Deck the Halls Blog Hop: Day 5

The Christmas countdown has begun! This is the last of five holiday-themed tutorials this week to add to that festive feeling. 

Are you ready to make some ornaments? Both of these stars are quick and fun, not to mention addicting! The fun stripes and bold designs of Maria Kalinowski's Holiday Cheer collection are perfect for these ornaments. 

We used the four prints on the right for the folded star ornament, and the stripe on the left for our jumbo star ornament.

You can find the tutorial for the folded star ornament on Betz White's Crafting a Rainbow blog. We'll get you started, though! Cut four 3-1/4" x 12" strips and fold them in half lengthwise, right sides together. Unfold, and then fold the long raw edges in again to create a strip that is like a double-fold binding. Then head to Betz's blog to see how to fold!

These stars are so cute! 

Hint: Press often! 

To make the jumbo star ornament, you'll need 1/2 yard of the stripe (includes backing) and one 12" square each of black solid and batting. 

Download and print our diamond template here. Cut it out.

Cut two 3" x 42" strips with the stripe running the short way and one 12" square for backing. 

Lay the template on the strip and cut a total of eight diamond shapes. (If you don't want to piece diamonds together, consider adhering fusible web to the strip before cutting the diamonds and then simply fuse the shapes into a star!)

 Sew the diamonds together into pairs, pressing the seams open. 

Sew the pairs together to create two half stars. 

 Join the half stars to make a whole star. Press well. 

Layer the 12" backing square right side down and secure the batting and 12" black solid square on top using basting spray. Center the star on top and temporarily secure with basting spray. 

Use a blanket or other decorative stitch to secure the star to the quilt sandwich. Stitch 1/4" past the outer star edges using black thread. Stitch 1/4" inside each diamond shape using white thread. 

Use a pinking shears or pinked rotary cutter to cut out the star shape 1/4" beyond the black stitched line. Hand sew a loop for hanging. 

The back: 

For a chance to win a bundle of one of our holiday collections, leave a comment below letting us know that you follow us on at least one of our social media platforms (either right here on the blog--options in the right hand sidebar, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), as well as telling us if you have any handmade ornaments on your tree. We'll randomly pick a winner and announce it next week! Giveaway is open through Monday, December 12th at 11:59 pm EST.    

Make sure to catch all of the tutorials on our Deck The Halls Blog Hop!

Monday 12/5: Chris from made by ChrissieD

Tuesday 12/6: Paula Nadelstern

Wednesday 12/7:  Debby from Debby Kratovil Quilts

Thursday 12/8: Alison from Little Bunny Quilts

Friday 12/9: Benartex blog design team

p.s. Looking for more holiday inspiration? Click here to check out the tutorials featured in our Christmas in July blog hop. 

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Christmas in July Blog Hop: Day 4

Christmas in July continues with a week of holiday-themed tutorials! Stop by each day this week to see the featured tutorial and find out how you can enter to win the fabric line being used!

Today Cynthia from Quilting is more fun than Housework (and yes, it is!) is sharing the perfect quick and easy gift idea for the holidays. She's made double-sided napkins using the Holiday Cheer collection by Maria Kalinowski for Kanvas. These novelty prints are sew much fun!

Here's Cynthia:

Welcome to my stop on the Benartex Christmas in July Blog Hop.  Benartex has so many fun collections coming out for the holidays it was hard to choose a favorite.  But when I saw the Holiday Cheer collection, I immediately had the perfect project in mind.

Bright colored candies and cocktail treats....This collection was screaming to be made into party napkins!  They are pretty easy to make so I thought I would include a tutorial in case you want to get started on your holiday sewing.

The first step is to get the fabric pre-washed (to remove shrinkage) and then pressed.  I use either starch or a starch alternative like Best Press to get it really nice and flat.

 You will want to remove the selvages and square up the pressed fabric to the size you desire.  

 

When cutting your fabric to size, you will need to compensate for the 2.5" you will lose in the finished edging. For my 14" napkins, I cut a 16.5" square.

 At your ironing board, fold down 1/4" and press to the wrong side around all 4 sides of the cloth..  I use a small ruler to help with this.  

You can also mark your fabric with a light pencil line on the wrong side if that is easiest to follow.  

(Using Best Press on this step will help to ensure the fold doesn't open up in handling.)

  Next, with the 1/4" still pressed down, you will fold in and press an additional 1" on all 4 sides of the cloth.  Once again, the use of starch or Best Press will keep the folds from opening up.

On a flat surface, open up the 1" fold but keep the 1/4" fold, down.  In the corners, draw a line at 45 degrees through where the fold marks intersect.  I use the 45 degree mark on my ruler to line up with either the edge of the cloth or the fold mark.  Remember to mark all four corners.

Now fold the corners right side together (keeping the 1/4" folded down).  The outer edge of the cloth should be lined up and come to a point. Sew on the pencil line, remembering to back stitch at the beginning and end of the stitch line.  Sew all four corners.

 

Trim the corner about 1/4" from the stitched line.  I may also trim away some of the bulk at the corner where the fold is to help keep the points sharp.

 Now just fold in and you will get a nice mitered corner with a sharp point.  I use one of my cutting rulers to slide into the point to push them all the way out.  Give all the edges another press.

At this point, you can choose not to line your napkins and just top stitch around the mitered edge (see below) - or you can get even more festive and line your napkins with a coordinating fabric.

I cut a 13" square and tucked it under the mitered edge.  I then pinned all the layers around the edge to make top stitching a little easier.

 

In a nice contrasting or complimentary thread (your choice), stitch along the inside fold about 1/16" from the edge.  Remember to backstitch when you start out.  To turn the corners, put the needle down right in the miter, lift the presser foot and turn. I also backstitch at the end.

And there you have it - fun holiday napkins!

Perfect little gifts for that favorite hostess...

 Or put them away for use at your own holiday party.  

Aren't the prints adorable in this Holiday Cheer collection!

Thanks, Cynthia! Head over to Cynthia's blog to enter for a chance to win a FQ bundle of Holiday Cheer fabric! 

Don't miss our Christmas in July tutorials all this week!

Monday: Chris from made by ChrissieD, featuring Jolly Penguin and Friends

Tuesday: Debby from Debby Kratovil Quilts, featuring My Little Chickadee

Wednesday: Alison from Little Bunny Quilts, featuring Sparkle

Thursday: Cynthia from Quilting is more fun than Housework, featuring Holiday Cheer

Friday: Benartex blog design team featuring Joyful

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Christmas in July: Holiday Cheer

The sun is shining, the temperatures are hot, everyone's wearing flip flops...it must be time for Christmas in July! 

Because we know that you like to get a head start on the holidays (or at least like the idea of getting a head start on the holidays), we're sharing Christmas in July here on the blog over the next few weeks. We'll be featuring our new holiday-themed lines and then hosting a blog hop showing projects made from these collections. 

Grab some mittens and a mug of hot chocolate (just kidding!) and enjoy!

Today we're showing Maria Kalinowski's Holiday Cheer line for Kanvas. 

Bright and graphic, these streamers, candies, straws and candy canes are fun for holiday projects. Pick a print or two and make gift bags rather than using wrapping paper, or sew placemats, a stocking, or cute hot pads! Choosing a few coordinating colors from our Colors for Quilters Solids to round out your project!

Click here to see the entire Holiday Cheer collection.

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