The top is inspired by Ashley's (from Film in the Fridge) Picnic Stripes quilt (way back from 2009) and I am so delighted with the way the piecing turned out on my own Holiday Sweet Tweets version. I've included a few WIP shots below. I was able to use my all time favorite circles from my Modern Whimsy collection (stash of that is becoming dangerously low so am hoarding it like crazy) as well as some pretty solids and other goodies from my stash.
Sweet Tweets comes in two color stories and I am so delighted to get to work on holiday goodies using navy, yellow and pink. The little peppermint footstools just make me smile every time I see them. And I have a special place in my heart for cardinals so it just makes me so happy to get to sew with this line.
.jpg)
.jpg)
I think I love the diamonds pattern from the line more and more every time I look at them.
.jpg)
And I took a page from my IG pal Julie's (@chickenjulie) book and worked a big piece of selvage from the line into the quilt back. I stitched it straight line and then reinforced with zig zag to make sure that narrow little seam holds up. Hoping to get the rest of the quilting done in the next week or so and I'll make sure to share pictures as soon as I can. (I have determined I *might* detest the quilting process. Piecing I love. Quilting not so much. All that tugging and dragging a giant thing around on a tiny machine. Blech. I have nothing but admiration for those of you who do such beautiful quilting work!! I have no idea how you do it! Mine is just a hot mess. Maybe I just need to finish this one off but plan to rent time on a long arm machine for future projects...)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Partridges and cardinals!
Holiday Sweet Tweets has started shipping and will be making its way to stores this month and next, so get your holiday project list prepped and I hope you might find a way to work some little peppermint footstools into your plans!
In the mean time, I have 2 FQ bundles (1 in each color story) cut and ready for two of you! Just leave me a comment here before the morning of Monday June 10, 2013. (As always, international entries welcome and make sure you leave me a way to contact you!) In your comment, I'd love to hear about a winter holiday tradition you share with your family. I think it would be fun to bring a new tradition into my own family's celebration and it would be a blast to have learned about it from you!
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
107 comments:
Hmmm does the first commenter ever win? LOL. Love the cardinals! Great line!
I love the birds Laurie!
Ever since my children were born I have bought them each a special tree decoration every Christmas! They are all labelled with the year and ready for when the children have their own homes/tree to decorate!
This line is super fun! I would love to have a bundle for some creating... I'm thinking some patchwork stockings for my three little boys would be fun! Our latest holiday tradition is the "Elf on the Shelf." It's a book and a small toy elf that is magically found in new and interesting locations in the house each day. Our little boys LOVED waking up each morning in December and racing around the house trying to be the first one to find the elf, whose name is Norway.
Congrats on such a beautiful line!
HELLO! WE LOVE TO GATHER ON CHRISTMAS EVE AS A FAMILY AND READ THE STORY OF JESUS BIRTH+OPEN ONE GIFT>SAVING THE REMAINDER FOR CHRISTMAS MORNING! THANKS FOR A NEAT GIVEAWAY!
msstitcher1948@yahoo.com
Great fabric! My favorite fabric used to be brrr bears! I would quilt something fabulous with these little birds! Well done Laurie!
i'm not that into the holidays, but if you can call it a tradition, we used to sprinkle our tree with cinnamon to deter the cats from attacking it. they are supposed to dislike the scent.
PS: it didn't work and now we no longer have a tree.
my family always does a scavenger hunt for presents on christmas morning!
I love that cardinal stripe so much! I'm already planning on using it on some pillows for my mom - she loves cardinals.
My husband and I are supernewlyweds. I'm looking forward to starting some new holiday traditions with him. We got a wee fake Charlie Brown tree last year, and I'm looking forward to decorating it.
As usual your fabric is amaaaazing! One of our family Christmas traditions is to go to the cemetery and participate in lighting luminaries on the graves of our loved lost ones. I know it sounds like a downer but when you have lost a child it really helps to bring them into your traditions, you remember what Christmas is really about, and it reminds you to cherish life and your loved ones. And it's absolutely beautiful.
