One evening
1. Quilted hot pads
Two 9-inch squares of Christmas fabric with heat-resistant batting between them, quilted in a grid and bound. Use an insulated lining made for pot holders, such as Insul-Bright (a reflective film needle-punched through polyester batting; one 45-inch × 1-yard pack makes several), plus a layer of cotton batting. Don't use plain polyester batting on its own, which can melt against a hot pan.
2. Mug rugs
A mug rug is a mini quilt, about 6 × 9 inches, big enough for a mug and a cookie. Piece four 3½-inch squares, add a border, quilt and bind. They make good gifts for coworkers and teachers.
3. Fabric star ornaments
Cut two star shapes from felt-backed cotton, stitch around the edges with a ribbon loop caught in the top, and stuff lightly. Scraps from bigger projects are enough.
A weekend
4. Christmas star table runner
Three sawtooth stars in green, gold and red, 16 × 40 inches. Our free pattern has the cutting chart and the full steps.
5. Quilted stockings
Piece a panel of strips or squares about 14 × 22 inches, quilt it to a lining with thin batting, then cut the stocking shape and sew it together with a cuff. A pieced front with a plain back saves half the work. Our free stocking pattern has a grid template and the full steps.
6. Pillow covers
An 18-inch pillow cover is one large block. Make a 12-inch sawtooth star from our patterns and add a 3-inch border. Quilt it, then finish it with an envelope back so it slips on and off a standard insert.
7. Placemats
Placemats are about 13 × 18 inches. A set of four is a weekend of chain piecing and an evening of binding. Strip-pieced placemats are the fastest. Sew 2½-inch strips together into a panel, quilt it, then trim it to size.
A week or more
8. A quilted tree skirt
Make a pieced square top about 45 inches across, cut a circle from it, then cut a small center circle and one straight slit so it wraps around the trunk. Bind all the edges, including the slit, and add ties. Our free tree skirt pattern walks through every step.
9. An advent calendar wall quilt
Sew 24 small pockets onto a quilted background in a grid, number them with fabric scraps or embroidery, and hang it from a sleeve. It comes out every December.
10. A Christmas throw
Our star throw pattern works in Christmas colors: make half the stars red and half green, keep the cream background, and use a red border. The finished size stays 58 × 70 inches.
11. A Christmas nine-patch
The nine-patch throw in red and green prints on cream is an easy first holiday quilt. Fussy-cut a holiday print for the plain blocks.
12. A signature quilt for the family
Give each family member a cream square and a fabric pen at Thanksgiving, collect the signed squares, and set them in a quilt. It's the same idea the 9-11 Memorial Quilt Project used on a much bigger scale.
Start dates that work
| Project | Start by |
|---|---|
| Hot pads, mug rugs, ornaments | The week before Christmas |
| Table runner, stockings, pillow covers, placemats | Early December |
| Tree skirt, advent calendar | Mid-November |
| A full throw | Late October or early November, or plan to send it out to be quilted |
Buying for a quilter instead? StitchTested has a gift guide for sewers and quilters and a Christmas gift guide.
Products on this page
Photos and prices come from Amazon and can change.
Insul-Bright Insulated Lining 45 in x 1 ydCheck price on Amazon
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