SNOW? ICE? and Striped Christmas Stars

Striped Christmas Stars

Hey y'all, I'm waiting for this weekend's upcoming weather system: snow-ice-sleet-rain (Snowmageddon or Icepocalypse). Our forecasters can't decide between 24” of snow or 1/2” of ice but they do know it will be very cold for several days.

I figured a Christmas themed quilt for today's blog might bring on some simple snow. I am still catching up on projects that I cut out in 2024 before our move. This one I finished in early December 2025 and displayed on our bed during the holidays.

Red dots, teal print, and a coordinating plaid look nice with natural muslin. This pretty die from Blue Wren is called Eight Point Star of Stripes. Even though it looks complicated, it is very easy to sew. It was fun to design in EQ8. I added plaid sashing and a perky border of half-square triangles.

Quilting was done with cream thread using a utility zig-zag stitch in vertical lines every 2 inches. A bright teal blender for the backing and binding finish it off beautifully. Striped Christmas Stars is 48” square.

Whether we get record breaking snow or dangerous ice remains to be seen. Nashville's record snow was 17.2” in 1892, more recently 8” in 2016. The most I've ever seen is 10-12” in 1964. Cookeville's record is 15” (1966) and the county had 17” (1993).

The Tennessee weather forecasters and the internet have people in a panic, emptying grocery shelves of bread, milk, eggs, cheese, and lunch meat three days before the event. We have food and water and will be fine. At least I have hundreds of quilts to keep us warm if the power goes out. Plus, a Singer with a hand crank so I can sew by lamplight if necessary.

Dies used:

Blue Wren
    6466 Eight Point Star of Stripes 12” finished

Accuquilt
    55021 Value die 2” HST, square
    55017 Strips 2”

Gin Blossoms

I've been playing again. Some of my best ideas come when I'm cutting scraps or straightening up the sewing room. Today's project is one of them.

I like to mix elements from seemingly unrelated dies to form new blocks. Chalk that up to creative curiosity and a love of puzzles. I've never been afraid to change a pattern or design to suit me.

This medallion table mat combines three dies: kite, triangle in square and drunkard's path. I've seen a similar design somewhere before but of course I changed the layout. Shades of rusty red, salmon pink, and stone make a pleasing palette. After adding a 3” border and a chevron binding, Gin Blossoms final size is 23” square.

I free motion quilted with ecru thread using a medium wave ruler in rows 3” apart, then rotated and straight stitched across the curves.

Winter is a natural time to rest and recharge. I highly recommend letting go of expectations, responsibility, and self imposed restrictions. Play a little and see where it takes you.

Accuquilt dies used:
55254 Kite 4” finished
55409 Triangle in Square 4” finished
55739/55743 Drunkard's Path 4½” (trimmed to 4”)
55032 Strip 3½”
55017 Strip 2½” 

January Sampler

Sampler quilts are a fun way to try out blocks. I selected nine classic patterns in a 9” size, using a variety of clear blue, navy, and white prints with a splash or two of black.

Crisp white sashing with navy cornerstones surround each block. I added two narrow 2” borders: a black and blue ticking stripe and white. I quilted with white thread, using a meandering free motion stitch. I repeated the black and blue ticking for binding.

January Sampler is 45” square in size, nice for a baby boy quilt or wall hanging. I used Electric Quilt 8 to lay out the quilt and Accuquilt dies to cut.

It's been a cold and snowy January here in Tennessee, just right for staying home and quilting.

winter: a perfect excuse to stay inside and quilt

Winter Roses

A pretty table runner is the first project I finished using Laney, a vintage Singer 301A machine that we restored and painted last year.

The rose print fabric with a black background looks sweet combined with green leaves and a pink center. The weathervane block done in these colors looks like a flower. The pieces are small but went together nicely.

Sewing and quilting came out neat and smooth; Laney is a joy to stitch on. Winter Rose measures 13” x 44” after adding blue borders. I channel quilted in a straight stitch using medium beige thread.

Winter Roses

Accuquilt dies used:
55544 Weathervane 8” BOB Block
55017 Strip 2 ½”

Gotta have flowers

to brighten up the day

Snowflake

Today's featured quilt is modern, sweet, and fun. My friends know how much I love snow and we've had a fair amount of accumulation here the past two weekends. I'm a happy woman, especially since we had enough to make snow cream.

I saw this design by Modern Handcraft and decided to create a smaller version. I used EQ8 to lay out before cutting my fabric and as a guide while sewing.  My fabric choices are a tiny navy floral print background with a white on white paisley. 

My wall hanging sized Snowflake quilt is 35” x 37” since I used smaller squares. I quilted in irregular wavy lines using a straight stitch with white thread and a walking foot.

Accuquilt dies used:
55059 2 ½” square, multiples
55018 Small Value Die, 2 ½” half square triangle
55017 Strip 2 ½”


Here's a link to the original if you'd like to see the larger version or purchase their pattern.
https://modernhandcraft.com/products/snowflake-quilt-pdf-pattern

Friends Down Under

We had just over four inches of snow last week, so after eating several batches of snow cream, I happily stayed inside to finish up this delightful scrappy quilt.

I combined two Blue Wren dies in this pattern, designing the layout in EQ8. I dived into my scrap bins to pick out pieces to cut. These pretty colorful prints and solids look especially bright on a black weave background.