Great fabric!! A tradition for us has been to set the camera on a tripod and take a family photo in front of the tree each year. We did this for several years and it's fun to look back at them. Then kids grew up and moved too far away. :(
We don't have any "unique" traditions. My favorite though is leaving cookies out for Santa on a special plate with chocolate milk. I LOVE those cardinals! They have been my favorite since I was probably three.
Cute fabric!!! We read The night before Christmas AND The Grinch Who Stole Christmas on Christams eve. Not innovative but still meaningful. Thanks!
This is a fantastic collection - love all the birds and the colors are wonderful! Thanks for the chance to win!!
caribousmom (at) gmail (dot) com
I would love to play with some :) We always have chocolate waffles on Christmas morning! That is my favorite winter tradition!
What great fabric. We always read the tailor of Gloucester complete with voices.
I love all of your fabric and I simply do not own enough of it. I think I need to remedy that right away. Thank you for the give away chance....fingers crossed. And Christmas traditions....watching Elf of course.
Laurie what a fabulous new line. Chirstmas is my most favorite time of the year. Love the navy in their is goes go wonderfuly with the Cardinals. Love it all. We do not have that many tradiditons. Except for every Christmas we all cook and go over to my Moms for a late lunch around 2pm. All of my siblings and I cook and each year I have to take a Red velvet cake as it is assigned to me by everyone.lol...after they start asking at Thanksgiving am I bringing it ...it might as well be assigned. After dinner we all preetn my mother with her presents. Quiet a house full with all 4 of us childrena and all our kids and grandkids in attendance. Thank youf ro the chance to win this gorgeous fabric...
I'm typing this post having just opened a a box from my LQS, overflowing with TWELVE METRES of prints from Brr! - Christmas sewing will commence shortly :D
Sweet Tweets is adorable - I'll be keeping an eye open for it - it would make a lovely quilt (with matching stocking) :) Our kids are adult now - when they were little they always slept under the Christmas tree the first night it went up - now, they love it when mom makes a pan of Caramel French Toast for Christmas breakfast - it's so rich we only have it once a year, lol!
Wow, those fabrics are fabulous! A favorite Christmas tradition is baking many dozens of cookies (sometimes my family helps!) and delivering them to friends and neighbors at holiday time. Everybody loves getting homemade cookies.
We don't celebrate Christmas, so I appreciate that your holiday line is subtle enough that I could use it if I happen to win.
We head on out the door for a family walk on Christmas eve, the last few years we've ended up at the beach! Then we head home for a picnic type supper. Just a nice chilled out way to deal with the time of year :D
Such cute fabrics! I think I would use them to make something for my 4 granddaughters.
We set up a nativity scene shortly after Thanksgiving and our grandchildren put in a new person or animal each day. Mary and Joseph travel around the house arriving at the inn on Christmas Eve, Baby Jesus is in the manger on Christmas morning. The wisemen also travel and find Baby Jesus around New Year's day.
So, my really only "tradition" with my kids has been to make pizzelles - Italian waffle cookies. Every year, I make pizzelles for family, neighbors, and the teachers. My kids always know Christmas is coming when I pull out the pizzelle iron!
(P.S. - Love the cardinals especially!!!!)
Ours is rather mundane - making cookies using my mother-in-law's family recipes, and them packaging them for all the family members.
The birds are great!!!
Our tradition when everybody still lived at home was having breakfast in our pyjamas, with lots of different sandwiches, hot chocolate and christmas music on the background. Even when I moved out I came back for this breakfast, still in my pyjamas :-)
So cute! I love holiday fabrics that are a little different!
Gorgeous cardinals! Our tradition was to open one present before going to church on the 24th evening then when we returned we would open everything. On the 25th morning, Santa would have come and delivered stockings then we ate turkey from 2pm :)
I have two sons in the military, and if anyone is away for the holiday season.....we save their gifts under the tree. Keep the tree up til they come home. if it is a long deployment we keep a small gift / token for each holiday, valentines, St Pat's day..etc.
Started this tradition when oldest son joined, and was away from home for Christmas.
