Using some of one's Christmas fabric stash

Do you have a stash of Christmas fabric?  I think most serious crafters who love Christmas tend to have a stash of the lovely and unique fabrics that reflect the beauty of the season.  I know I do.  Sometimes, I will buy Christmas fabric with a project specifically in mind, like aprons or pillowcases.  But most often (probably because I tend to buy such fabrics at after-Christmas clearances or Christmas-in-July sales), I really have no clear idea of what I will do with a fabric.  I just buy it for my stash!

Over the past few years I have pared down my stash considerably, and I have shared many of the projects here on my Christmas blog, but I thought that it might be helpful if I were to put the links to the projects all in one place.  So I am going to do just that.  I should add that most of these projects can be done with any fabric.  It need not be Christmas fabric to make these basic projects.  I do apologize that I don't have pictures for all of these, but if you follow the links you will find pictures on the original posts.

I'll start with the largest projects.  I should note that I almost never buy any more than 2 yards of any one Christmas fabric unless I have a specific project in mind or find a huge sale.  So for my larger pieces of fabric, I made some Christmas throws.  Here are the links:  Simple Flannel Throw and Christmas Fabric Throw.  One thing that works well is to make one side of the throw a holiday fabric, and the other side a solid color.  That way you can just fold it the other side out and use the throw all year long. 

Flannel throw with dark green on the reverse side

I especially like my flannel one and tend to cozy up with it whenever the weather is a bit chilly.

This shows the holly and mistletoe print on the reverse side.

I love this print.  A quilt-like throw was really only about the possibility for this.

Another good project for larger pieces of fabric is to make Christmas Tablecloths.  These need not cover your table.  You can make them runner size, full size, square, or whatever.  You can always layer them with other table coverings if you like.  I have some larger ones for my dining room table and have made some small "table squares" (or rectangles) for smaller tables, islands, shelves and the like.

A pieced table runner I made from a vintage Christmas magazine

Foldable Fabric Baskets are pretty and useful; practical, too, since you can just unfold them and store them flat.

I love this vintage-looking pine cone print.

Some hot mats I made from Christmas fabric.  I don't have a post about these, but they are easy enough.

Fabric Napkins are a great way to use up a variety of Christmas prints.  The mix-and-match look is cute, plus it's easier to remember which napkin is yours.

Blue tree on an inverted sherbet dish

These Soft Fabric Trees are so cute, you'll be tempted to sew up an entire forest of them.

Green tree in a teacup

These Patchwork-look Coasters are a particular favorite of mine and I have made them in many fabrics, not just Christmas ones.  It's fun to make some for every season.  I love how easy these are!


 
You can use smaller pieces still to create these Yo-Yo Ornaments.  Fun and easy enough for kids to do.

A yo-yo candy cane

And a yo-yo wreath

And last but not least for the really small strips of fabric, you can make Rag Garlands.  They look nice intertwined with white lights, too.


Why not pick a project and delve into your fabric stash?  You'll be getting ahead of the game for next year.  By the time the Christmas-in-July sales roll around, you may need more fabric!

A couple of small Christmasy items

Seems like I have neglected my Christmas blog of late.  I will try and do better; I'm sure I have plenty of ideas I could share.  Here are just a couple small items for starters.

I made this small table or shelf topper from a remnant of beloved Christmas fabric.

A closeup of the fabric.  Isn't it pretty?

And last but not least, my Christmas cactus, which bloomed for Groundhog Day!

It certainly brightens up my little crafting desk!

Rudolph Day for January

As regular readers know, I follow along with a Christmas forum at Our Home for the Holidays.  Here, Rudolph Day is observed on the 25th of each month.  Participants will try and do something Christmasy on that day, whether shopping, crafting, planning, baking, etc.  You can read about the original concept here at Organized Christmas, a site I highly recommend.  Every year, I determine to be more organized for the upcoming Christmas, and every year I get a little closer to being ready early.  The Rudolph Day concept really helps with that.

I chose to observe Rudolph Day for January on the 24th, since Wednesdays are a very busy day for me.  I didn't accomplish as much as I would like, but did work on my last belated Christmas gift and also cleared my crafting desk so it looks beautifully ready for the next project.  And, I made a bunch of Christmas gift tags out of 2010's cards, to use for 2012's gifts.  I try and do this every year, and you can read about last year's efforts here: Gift tags from recycled Christmas cards.

I had hoped to spend some time working in my Christmas notebook on Rudy Day -- you can begin reading a series of posts about my Christmas notebook here:  My Christmas Notebook Part 1 -- but that didn't happen, unfortunately.  Still, I sipped Candy Cane Lane tea and coffee with Peppermint Mocha creamer (did you know Walmart currently has the big bottles of holiday flavored creamers for $1.98?), listened to Christmas music, and had a great day!

A few kid pictures from Christmas

I love this picture ~ my favorite from Christmas this year!

Here are just a few photos from Christmas evening at the home of our daughter, son-in-law and family.  It has taken me awhile to get around to posting them, and they are just about the only photos we took on Christmas, so I thought I'd better share them.

One gift I make for the grandchildren when they are old enough (usually around age 3) is an art box, or, as many of them call it, a project box.  You can read about how I make them here:  Art Boxes.  This was Josiah's year to get one.  Of course,  he has since colored his tummy blue with marker, but he was happy to get his own art box!


 
Another gift enjoyed by young children is the puzzle kits I devised.

