, we explore popular crafting trends and techniques. From them, we select the best projects to share. The instructions are checked—and tested—until we are confident they’re accurate and easy to understand. When you start your holiday projects, you can be assured of success. Flip the pages. You’ll love the…

HOUSE HAUNTING Pleated black crepe paper shingles drape this house in gloomy glee. Choose a papier-mâché house to mimic your own home or allude to a classic haunted mansion. Tuck twinkle lights inside to make the scene glimmer on a mantel or in a window. Battery-powered versions offer plenty of flexibility for haunted havens. Designer: KRISTIN RUSSON SAVE THE DATE This sign of the times generates shivers and shakes, quivers and quakes. With its signature motif woven into the fright night announcement, the spider stakes its claim as the dangling star. Sand the black and white paint to distress the finish and showcase the Gothic-look date and cobwebby masterpiece. Designer: JACKIE SUESS CHANGE OF FACE No disguising it: These monsters are adorable. Each 5-inch-square quilt block gets a merry-not-scary countenance from a combination of simple appliqués and…

CUPPA HO, HO, HO When a bottle-brush tree nestles in a wooden egg cup, a surprising character begins to emerge. This tiny Santa will crack you up with simple assembly and extra-large versatility. You’ll find dozens of places to display him. Designer: MELISSA BELANGER ANTLER ANTICS Cuddle up with one of Santa’s team. This red-nosed reindeer adorns a neutral wool felt pillow scattered with snowflakes and rimmed with pom-pom fringe. The red nose and tan zigzag muzzle highlight the reindeer’s happy face. Freehand-cut the snowflakes from individual felt circles so they are as unique as the real things. Designer: JENI GOCHNOUR TOYLAND PARADE Miniature prints in red and gray combine to form this nostalgic collection. Reminiscent of old-fashioned toys and holiday icons, these ornaments create a coordinated decorating ensemble for the Christmas tree. Rosettes and embroidery floss…

HOME, SWEET HOME With the charm and detail of a gingerbread house, this sweet structure relies on felt, lacy trims, beads, and embroidery floss to cook up a sentimental favorite. Outfit it with a bead-embellished Christmas tree or personalize the accents. Buttons, pom-poms, and other white trims can capture the look of a snowy cottage. Designer: LUCY RAMIREZ WOODLAND COUNTDOWN Surprise the family with an adventure each day of December. Tuck activity tags behind snowflake-embellished wood slices and flip over a slice to reveal a plan for the day. Fun and games can mingle with volunteer opportunities. The Advent calendar’s tree-decorated slice marks the arrival of Christmas. Designer: VALERIE CHRISTENSEN RING THE BELLS Tucked into an evergreen wreath, these homespun bells ring out a seasonal welcome. Made of grain sack fabric, the bells possess a textural attraction…

FELTED TREE FARM Shape wool roving into a dynamic design that melds movement, color, and texture into 4½ inches of felted fun. Each whimsically shaped wool tree stands on a wood slice base. Jingle bells, beads, and wooden stars serve as finishing touches. To add dimension, hand-card several shades of green roving together before felting. Designer: SARAH GABRIEL MITTEN SMITTEN On a cold winter night—or bright winter day—cozy up with a warm project. Three simple embroidery stitches and four colors of embroidery floss are all you need to whip up the 3-inch delight. For other looks, designer Amy Chappell has created a set of six winter and holiday word designs at her Etsy shop. Designer: AMY CHAPPELL SPRUCED UP Loop this mini pillow over a doorknob, hang it on a coat hook, or use it as a…

POCKET CALENDAR Kids and adults will flip over this sweet Advent calendar design. A quick turn reveals the day’s treat. Fussy-cut the tabs so the novelty designs are oriented right side up on both sides. Using template plastic, cut one pocket flap with the curved portion at the bottom of the novelty print design and one with the curved portion at the top. Designer: HEIDI STAPLES Pocket Calendar shown opposite MATERIALS □ 10-inch square each of 25 assorted novelty prints (pocket flaps)□ 1⅜ yard tan linen (pocket center, border, backing)□ ⅜ yard muslin (pocket flaps)□ ¼ yard aqua stripe (hanging sleeve)□ Fabric pen□ Embroidery hoop□ Embroidery floss: black□ Transparent template plastic□ Crafts knife□ Pinking shears□ Clover Hera marking tool□ 24×25-inch piece batting□ Basting spray□ Sewing needle and matching sewing thread□ 28-inch length of ⅜-inch-diameter wooden dowel□…