Love this line, the peppermint footstools are to die for!
Last year I had some of my instagrams printed, all about 2 inches square, then my oldest son (3) picked all his favorites and we clipped them on the tree with mini clothes pins. It looked awesome and helped remind us of all the fun we had that year. So we're hoping that this becomes a great holiday tradition!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Another gorgeous line, congratulations Laurie! We make magic reindeer food - basically just porridge oats mixed with glitter, and sprinkle it in the garden :o)
Laurie! I love this new line...so cute and non-traditional for holidays:) I love piecing and detest quilting...I always farm it out to someone that loves it.
At Christmas time, I always put out the Christmas quilt that my Aunt Donna made. She attached little bells so that Santa would know when I was asleep. xoxo Bailey
Hi, It would be so exciting to win a giveaway! I love the birdies. I have a tradition with 3 high schools friends. The 4 of us have been exchanging gifts, in person, every year for the last 20 years.
would love to win. thanks so much
We have pizza on Christmas Eve. It's different from all the other food we'll eat for the next week or so what with leftovers and family visits and it's also easy even if you make it from scratch like I do! Thanks for the give away!
I love the new fabric line!! Our family tradition is to have everyone to my house on Christmas Eve. We eat appetizer type things and open presents! :)
Another amazing fabric line! Christmas Eve is big in our house with snacks and opening one present!
I can't wait to pick up those cardinals when they are available! They are my favorite birds and your fabric is just my style!
We always drive around after church on Christmas Eve to see the light displays in our neighborhood and keep an eye out for Rudolph's red nose. We always see a red light or two in the night sky and the kids get really excited!
Love the fabrics. Our tradition is Christmas morning breakfast- homemade stickies (caramel cinnamon rolls), fresh cut oranges and grapefruits and juice. Problem is that I don't make the stickies, my mother in law does and that won't last forever.
Love, love, love cardinals! The selvage across the back is so awesome. I love selvage! The kids and I always made an A-frame gingerbread house together from scratch..now it's mostly my daughter and I that participate in the tradition. Thanks for sharing your fun designs with us!
Congratulations on your beautiful and festive designs. We celebrate Hannukah and Chrsitmas, because our family is diverse, and celebrates different holidays.
My husband and I have a special Hannukah tradition; for one of the nights instead of giving each other a gift, we pool our money together, a set amount, and donate it to a charity. Every year it's a different charity, but we didn't plan it that way. We chose the charity based on something or someone that affected us during the year.
Oh my goodness I love those birds so much! Growing up we used to make ravioli from scratch and have a large pasta dinner on Christmas Eve. I've been serving pasta for Christmas Eve dinner for years, but haven't made the homemade ravioli. I think I need to do that this year.
The cardinals are so cute! I love them as much as the polar bears from Brr! :)
My favorite winter tradition is driving around to see Christmas lights with hot chocolate!
We let the kids open a present on Christmas eve - not too original but fun. I love these fabrics - the colors are fabulous. I agree about the modern whimsy circles - you should do those again in all sorts of other colors - it's the perfect stash basic.
I'd love to start a new tradition by making a Christmas quilt with these fabrics! Cardinals hold a very special meaning for our family so these prints would be a perfect way to start. Thanks for coming out with more fabulous designs!
No winter traditions here as Christmas is in summer, in summer though we have a bar-be-que each year down at a park that's a short walk to the beach. Everyone brings something and we have a great time.
I have a little white Christmas tree (an extra) that I usually decorate with my late grandmother's earrings as ornaments and beaded necklaces as garlands. We first did this when my husband was deployed and I couldn't face getting everything down from the attic alone. It was really , really pretty and a nice way to have her memory with us at Christmas. Love the new fabric line - I need to make some Christmas goodies, so this would be perfect!
When our children were young we began a new tradition of sending enough money to Angel Tree for 3 children. We did it in their names and I would hang the little notes on our tree. Even though our children are grown, I still continue this tradition. Cute fabric, thanks for the giveaway.
