12 Days of Christmas

It's Day 10 and my time to share.
The 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop that Sarah is hosting is wonderful.

The previous days have had so many fun projects that can be made for Christmas.
I want to make them all

If you haven't found this before, here are the participants.

Also remember to leave a comment to be entered into the giveaway.

Friday, July 14th

From My Carolina Home

Vrooman's Quilts

Pampered Pettit

Saturday, July 15th

Citymousequilter

Vicki's Crafts and Quilting

Quilting Fun

Sunday, July 16th

Swimming in a Sea of Estrogen

Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

Monday, July 17th

Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

Crayon Box Quilt Studio

Tuesday, July 18th

Seams To Be Sew

Stitchin at Home

Domestic Felicity

Wednesday, July 19th

The Colorful Fabriholic

Smiles From Kate

Thursday, July 20th

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

The Inquiring Quilter

Selina Quilts

Friday, July 21st

Katie Mae Quilts

Quilted Blooms

QuiltFabrication

Saturday, July 22nd

Devoted Quilter

Kathy's Kwilts and More

All Points of the Compass

Sunday, July 23rd

Mel's Quilting Blog  (You are here now)

Resourceful Momma

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting

Monday, July 24th

Anja Quilts

PickingandStitching

A Dream and a Stitch

Tuesday, July 25th

Christina's Handicrafts

Abyquilts

OK, so on to the tutorials I want to share with you.

I have 3 tutorials for you - Kleenex Cover, Coasters, and Flower pincushion/pin.
I am still trying to figure out how to explain the flower one better, so there might be an update to that one in the future.

One of my all time favorites for teachers and friends is the Kleenex Cover.
It is very quick and easy to make.
I normally chain sew 3 at a time to make the process even quicker.

Kleenex Cover
These are LOVED by all.

Supplies

Main fabric and a contrasting fabric.

Thread
Cutting tools

Cutting

One 5 1/2" x 6 1/2" main fabric

One 5 1/2" x 7 1/2" contrasting fabric

The holly is my main fabric and the red is my contrast fabric.

Assembly

Place right sides together with the 5 1/2" edges aligned.

Sew on the two 5 1/2" sides.

They will not lay flat, and that is OK.

  

Turn right side out and press so the contrasting fabric shows about 1/4" on each side.

Fold in half to find the center.

Fold the edges to the center, overlapping just a little.

   

I pin in place where they overlap.

Sew along the short sides.

  

Turn right side out and your Kleenex cover is done. 

Fill with tissues and give as gifts.

I normally don't open the package when it is a gift.

I let them open them.

Very quick project.

They are so fun to make and so quick, you just can't stop.

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Coasters

THIS IS MY ALL TIME FAVORITE

Supplies:

5 coordinating pieces of fabric

(I've also used all different fabrics or two or whatever I had on hand)

Batting

Cutting tools

Thread

Cutting Instructions:

Cut 5 - 4 ½  x 4 ½ inch squares of fabric

Cut 1 - 4 ½  x 4 ½ inch square of batting 

Pressing Instructions:

Fold 4 of the squares in half, wrong sides together and press

You will have your batting, a 4 ½ inch square for the backing and 4 rectangular pieces.

 Assembly Instructions:

1.     Place 4 ½  x 4 ½ inch square of batting on table 

  

2.  Place unfolded 4 ½  x 4 ½ inch square right side up on top of batting.    

3.    Lay remain 4 pieces (the folded ones), with raw edges towards the outside, and layer as if you were folding a box top to keep it shut.

 

Things to notice: When sewing you want to have the layer on the upper right to be the one on top. This allows you to sew without catching the folds.

4.    Stitch ¼ inch around the outside edges.

Make sure to catch all layers.

  

5.    Trim corners

6.    Turn 

This is what it looks like while turning.

After it is turned, it might need the corners pushed out. 

Don't use a sharp point, or you might go through the seam. 

I use a rounded chop stick.

Finished

  Use it as a coaster. 

it can be used for stemware too.

  

It is washable and is loved by everyone.

When I gave them away at the office to my staff, other employees would come to see if I had any left that they could buy.

I always made more to make sure I had extra to give away.

Great for scrap use if you are only making one or don't care if they match.

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Flower Pincushion

Supplies Needed

7 - 4" square of green. (leaves)

5 - 4" squares of the yellow (petals)

1 - 4" square for the center

small amount of fiberfill

round wooden disk

Needle and thread

cutting tools

Assembly

fold all but the center square on the diagonal once 

and then again.  

Gather them along the raw edge. 

do this for all leaf and petal squares

I tried sewing them together with one length of thread, but think doing them separately would be best.

Sew them together to form a circle 

round the corners off the center square. 

Gather it and stuff with fiberfill.

Sew to the circle of petals 

Add the circle of leaves and sit the flower on top to the desired spot 

Pin the flower in place and sew to the leaves. 

Flower/leaf unit. 

Now to add the base. 

I used a wooden disk. I found at Michael's. 

Hot glue in place. 

When making the smaller flower, you don't need the leaves.

I used 2" squares.

You need 7 - 2" squares for the flower.

You can use the small yoyo type for the center or add a button.

These are a few of the items I like to make for quick gifts.

And as if great holiday ideas and a tutorial weren't enough, this year there is something extra special!  The lovely folks over at Free Spirit Fabrics have donated not just one item for a giveaway, but THIRTEEN!  And it's pretty drool-worthy stuff, too - it's Tula Pink's new holiday line, Holiday Homies!!!

There are six design rolls, six layer cakes, and one fat quarter bundle to give away - and here's how we're going to do it!  Visit each stop on the hop, including this blog, and leave a comment on each post for the day.  If you comment on all the blogs involved that day, you'll have that many entries in that day's drawing!  At the end of the hop, Sarah will do a giveaway for each day by putting everyone's name in the hat who commented that day (from all that day's hop-blogs and mine), and drawing a winner for that day.  That will be twelve winners - the design rolls and layer cakes.  Then Sarah will put all the names from all the days in a hat and draw out a grand prize winner for the fat quarter bundle!  Only one prize per person, though - let's spread it around a bit!  So carve out a bit of time to visit all the blogs and comment - it makes the time spent on each post worth it when you see what people think about your work!

A couple of notes about the giveaway - if you miss a day, no worries - Sarah will be counting up comments at the end of the hop, so you've got time to double up a few days without worries.  But all good things must come to an end, so you'll have until midnight on August 3rd to comment.  Sarah will gather up all the entries and draw winners and announce them on Whoop Whoop on August 4th!  Also, if you really want to win, you should leave your email address with your entry - it's really sad when someone's name is drawn, but they're a no-reply blogger and can't be reached!

Isn't this really exciting?