While Tangled Thread isn’t a quilting blog (go to Quilting & Patchwork for that one!) making art quilts is one of my great passions.  I seem to create at least one art quilt as a Christmas gift for someone in my family every year.

Last year it was my brother & sister-in-law’s turn – this year it was my parents:

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay

My brother took the photos of my parent’s pets and I Photoshopped them.  The photots were then printed directly onto specially treated silk sheets (the silk sheets are fused to paper and are treated so that you can run them through your printer).  I appliqued the photos onto fabric, stitched them onto the background (which was created by appliquing more strips of fabric onto a “sandwich” of fabric and quilt batting).  I then mounted it onto a stretcher frame and covered the back with more fabric.

I also enjoy giving home-made candy at Christmas.  I bought some yummy black organza that had been printed with silver snowflakes – which I thought would make a great way to wrap the candy:

image: C Findlay-Harder

I cut rectangles of the fabric, wrapped the cellophane-bagged candy in it and then topped it all off with a matching silver ribbon.  The organza tended to fray a little so I trimmed off the ends with my pinking sheers.

Voila!  Quick, easy and festive wrapping – just the way I like it

Post from: Blisstree

The final Christmas projects round-up

Got a big button stash?  How about a button wreath?

image: Really Bad Kitty 

Use festive fabrics to create this braided wreath:

image: Craftown

This would be the perfect project for the beginning quilter:

image: Sewing.About.com

If you change the ribbon color, this would make a gorgeous Christmas wreath:

image: The Long Thread

Post from: Blisstree

Christmas & holiday wreath inspirations

Here’s what my house looks like at the moment:

Of course, it’s not Christmas without yo-yo garlands:

Yo-yo garlands seem to end up everywhere…

You’ve already seen this little guy on my tree:

I also have to have lots of hand-made Christmas ornaments – made by myself:

And by my family:

You can also be thrifty when you’re making Christmas crafts – I used leftover upholstery samples to make parts of my stocking:

I’d recommend using strong needles if you want to make your own – I snapped quite a few with this project!

all images: © C Findlay-Harder

Post from: Blisstree

Christmas at my house

Did you know that fabric superstar Amy Butler has a great line of free patterns for quilts, accessories, fabric crafts and more?

You’ll find patterns for gorgeous scarves (for your hip cousin) business card holders (for your self-employed friend) and even quilts (for someone who’s really special!).

Want to check it out?   Click here to see all the goodies.

Post from: Blisstree

Need more inspiration for hand-Christmas gifts?

Jennifer from Tree Hugging Family has put together an amazing list of Christmas crafts, holiday recipes, seasonal tips – all with a “green” or eco-friendly twist.

Sit back, browse, read, and linger in the holiday bliss!

Remember, no matter the treat or recipe, you can always green it up by exchanging organic and natural ingredients for conventional.

50 Cute and Tasty Christmas Cookie Ideas

Cherry Dot Cookies

Organic Holiday Cookies!

Hey It’s Sugar Cookie Day – worth it for the pretty snowy cookie image alone.

Bacon Nut Stuffing – don’t forget, pork is a high pesticide food item, so buy organic if you make this dish.

Top 10 Turkey Tools

Pumpkin Cheesecake – one of my personal favorite treats.

What Else Is In Your Beer? AND Vegan Beer & Wine – I know beer and wine do not make a meal, but hey, they are treats, and if you have a drink, you may as well get the best.

Don’t forget to green up your holiday crafts by using recycled materials when possible.

Making Festive Ice Wreaths

yo-yo Christmas tree ornaments

Easy Christmas Crafts for the Kids

24 Things To Make – A Crafty Christmas Countdown

Beautiful Christmas Wreath Ideas You Can Create Yourself

Quick and Easy Christmas Wreath Idea – Snowflake Wreath

Homemade Recycled Holiday Luminaries

Embroidered Christmas craft how-tos

Christmas in July Crafts for Kids

Christmas sewing & crafting tips and tricks

Free holiday projects from around the bead-osphere!

Free Holiday Projects

Favorite Christmas tree ornament tutorials, free patterns & ideas

50 Holiday Things You Can Make Yourself

Thrifty Christmas Crafting

Homemade Christmas Ornament Ideas: Pinecones

How to Make a Candy Christmas Wreath

Make Your Own Pop Up Christmas Card

Green up your homemade holiday gifts by using recycled materials and natural and organic ingredients when possible. You can apply this thinking to almost any homemade gift idea.

Homemade Eco Gifts You Can Make for the Holidays!

Fabric Covered Journal Tutorial

How To Make Your Own Bath Salts

A Gift You Can Make With Your Children~ Hot Chocolate Mix Jar

Make Your Own Solar Light!

DIY Eco Chic Soap

Make Your Own Oilcloth Bags

Cheap Christmas Spa Basket Gift – Heating Pads

When it comes to green holiday tips you can do a lot; be a smart consumer, save energy, reuse items, and way more.

Turn Cereal Boxes into Gift Boxes

Green Product Review: Green Christmas Book

Tips on Staying Healthy During the Holidays

Green Christmas Shopping – 3RLiving Exclusive Discount to Unplugged Living – 3R Living has the coolest green gear, and now, you can score it for less.

• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #1
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #2
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #3
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #4
• Meaningfully Frugal Christmas Tip #5

How To Reduce Your Winter Heating Bill

Weatherization Assistance Programs

Easy ways to save money when gift shopping online (conserve gas, stay at home and shop).

The First Snowfall – A Day for Fun and Quilting Inspiration

Snow! Snow Everywhere!

25 Reasons To Get Outside During Winter

Christmas Tree Coat Stand

Eco-Friendly Christmas Trees

Decorating Your Holiday Table – with the goodness of soy

Christmas Lights

Decorating Your Coffee Table for Christmas

Great Kitty Stocking Stuffers – recycled tins, natural kitty treats!

15 Unique Christmas Gifts – many recycled!

Steal This Christmas Gift Please!

Kitten Christmas Pictures – you know me; NOT a pet fan. So if I’m posting kitten pictures, you can bet your hide they’re flippin’ adorable. Even I was moved.

Best Holiday Books, 2008 – kid friendly! Use the library or share with friends to be extra green with holiday books.

Christmas Party Game Idea – Family Tree

Green Holiday Gift Guide: Great Books for Kids

Holiday Lights Video

[Image via stock.xchng]

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Have a “Green” Christmas this year

I’ve found some fun, free patterns for Christmas cross-stitch and needlepoint.   These projects would make great gifts, labels for special presents or even hung on your tree.  You could use plastic canvas or cross-stitch paper to make stiff ornaments, or use Aida cloth to make Christmas cards.

Just click on the image to view the free pattern:

image: Free Patterns Online

image: Cross-stitch.About.com

image: Needlepoint.About.com

image: The Chart Shop

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Christmas cross-stitch free patterns for marvelous minis

Need a Christmas gift for your friend who sews?  How about for your niece who loves embroidery?  Got a quilting-mad Mom?  Check it out!

I’ve put together some of my favorite picks for gifts – there’s everything from stocking stuffers to high-end dream studio goodies.  Got a fiber-mad friend?  You’ll find a gift that’s sure to please!

image: C Findlay-Harder

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Tangled Thread Christmas gift shopping guide for Fabric-aholics and Needle fans

“Thrifty” is the hot topic in the crafting world – actually, I think it’s a hot topic anywhere these days!   I’m really putting an emphasis on thrifty Christmas crafting and sewing this year – it just makes sense to be a little more frugal.

One of the biggest things I’m doing to be a thrifty Christmas crafter is “shopping my stash”.   That means that I’m tailoring my gift projects to use up fabric I already have.

Four years of working in a fabric store and a lifetime of being a fabric-aholic has left me with a pretty extensive stash.  So far, I haven’t needed to buy any extra fabric to make sewn gifts for anyone on my Christmas gifts list.  That’s including several garments, bags and smaller projects!

It’s worthwhile to take a look at your stash and see what can be sewn and shared with your friends and family.  And don’t forget – if you’ve been holding onto that “perfect” piece of fabric for five years without sewing it, maybe it’s time to actually use it?

If you’re coming up blank with ideas for using your own stash, try having a stash busting party with your other sewing friends.   Everyone goes through their stash, brings the fabric they want to share and exchange it.  It’s a fun, no-cost solution and can be a great way to get some new ideas and fabric!

Got more thrifty Christmas crafting tips?  Leave a comment to share them

image: Stock.xchg

Post from: Blisstree

Thrifty Christmas crafting

I know a lot of people who put amazing amounts of time and energy into home-made Christmas presents.  In fact, my family tries to make as many of our presents as possible.

So how do you deal with people who don’t appreciate the time, energy, love and effort that went into making that present?

We’ve all heard the stories… the hand-embroidered wall hanging that ends up being used as a placemat…  the fabric jewelry used as bulletin board tacks… it makes a crafter shiver in their boots!

What do I do?

I only make home made presents for people who truly appreciate them – which ends up being about ten people or so    I love the fact that I can sew a shirt for my Dad and he’ll wear it.  Or that I can make my auntie a totebag and she’ll use it!

It’s so easy to get overextended at this time of year anyhow – why stress yourself even more by making things that won’t be appreciated?

Of course, at the end of the day – once you’ve given someone a present, you’ve got to let it go…

image: Stock.xchg 

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when Christmas crafting goes bad…

I’m getting into full-blown sewing and crafting mode for Christmas!

It can be overwhelming sometimes to think about everything that you want to get done before Christmas and the holidays – so many presents… so little time…

One thing that I use to help myself stay organized is a simple page on my computer that I have everyone’s names listed on, what I’m making them.  I sometimes also list the fabric and pattern I’m using.   I normally just use a basic word-processing program – but you can use whatever you’re comfortable with.

I find it really helps to keep everything written down, in order – where I can refer to it as needed.  Of course, you can also print it out and keep it pinned close to your sewing machine… but I don’t want to spoil the surprise if anyone sees my list

You can get as fancy as you want – but I find keeping it simple works for me.  Don’t panic – try organizing your list instead.

image: Stock.xchg 

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Christmas sewing & crafting tips and tricks