We started the Elf on the Shelf tradition 2 years ago for my daughter's first Christmas. This Christmas she'll be able to really understand it. And for the past 7 Christmas' I've been making my hubby these cinnamon and sugar peacans. It's my moms recipe and she made them for him on his first deployment for Christmas. He loved them and has been requesting them ever since. Oh and last year we started the 25 books of Christmas for our daughter. Wrap up 25 books (can be Christmas books or whatever books they like coloring books)put them in a cute basket and let them pick a book each night and read it to them before bed.
mrs(dot)hbraun(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks for the lovely giveaway and for your great blog! One of our favorite holiday traditions is a white elephant gift exchange. Lots of laughs (or groans).
I agree the little peppermint foot stools are adorable as is each and every piece!
Our tradition...Christmas day is lazy day! P.J.'s and movies all day! My kids make breakfast and I get to clean up! You might not want to follow that tradition!
Well in Aus it is hot so we swim a lot and I make a special berry trifle for Christmas dessert.
We each open one present up on Christmas Eve (it's how my parents got us to go to bed on Christmas eve rather than trying to stalk Santa.)
Gorgeous fabric as always :-)
One holiday tradition is to let each child choose a new ornament for the christmas tree.
We open one gift on Christmas Eve, ad it is always a book. This has always helped the kids in the family pass the long night.
Very inventive use of colors and designs for a holiday line. I especially like all the dots and diamonds, animals not typically associated with the holidays and the fact that some prints are dense and others more open. On Christmas eve, we eat oyster stew with freshly baked rolls, served with butter and quince preserves.
Laurie Churchill
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Lottebiondi@gmail.com
Yet more gorgeous fabrics!
One of our winter holiday traditions is to visit the Eden project, they have a tropical and Mediterranean biomes and we walk through there dreaming of summer! Crazy - yes, but wonderful
mary(at)emmens(dot)co(dot)uk
Gorgeous new fabrics, as always of course!!
We don't have any winter family traditions, maybe it's time to make some?
Christmas is big in our family - however it is high summer. So no winter traditions. Lots of food - both traditional English Christmas food and seafood more suited to our climate. Best bit is watching the little ones open their presents and family being together. Love the fabric designs.
Wow, the collection is fantastic. So modern. Thanks for the chance to win your delightful collection.
Hkopke@yahoo.com
Great collection as for traditions we always open one small Christmas gift on Christmas Eve. It started off that I'd argue I should be allowed to open pressies as it was after 12am and therefore technically Christmas Day! But now we get everything done that needs doing and when we're all snuggled up under quilts and watching TV we'll open one little present!
I love the cardinal fabric and having grown up on a farm, I love the farm animal fabric also. One of our favorite Christmas holiday traditions is baking lots of home made sugar cookies and getting everyone, babies included, in decorating. Thanks for the giveaway! Your fabrics are awesome!
ruthaleffler@aol.com
Like some other commenters (is that a word?) I buy a Christmas ornament for each child each year. We have also started going to our city Botanical Garden on Christmas Eve to see their gingerbread house show. It will be here before you know it! Many thanks!
ellen(at)myerly(dot)net
Love the cardinals and the Quails! We have the same breakfast casseroles on Christmas morning, baked French toast and a savory egg dish. Both are made the day before, refrigerated and baked on Christmas morning. Yum!
Laurie, I'm sewing down my last bit of binding on my Perfectly Perched quilt. Will send you a picture when it's finished. It's so cute that my 20 yr old daughter has already claimed it! Adorable new line, by the way.
Can't wait to see these fabrics!
I would love to win a FQ bundle.
Thanks for the giveaway!
These fabrics look awesome as always. We do Christmas bags instead of stockings (stockings were too limiting). My girls always get beef jerky from our local meat market. One year I decided to put something else in the bags. Boy, did I hear about it. So every year every one gets beef jerky.
We have the youngest one present pass out the gifts one by one on Christmas morning.
my daughter adores birds! she would die over this fabric! Thanks for the giveaway1
Our tradition is particular to my family. Our oldest daughter arrived on Dec. 9th (she was due the 15th), and I had spent the day preparing for Christmas- getting the tree, cookies, etc. So now we always try to get our tree on her birthday.