I quilted horizontally using white thread and my Squiggy ruler by Angela Walters. Final size is 51” x 61” after binding.

I decided to name this one Friends Down Under as a nod to A1 Craft and Quilting in Australia. Blue Wren dies are a quality product; Norma always provides great customer service with quick order processing. I love that mats are included with each die, and clear covers come with 6x12 dies.

Dies used:
Blue Wren
6077 Periwinkle 10” finished
6562 Glorious 9 Patch 10” finished
Accuquilt
55017 Strip 2 ½”

Friends are the sunshine of life

Flight Patterns

I had a great time stitching these flying geese blocks. Scrumptious colors of melon and pear from my stash contrast well with natural muslin.

I arranged the layout using EQ8 and cut the fabric with Accuquilt GO. Flight Patterns makes me think of spring even though it's a snowy winter day. It's 54” square and I'm snuggled up in it right now.

Quilting was done with cream thread, using Creative Grids Elvira ruler by Angela Walters. I really like stitching with this handy tool. The curvy lines give additional motion to the design.

Accuquilt dies used:
55456 Flying Geese 3 ½” x 6 ½”
55055 Rectangle 3 ½” x 6 ½”
55000 Square 6 ½”
55017 Strip 2 ½”

Geese have sense enough
to fly south for the winter...

 

Snowy Quilts

Lone Pine

I have a confession to make: I may have witched up yesterday's winter ice event. Inadvertently, of course.

Last week I finished two winter quilts. Lone Pine has bright white decorative stitching along the branches to represent ice or snow. Oops! I made this 16” x 18” wall mat with half rectangle triangles of greens with a beige/cream print. I channel stitched around the tree and added a binding of green.

Snow Pine

Snow Pine is larger at 27 ½” x 32 ½” and made up of stacked shoo fly blocks in varying shades of green from my scrap basket, with solid white background. I channel quilted this one in 1” intervals.

I love snow but the ice caused us to lose power for a couple of hours and we have several pine branches on the ground. It didn't seem like that much ice but my favorite weeping willow tree is twisted and broken at the top from the weight.

Maybe I should get back to beach themed quilts for the rest of the winter...

Roses In Winter

Rose Trellis

Our cold snowy weather, along with a couple of power outages, has made for a challenging weekend. Although I do like snow, I'm glad I don't have to drive in this icy mess any more. One thing, though, I can't sew when the power's off, so I cut, sorted and organized scraps and cleaned the sewing room. And of course, I made a batch of delicious snow cream and read by the fire.

A few of my friends have already been wishing for spring, so for them I'm featuring a pretty little green, dark pink and black quilt which I finished back in October. Rose Trellis is 24” square, made up of flying geese blocks with 3 1/2” squares. Don't these cheerful rose prints bring a smile and a hint of spring to a cold January day? I used light green thread to quilt diagonal swirling wave patterns across the blocks, and a straight stitch to outline the green squares and triangles.

If the electricity continues to go off, I may have to convince my sweetie to start the generator, or convert my sewing machine to battery power. Maybe we can fix up his Granny's old treadle machine...she made plenty of quilts on it. Stay warm and cozy, y'all.

Memory

is the power

to gather roses

in winter.

~anonymous

Shady Green Spaces

Greenery is the popular color this year, but green has always been a favorite of mine. It reminds me of peaceful nature and the great outdoors.

Calming and refreshing shades of celadon, olive, pine, and moss are prevalent in this new wall hanging. I used 5” squares with 2½” x 5” rectangles, alternating green prints and batiks with light tan solids, set in a grid pattern. I finished it off by quilting with variegated thread in a triple serpentine stitch. 

 

I worked on this during a cold spell, thinking of spring days to come. Now in the middle of January the high will reach 70° today. I need to finish another quilt, but I think I'll open a window, then go outside for a walk.

❈❈❈

Those who find beauty

in all of nature

will find themselves

at one with life itself.

~L. W. Gilbert

 ❈❈❈

Woven Scraps and Snow Cream

I'm staying true to my loose ends theme with this latest lap quilt. I used up more scraps and completed another unfinished project. I sewed these random strips last spring while we were camping, with the idea of using them as a border. As I laid some out on the design wall, another thought came to mind. I sewed a simple rail fence block using solid pale yellow on either side of the scrappy strips. Depending on how you look at it, they appear woven like a lawn chair or floating on a field of yellow. 

We had nearly nine inches of fluffy, beautiful snow last Friday and Saturday, one of the biggest 24-hour totals I've seen since we moved up here on the ridge. For once the weather folks were nearly spot-on in their predictions. It was perfect for snow cream! I made two big batches of sweet goodness, then worked it off by shoveling the back sidewalk.

Useful Notion: Quilters never grow old. They just go to pieces. 

 

Chili Time

It looks like winter has finally arrived, so it's chili time at the Ireland casa. I've got some simmering away in the crock pot right now. It was eleven degrees this morning up here on the ridge, with snow and sleet in the forecast over the next few days.

Instead of getting out in the weather, I plan to relax, work on a new quilt design, clean out a closet, enjoy time with my mama, read a murder mystery, and snuggle with my sweetie. 

Useful Notion: The best way to get things done is to simply begin.