The Janome Circular Sewing Attachment, Aurifil Thread, and multiple rows of decorative stitching work together to create a “round-tastic” set of hot pads. Add a special recipe or unique seasoning for an excellent gourmet gift.
A pretty option for dining indoors or out. Cut, layer, stitch, serve (shaken not stirred). It’s just that easy, and as cute and colorful as can be. Super fast and a great option for scraps – especially leftover charm squares.
Lovely linens make any occasion special. Blend pretty quilting cottons to create a set of fancy placemats for tea time or anytime. The finishing touch: a classic gray gingham for the ribbon accents plus a delicate white lace trim.
The technique is just as the name implies: the vast majority of the project, both sewing and embroidery, is done within an embroidery hoop. The elegant result is similar in rich color and complexity to a fine Jacquard ribbon.
Pretty towels are a wonderful addition to any kitchen for yourself or as a gift. This option is great for longer fabric scraps. Each towel starts with one 4″ and one 3″ strip, which are then trimmed to fit a purchased base towel.
This happy pair of hot pads is all about the beauty of a perfect line. We selected a wide stripe for the front, then highlighted it with parallel rows of bright decorative stitching. Wrap up several as a unique host/hostess gift.
These tall wine bags mix the rustic feel of burlap with smooth cotton and velvet or wire-edged ribbon. By cutting the heart appliqué from the same burlap as the main bag panels, it creates the look of a window on the front accent band.
The mug rug is a mini placemat with just the right amount of room for a mug and a few little treats. Ours features pretty patchwork on one side with custom embroidery (a free download) on the opposite side’s pocket and napkin.
A happy tabletop centerpiece has the potential to become a best-loved holiday tradition. Make one for yourself plus more for friends and family. We used a Layer Cake with bright poms in a coordinating color.
They’re made from leather remnants. The half-square triangles go together in a snap, and the soft wool-felt backing makes them safe for any surface. Super fast and easy. No edge finishing since neither leather or felt will fray.
This gorgeous quilted table runner was originally designed to feature the Downton Abbey fabric collection from Andover Fabrics. However, the traditional patchwork star design is one that would work well with any number of current quilting cotton collections – especially ones that feature a similar palette of both dark and light colors and a selection
Insulated with thermal batting to help keep food warm or cold. Plenty of interior pockets – all in easy-care PUL. And the top inset zipper provides a secure closure so even if the tote tips, your picnic doesn’t spill.
Handy pockets make it easier to shuttle utensils from the kitchen to the patio. Load them up, stack them up, carry them out. Because they’re self-contained, you can use them with placemats, tablecloths or right on the table.
A French Press makes an awesome cup of coffee, but if you let the press stand for any length of time, the coffee goes cold. Create a cozy to extend the warmth. It’s a great gift idea for your favorite coffee addict.
Explore heirloom stitching by machine. We show two options: hemstitching (if you are brand new) and fagoting (if you’re more advanced). Both offer beautiful borders with mitered corners and an optional monogram.
Originally developed to prevent down mattress and pillow feathers from poking through or blowing away, ticking dates back as early as the eleventh century when the fabric was made with a linen warp and a cotton weft. Today, the clean and simple look of striped ticking comes in a variety of colors and is a
Cloth napkins are more beautiful, more absorbent, and more green. These nifty napkins use a technique for building patchwork strips called a strata. So colorful, it will make breakfast, lunch or dinner feel like a party.
One of the fastest holiday makeovers is a tablecloth. Just three steps: cut, hem, set the table. So fast, why not create a set?! Use a thick, rich drapery or upholstery weight for the underlay – a gorgeous sheer for the overlay.
Lightweight enough to fold away into their own handy carrying case, but tough enough to take on the big grocery chores. We used bound ripstop nylon for a great set of shopping totes that work as hard as you do.
It’s a reversible placemat. No, it’s a kid’s activity. Wait… you’re both right! There’s festive fabric on one side and cool chalk cloth on the other. Write on it with regular or liquid chalk; wipe it clean with a damp cloth.