A tradition that I grew up with that I'm having a hard time getting my husband on board with is getting to open ONE present on Christmas Eve, with the rest on Christmas Day. But I loved that!
First of all I love this fabric!!!!!
Our tradition has been opening one gift on Christmas Eve! And....eating lots of great! FOOD!
Such a sweet line, Laurie! I particularly love the lighter coral/red colour version. We always bake a lot, set up an advent calendar (with ornaments to hang each day) and I try to do special holiday things each year, whether it be finding special christmas hot chocolate mugs for the kids or candy canes in the hot chocolate or making bird seed treats for the birds as christmas presents. Strange talking Christmas in June, but it's making me feel festive.
I absolutely love this line! My Papa and I have this tradition, after we put up his Christmas tree, the first ornament I hang is a little red cardinal that sits on one of the top branches. Every year my grandparents give me a different red cardinal ornament for my tree because I liked theirs so much. This line is so special, and I would love to make my Papa something with the Holiday Sweet Treats line.
Love your new line...those adorable little peppermint footstools are sew sweet :) One favorite tradition, when the children were growing up, was to put the the lighted ceramic Christmas trees I made for each of them next to their beds so Santa could leave a small gift there.
Thanks for the sweet giveaway!
Love your fabric! It would be perfect for my family since we have a tradition of getting Christmas cards and/or other accessories with Cardinals in the picture. The reason is we are St. Louis Cardinals baseball fans and the cardinals on our cards, etc. just spreads out the baseball season into the holiday season. Thank you for this great giveaway.
Have a super great sewing and stitching day!
I can't begin to tell you how much I LOVE this line. Cardinals have always been my grandmother's favorite bird, she always points them out and comments on their striking red caps, then during Christmas, her house is filled with them. Then there are your adorable little quails, my grandfather and I would sit on his porch and watch them in the mornings throughout the spring there would always be a little parade every morning. Thank you for another FANTASTIC fabric line, they get better every time. Also thanks for the great giveaway!
What a wonderful combination ! I, too, am a fan of Ashley @ Film in the Fridge. Thank you for sponsoring a great idea way!
One of our holiday traditions is that we get up on Christmas morning and open one present. Then, we have a huge breakfast together before opening the rest of the presents. We open them one at a time, taking turns so as to enjoy the reaction to each and every gift. Sometimes, Christmas takes us the entire morning.
Our kids are still pretty young, so the only holiday tradition we seem to have so far is going out to cut down the Christmas tree together. But, with four little kids it is always entertaining! Love your new line, especially the quail!
We open presents on Christmas. We get to open one present on Christmas Eve. That's the only tradition I can think of!
Every year on christmas day we always sing the 12 days of christmas. we split into 12 groups. it always cracks us up!
I don't think you will want to do this one, but we roast a whole pig for Christmas here in Greece. grecomara at gmail dot com
These fabrics are amazing! thanks for the giveaway
we always put an elf called Christopher on the tree first as on my parents first Christmas together that was all that was on the tree when they got the call that my Grandma had died and they rushed out of town.
Wow super cute fabric. Can't wait to see the finished quilt. Our most fun holiday tradition is putting clues on our presents. Since we really don't want to give things away they get very, very obscure. It means that we take turns opening and the recipient has to make at least one gues.
We set up our Christmas village houses during Thanksgiving holidays to get the season started.
My dads side of the family has a big party on Christmas Eve where Santa, Mrs Claus, and a couple elves come to give the kiddies gifts. Its the highlight every year!
Love this fabric line. I decided just this week that I am making Christmas quilts for my sister in law and 3 nieces. I need more fabric! Every year while my daughter is home from college we have a mother -daughter holiday brunçh. So much fun to see how the girls have grown and how differently they interact as they mature. Love it.
Another lovely fabric line - you're so creative! We don't really have any unusual Christmas traditions yet - we're just about to move to Switzerland and will be there for our next Christmas, so maybe we can find an interesting Swiss custom to adopt.