One of the puzzle kits we gave this year

Read about them here:  Puzzle Kits.  These involve a small puzzle, a pack of microwave popcorn and an envelope of hot cocoa mix.  This year I gave these to several of the grandchildren.  If you know the children in question can't  have popcorn for some reason, or if their family doesn't have a microwave, you can easily come up with a substitute like animal crackers, goldfish, fruit snacks, etc.

Sam's kit included a 100-piece puzzle.

Kids seem to really enjoy these.  In 2 cases this year I saw the child assemble the puzzle right after opening the gift.  And that doesn't bother me.  I actually like seeing a child take a few minutes to enjoy one gift before ripping open the next one!

Another gift we gave Josiah was this tiny battery-operated train -- bought for pennies at a Christmas clearance last year.  It took no time at all for big brother Sam to help him install the batteries we taped to the back.

Hope you have enjoyed this look at a few of our simple Christmas gifts!

Quote of the day

A scene from one of my favorite Christmas fabrics, now made into a throw

Recently I finished reading Homemade Hospitality, a book by Barbara Sims.  She devotes several chapters to the blessings of extending hospitality around the holidays, particularly Christmas.  And she suggests getting ready for Christmas as soon as Thanksgiving is over.  She writes:

"On the day after [Thanksgiving], I can hardly wait to finish my morning coffee sipped from a china Christmas mug.  The Christmas season officially arrived last night when I pulled those [Christmas] plates off the top shelf in the china cabinet.  Today is special.

"I will decorate the Christmas tree.  The shopping is done  (well, almost), and wrapped packages will be retrieved from where I stored them last summer ...

"If all goes well (and I have a little help from my husband), by bedtime tonight I may have candles in the windows, nativity scenes on the tables, and even stockings by the fireplace.  Once the house is decorated, the Christmas spirit just creeps in and I begin to relax.  Now I look forward to enjoying the season, baking fruitcakes, having friends over, visiting in their homes, and rejoicing in the birth of the Savior."  ~ Barbara Sims, Homemade Hospitality

I think she's onto something here.  For years, I thought people who put their tree  up right after Thanksgiving were really rushing the season.  But this year we started decorating earlier than usual, and I did notice that once the house looked pretty and festive I started to relax as far as enjoying the season went.  (We won't discuss my rush to finish and mail handcrafted gifts, which is another story entirely.)  So next year, I may follow Mrs. Sims' lead and decorate even earlier!

A few Christmas decorating pictures

Now that it is time to take the Christmas decor down and put the winter decor up, I finally am managing to post a few pictures of this year's decorating.  Not everything, by any means.  Just a few pictures, all but one from my hutch.

The Christmas hutch in its entirety this year

I wanted to make this photo extra large so you could see the cute little forest friends by the trees -- carolers, and a mom and child at the nut shoppe! But Blogger cut out half the photo, so I had to make it smaller again.  I had forgotten all about these and was tickled to put them out this year.

A favorite Gooseberry Patch cookbook

Adorable holly-print teacup and teapot ornaments.  I caught my 3-year-old grandson pretending to pour tea!

Several years ago I made dozens of these family photo ornaments -- a Gooseberry Patch project!  Couldn't display this in my usual place so thought it looked cute hanging from a milk bottle.

Milk bottle with candy canes ~ love this idea which I saw  on Sugar Pie Farmhouse last year.  The crocheted coaster beneath was made by my friend J.

I found this cabin tucked away; it had been a school project by one of my daughters. 

A few of the glittery houses in my collection.  Some others are hanging on the Christmas tree.  And another "Forest Friends" figurine, this one a mother and baby mouse out for a walk in the snow.

I  usually put that family photo ornament in the center of this garland amid the icicles and snowflakes.  But this year I had something even better -- a lovely mitten made by Linda Stubbs of Prairie Flower Farm.

I should admit that our Christmas tree is still up.  It's artificial, and my hubby wanted to leave it up until this weekend.  So we will!  But I have changed other areas to winter decorations.

Wonderful idea for entertaining friends

Yesterday I happened to be glancing through one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch Christmas books, Simple Joys of Christmas.  You can read my review of it here:  Simple Joys book review, and I'm sure you will see why it's one of my favorites.

The book includes memories as well as recipes and some entertaining ideas.  This idea came from a lady named Pat Crandall.  She wrote:  "During the first week in December I send invitations to friends to join me for a Christmas tea.  I ask each of them to bring a Christmas story, poem or personal remembrance to share.  After we spend time enjoying one another's company, then we go to the dining room where everyone can make an ornament to take home; afterward we have dessert and coffee.  We all love spending time together and for me, this is one way I can show my friends how much I appreciate them."

I love this idea!  For some time now I've wanted to do something for the ladies in my Sunday School class at Christmas time.  One year I gave them each a handmade ornament and a poem I'd written, but I have really wanted to have them over and show hospitality to them in my home.  I've considered various ideas -- a brunch, a cookie exchange, etc. -- but all seemed too complicated and time-consuming.  I wanted something simple yet special.  This gathering sounds as if it would be just right. 

If you are interested in obtaining a copy of Simple Joys of Christmas, it is (sadly) out of print, but I found reasonably priced used ones on Amazon.  You can go there directly or use my affiliate link:  Simple Joys of Christmas.  If you, like me, love Christmas and vintage things, I am sure you would enjoy this book.