My brother made me laugh out loud when he said a "mug rug" sounded like a bad toupee for an ugly guy. Although a great guess, a mug rug is really a mini placemat designed to hold your coffee mug or tea cup and maybe an extra little treat, or... when placed by your sewing
The rustic theme is one of the hottest trends in the DIY wedding category, for both wedding attire as well as the ceremony and reception decorations. It's all about creating a wonderful mash-up of subtle tones and textures – just like you'd find in nature itself. A hallmark of the trend is mixing traditional wedding
These clever hot pads are the best of both worlds: a 7" x 9" insulated rectangle for grab-and-go convenience with a back slip-in pocket for the added agility of an oven mitt. It's a great vintage-style combo. Plus, you can make our two hot pads from just three fat quarters! Do you love that matching
These terrific towels start with a base of pre-hemmed toweling. To that we add deep ruffles in a variety of bright prints plus a pretty ribbon to hide the seam. They’re 100% cotton and machine washable… get ready to dry some dishes!
Quilt Block Panels are often used for quick and easy quilts, table runners or wall hangings. We’ve used them instead as feature appliqués on pretty banded, double-sided napkins. As an extra bonus, there’s a set of free gift tags.
Recycle those plastic bags! We show our pretty Keeper/Dispenser on a pantry door; it would also work great over a doorknob, inside a cupboard or hanging from a wall hook. Just drop bags into the top – pull out from the bottom.
An exquisite ribbon can transform a simple rectangle of solid fabric into an elegant table runner. We quilted the center in a wide diamond pattern, and the ribbon frame extends beyond the edge at the corners with pretty loops.
When I was young, one of my favorite cartoon characters was Hanna-Barbera's Yogi Bear and his sidekick Boo-Boo Bear. In fact, my sister and I used to greet each other (okay... sometimes we still do) with the Yogi catchphrase, "Hey there, Boo Boo." I liked Yogi because he was always in search of pic-a-nic baskets,
Is your guy an awesome chef or maybe a weekend warrior on the BBQ? Whether he’s headed to the next Chili Cook-Off or just flippin’ burgers for a backyard family picnic, our cook’s apron and hot mitt combo is sure to light his fire.
Three tabletop projects in one! A long patchwork table runner plus generous reversible napkins with pretty ribbon wraps. We outline how to measure to best fit the runner to your table and how to adjust the patchwork if needed.
I have a small scar on the inside of my forearm from the Great Cookie Tray Debacle of 2009. If you're a multi-tasker, and most creative folks are multi-taskers, I'm sure you can relate. Just because you're doing your holiday baking doesn't mean you aren't also doing three or four other things, such as talking
It’s a plain fringed underlay with a bright, patterned overlay. By making the underlay from a neutral fabric, you can reuse it with new overlays. It’s a fast way to change the look of your tabletop to match the season or celebration.
Pull out your box of scraps, add some colorful trim, and you can transform a plain set of off-the-shelf kitchen towels into a great gift. Our cute tea towels are trimmed with a simple eight-square patchworked row and highlighted with bright red jumbo rick rack. They'll be fightin' over who gets to dry the dishes!
The experts always recommend layers when dressing for winter; we felt this advice should extend to winter table top dressing as well. Our holiday tablecloth is actually two layers: a plain fringed underlay and a patterned flat overlay with pretty pairs of dangling pom-poms as corner accents. With the underlay made out of a neutral
Load up this pretty tote with the food you need to keep cold (or hot for that matter), seal up the top, and everything stays the right temp for a ride home from the grocery store or a trek out to your favorite picnic spot.
Rather than a napkin ring, add a little seasonal splash to your napkins with a few simple folds and some inexpensive trimmings. These six festive napkins are all fast and easy to assemble, and they’ll fill your table with good cheer.
Are a host of Halloween goblins headed your way? Roll out this fast and easy runner to spread out your goodies in style. The simple patchwork is made up of forty 5″ squares for a colorful grid of stripes, dots, bats, and spiders.
A classic nine-patch center shows off a beautiful selection of vivid, large motif quilting cottons. The border all around features rows of vintage buttons, and bright corner tassels add an extra special finishing touch.
Did you know the paper napkin made its debut in 1887? While that's quite historical, we still prefer the cloth napkin. And, making your own festive fabric napkins for a party – or just for everyday - is a fun and easy way to spruce up a place setting. Fabric napkins are super simple to
The book of Classic Picnic Decorating says one must always default to the red and white checked tablecloth. We say, "To heck with that!" Besides, there's no such book! Instead, we invite you to create your own vibrant and stylish table covering. Our instructions take you through the steps to make a banded tablecloth, using