First, I have to say that I love your quirky quail!!! I think the tradition that I love the most is caroling. Over the years, this has taken many forms. As a child, my whole family (there were 8 of us) went to one of the local nursing homes and wandered the halls singing carols. As an adult, I carried this on for many years with friends and family.
Wonderful fabrics...Our Thanksgiving tradition is that Id o the cooking..lol But what my husband and I do is I make a new tablecloth for every thanksgiving and whomever is at the dinner that year gets to have their name in a basket at the end of the meal we pull the name and they get to take the tablecloth that year. There has been one or two conversations about whose turn it is to get the table cloth and it has become just a fun thanksgiving treat.
You've outdone yourself on this one! I love the color stories and the cardinals and partridges are wonderful! thanks for a chance to win.
We just started a tradition last year of picking someone to leave a present of some kind (dinner, a treat, a small gift) for several nights before Christmas. I had intended it to be the 12 days of Christmas, but couldn't make that work. So for about 8 days we would sneak over to the house, leave a present on the step and make a mad dash get-away (the favorite part for my 4 and 7 year old kids). They loved it so much that recently when we were sharing some flowers with friends they wanted to do the same thing. I love this fabric line. Thanks so much for the chance!
Sooo cut your new line!!
Here in Argentina, winter holidays are in July. It's the middle of the year, children have 2 weeks out of school. When I was a little girl, I used to live in the interior of my country. So every July we travel to Buenos Aires (the capital) to go theaters, buy a lot of toys, eating in nice restaurants, go to mc Donalds!!! because in the interior does not exist it!! Now, I'm mother of 3, and now I live in Buenos Aires, but each winter holidays I take my children to the interior....to visit my parents. The other hand I lived!!!
Laurie, you know you're one of my favorite fabric designers and I LOVE this new line. You continue to rock it in ATX!!!! Oh and I totally relate to liking the piecing together of quilts and not so much the quilting part!
Ever since ihave been big enough to remember (and that has been a very long time), before we opened our presents, we would tell each person something we were proud of them for doing. It could be as simple as shoveling snow off the sidewalk. Then we would tell each person something we admired about them. It could be their gentle spirit or them standing up for someone who was being bullied. And last we would schedule time each month to spend one on one with each person so we could know them better as a person and not just a brother or sister or other family member. babscorbitt@gmail.com
The cardinals (and are those quail!!) are so cute. We go ice skating together every year, see the Nutcracker, and go look at lights.
when i was younger we did secret santa in our family of 4. we drew names, and then had to make the gift we gave to our secret santa. it was always a lot of fun!
What a fabulous line! my mom would have loved the designs also she was a huge birder - her favorite - cardinals! I will need to make a memory quilt with this line! One tradition we do is exchange a small gift to each other on St. Lucias Day - Dec. 13 and have coffee, hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls that morning. I nice easy way to start off the holiday season! Thank you!
I've been collecting cardinal material to make a quilt for my husband, this would be perfect to add to it! We always like to look at the Christmas lights every Christmas.
missysaprons@gmail.com
I love the new fabric! Those cardinals are especially perfect. One of my family Christmas traditions is making cinnamon rolls And coffee or cocoa for breakfast.
I"m trying to think of a unique tradition to our family but I think that many of the ones we do are used by others -- we do make gingerbread houses every year and my kids love it. We try to look for ornaments for the tree that represent a place we've been as a family so that when we decorate the tree we can remember fun family times. lkwhittacre (at) gmail (dot) com
LOVE the polka dot partridges!!! Every year we drive into San Francisco to take a family portrait in front of the giant tree at the Neiman Marcus in Union Square. I love looking at my 3 boys growing from toddlers to tall teenagers!
Hi!!!! Love these fabrics!!!! Wonderful prints and colors!!!! We always put the angel on top on Christmas Eve and the children get to open one gift!!!! Always reindeer food and cookies and milk for Santa!!!
This fabric is lovely. I hope I am not too late to enter
Post a Comment