Quilts and More Winter 2021

Christmas is my favorite time of the year. I’m always excited for the editor’s letter in winter issues because I get to gush about all the festivities I’m looking forward to. Over the last three years, I’ve shared memories of baking Italian cookies with my mom, sewing gifts in multiples, and memorable quotes from childhood holiday specials. But things are different this year. Let’s face it: 2020 has been rough. Pandemics, protests, uncomfortable conversations, stress, natural disasters, and murder hornets (seriously?). As the holiday season rolls around, everything feels up in the air. Our theme for this issue is gifts, but I debated if we should change it. Then again, gifts might be needed now more than ever. Phone calls and small gifts sent back and forth in the mail were such…

COZY CABIN EMBROIDERY PATTERN Snuggle up on a snow day to stitch this design from Auburn Hoops. The PDF download contains a stitch guide with instructions for embroidery stitches and a traceable pattern that fits a 7”-diameter embroidery hoop. $12.99; auburnhoops.co CLASSIC HOOPS Display your embroidery designs in a solid wood hoop available in sizes from 3” to 10” in diameter. The hoops have an internal locking system to hold the fabric firm without any extra fasteners on the outside of the hoop. Starting at $18.89; auburnhoops.co HOLIDAY SET OF GIFT WRAP Dress presents in high-quality matte gift wrap featuring Alison Glass designs. The set comes with six holiday designs, each measuring 19.5×27”. $17; alisonglass.com HAPPY QUILTER MUG Sip hot chocolate from a stoneware ceramic mug with a distressed look. The mug is safe to wash on the…

CUTE & CUDDLY Cheerful, fussy-cut polar bears peek out of the pieces of a block composed of cozy flannels. Fabrics are from the Cubby Bear collection by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics (windhamfabrics.com). TRUE BLUES Careful placement of the navy fabrics emphasizes the plus signs and star shapes in the corners and center of the block. Fabrics are from The Blues collection by Janet Clare for Moda Fabrics (modafabrics.com). CLASSIC CHRISTMAS Surrounding a fussy-cut white center square with a dark red print draws attention to the middle of the block. Fabrics are from the Winter Wonderland collection by Sandy Lynam Clough for P&B Textiles (pbtex.com). Go to AllPeopleQuilt.com/948 for instructions to make a 14"-square-finished Arrowhead block.…

1. 100% COTTON—40 WT. Best for machine quilting. A staple of many sewing rooms, 100% cotton thread works well with cotton fabric because the natural fibers grip each other. Many quilters use 100% cotton thread for its look and feel. Use an 80/12 sewing-machine needle with this weight. 2. 100% COTTON—50 WT. Best for machine piecing. While similar to the 100% cotton, 40-weight thread, the 50-weight thread is thinner which allows seams to lie flatter when pressed. Use a 70/10 or 80/12 sewing-machine needle with this weight. 3. 100% POLYESTER Best for general purpose sewing and knits. Polyester thread, or all-purpose thread, is more durable and less likely to break down over time than natural fibers. It is also stretchier so it can sew knits without snapping. It comes in many colors and weights. 4. HAND-QUILTING…

Every issue, we challenge three designers to create projects using the same kit of fabrics. This time, we asked the staff at Piece Works Quilt Shop in Winterset, Iowa, to curate a collection of some of their favorite fabrics. They selected ten ⅓-yard cuts of pink, purple, and teal batiks; black-and-white prints; and a white print from Island Batik (islandbatik.com), Windham Fabrics (windhamfabrics.com), QT Fabrics (qtfabrics.com), and Moda Fabrics (modafabrics.com). Our designer friends—Tony Jacobson of Piece Works Quilt Shop, Jessie Zeigler of Threaded Quilting Studio, and Susan Ache—showed off their styles and created the projects you see here. To order a kit of ten ⅓-yard cuts for $49.60 ppd. in continental U.S., contact Piece Works Quilt Shop, pieceworksquiltshop.com; 515/493-1121. MEET THE DESIGNERS: Tony Jacobson pieceworksquiltshop.com Jessie Zeigler Threaded Quilting Studio threadedquilting.com Susan Ache @yardgrl60…

QUILT Finished size: 45½" square Finished block: 14" square MATERIALS Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width. ❑ ⅓ yard white print (blocks, sashing) ❑ ⅓ yard each purple batik and dark purple batik (blocks, border 3) ❑ ⅓ yard each black-and-white print and black-and-white dot (blocks, border 1) ❑ ⅓ yard each dark pink batik and purple-and-teal batik (blocks, borders 2 and 3) ❑ ⅓ yard pink batik (blocks, sashing, border 4) ❑ ⅓ yard teal batik (sashing, borders 2 and 4) ❑ ⅓ yard black-and-white stripe (binding) ❑ 3 yards backing fabric ❑ 54"-square batting CUT FABRICS Cut pieces in the following order. From white print, cut: ▪ 16—2×3½" rectangles ▪ 4—3¼" squares, cutting each diagonally twice in an X to make 16 small triangles total ▪ 16—3" squares, cutting each in half diagonally to make 32 large triangles total ▪ 4—2½" squares ▪…