Christmas in July - Bonus Edition!

Hi everyone! Nicole contacted me last week and offered to share some holiday merriment. I of course said yes! So everyone gets a bonus Christmas in July day! We all need some inspiration, and we're in the last 11 days before the linky opens!

Just a quick run-down about the categories for the linky party running July 30-August 3:

-Quilts [baby-size and bigger] / tree skirts

-Home Decor [pillows, table toppers, wall hangings, mini quilts]

-Small Projects [including hand-stitched hoops/towels/garland/cards]

-The 4th prize will be drawn randomly from all the participants!

And now for some fabric creations...

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Hello! My name is Nicole and I blog over at bold goods. I'm here because my mom recently sent me a few boxes of lovely handmade Christmas decorations handed down from my grandma Julie, and Rebecca was nice enough to let me share them with you as inspiration for Christmas in July! Here are just a few of my favorites from what my mom sent.

 If you think you have time for a large project, this tree skirt seems pretty simple, could be made without the ruffle, and would make a big impact on your Christmas decorations. This one is sewn patchwork that is tied instead of quilted, made in 1983 by my grandma Julie French.

Another slightly more time-consuming project is this adorable wreath with a jumbo bow. This one is just a circle with thick cotton yarn wrapped around it. It's hard to see the detail, but there is also a feather-stitch all the way around the inner seam. In the above picture, there is also a whole-cloth version in green, and the yarn is tied in knots instead of wrapped.

 If you only have a few hours, you could always whip together this interactive advent calendar. This one is just a panel with a batting layer and backing, with snaps hand-sewn in various places and a snap on a little bear that moves to different rooms looking for Christmas. This was always fun for us as kids. I did a google search and there are several options available this year for advent panels, I'm thinking of doing one myself.

 

For non-sewers out there, there are a few options. First, this cute little fabric tree is just a styrofoam cone, with little rectangles of fabric folded with a tiny bit of batting inside and pinned with steel pins in layers. I am pretty sure that was made by my aunt Mary Lou Houdek, she is super-crafty but more of a hot glue person than a sewer. I think she also made the santa to the left - he is stuffed and hot-glued together!

 

These little Christmas houses are also not sewn. They are tissue boxes cut up with fabric, lace and felt hot-glued to them. I have a whole village! Some were made by my grandma, and others by my aunt Paula in the early 1990's. The varieties are practically endless, this would be a good one to get your kids involved with!

So, there you go! And if you need even more ideas, I've got a bunch of Christmas projects over on Pinterest as well. Good luck and I can't wait to see what you share in the link-up!

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Thanks Nicole! After seeing that tree skirt up there I'm totally thinking that Elizabeth Hartman's Octagonal Orb block would make a great tree skirt pattern! I must look into what it would take to enlarge the block to be a good tree skirt size.

What are you inspired to make?