Fall and Holiday Sewing Inspiration

October/November 2013

Fall is in the air, and the holiday season is right around the corner! Our newest issue of Sew Beautiful combines both fall and holiday sewing inspiration, so when you're working on fall projects you can be actively planning your special holiday garments, too. 

Projects include a lovely lace overlay skirt, an elegant three-dimensional appliquéd leaf table runner and a delightful "Happy Scarecrows" picture smocking design. We're also proud to share our contest winners from the 2012 Martha Pullen Sewing Awards and much, much more. Read below for more about a few of our favorite projects this issue has to offer:

Martha Pullen Sewing Award Winners - We received more than 150 entries for Martha's 2012 Sewing Awards, and a panel of judges from Martha Pullen Company and Sew Beautiful magazine individually assessed each one. Winners were chosen in seven different categories. Pictured above is the grand prize winner, a flower girl dress created by Martha Broyles of Ballwin, Mo. 

Lace Overlay Skirt - I (Amelia) based this design on a tweed skirt with an orange guipure lace overlay I saw in a booth at a sewing expo in Michigan. I started with a basic, straight pencil skirt pattern and used a wide butterscotch galloon and a coordinate suiting for the underskirt.

Happy Scarecrows: Jack and Jill Straw Smocking Plates - With crisp fall weather comes the autumn harvest and the delightful and ever-so-practical emergence of the scarecrow. Being one of the most familiar figures in the American rural landscape, this ragged character is a natural motif for back-to-school apparel. Let Gwen Milner's Jack and Jill Straw smocking design put a smile on the face of your little adventurer(s). Jack stands in a cornfield while Jill poses among the sunflowers.

Appliquéd Heirloom Christmas Tree - Christmas memories are like having treasured heirlooms in our hearts for a lifetime. Create a cherished memory for your little girl by making her a holiday jumper accented with this appliquéd tree. Designed by Trisha Smith, the tree is decorated with a tatted garland and then embellished with Swarovski Hot Fix Crystals.

Green & Gold Silk Elegance Smocking Design - Smocked in an elegant diamond and serpentine pattern in glorious gold and traditional shades of red, this smocking design from Cheryl R. Davidson captures the essence of the season brilliantly. Pair it with our "Pascale" Sew Beautiful Collection Pattern and luxurious green silk dupioni - as pictured here - and you'll have a dress made for holiday celebrations.

Click here for more information on our October/November issue!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,

Cyndi and Amelia 

New Tilda Kit of the Month

With a new month comes a new 

Kit of the Month!  

Get ready – the holidays are right around the corner! Let this fabulous (and easy to sew!) Tilda Christmas Quilt kit give you a head start on your gift making or your holiday decorating. As featured in the Holiday 2012 issue of Stitch Craft Create, this fun and funky design by Cory Yoder puts a fresh spin on traditional triangular tree bocks. The bright, unexpected printed cottons by Tilda keep it interesting without putting too much emphasis on holiday design. Ideal for beginners, this kit has everything you need to stitch up your very own 60” x 68” quilt.

 It's a gorgeous, modern project that pieces together quickly and easily, and is a print-friendly quilt that's perfect for showing off your favorite designer fabrics. In fact, one of our favorite parts of her design is that it was originally made using non-holiday-specific fabrics (most are from Vintage Modern by Bonnie & Camille for Moda), the idea being you can make it before fall is out, enjoy it for the holidays and then keep it out well into 2013 for many months of cold weather snuggling!

Only 100 of these exquisite kits are available through October 31st..and at 30% off, they're bound to move quickly.  Get your Tilda Christmas Quilt Kit before it's too late!

This Kit Includes:

• 4-1/5 yards of Peony Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Flower Patch Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Star Flower Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Rosy Green cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Ornament Green cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Gingham Green cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Flower Bird Red cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Rose Stripe Red cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Dottie Red cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Peony White cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Rose White cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Mum Flower Ornament Red cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Rosebird Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1-1/3 yard of Rose Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/3 yard of Gingham Teal cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/4 yard of Victorian Brown cotton fabric by Tilda
• 2 yards of White cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/2 yard of Bird Ornament Red cotton fabric by Tilda
• 1/2 yard of Classic Stripe Red cotton fabric by Tilda

You can pick up one of these exclusive October kits in our web store right here (bonus: it qualifies for free shipping). And don't forget that through this Friday, October 5th, we're donating 30% of all store proceeds to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so supporting your quilting habit this week will go to an especially good cause!