You are going to love the December/January issue of Fons & Porter’s Quick + Easy Quilts! From festive quilts to baskets to bags, the issue is sure to spark your creativity. As a bonus, the project designers share holiday traditions and recipes. If you are an Aby pattern collector, this issue gives you two for the price of one. My string-pieced beverage gift bag is pictured on the cover, and my “Sparkling Pines” runner is patterned on page 90.
“The beverage gift bag combines two of our family holiday traditions. The first tradition is using and re-using fabric gift bags. Through the years, I have made simple fabric gift bags which come out of the attic each December. Some have lace or braid at the open edge; some have ribbon or cording for ties. The largest, made from half-yard cuts of fabric, notoriously contain clothing gifts. Smaller bags are tailored to the size of gift they contain. Family members reluctantly return the bags once the gifts are opened. That’s the rule . . . then I can use them again the following year. The second tradition is enjoying sparkling grape juice or apple juice during Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. Even the youngest can raise a toast to the occasion with this delicious fizzy treat!”
The magazine instructions and diagrams show exactly how I made the bags, and the three examples I sent were photographed to best advantage. I know you will enjoy making this project, perfect for gift-giving. Tip – using French wire ribbon for the bow ensures a pretty finish. And the quilt batting cushions the glass bottle during transport.
If you are a long time subscriber to Quilting Daily publications, “Sparkling Pines” will seem familiar. It was originally published six years ago in McCall’s Quick Quilts. I’m glad it was selected for re-publication; it is such a quick and fun project.
What quilt-y family traditions do you look forward to enjoying during the holiday season?
abyquilts 
Aby, I didn’t recall that you were the designer behind Sparkling Pines but I made that cute table runner a few times from 2015 to 2018 for donation to my church’s fall fundraiser quilt sale–and it always sold quickly! It’s a great pattern: quick and easy, for sure! Also great for using up scraps and you know I love to use every last scrap!
I need to send you pics of my finished Options quilt; a friend came over and held it up for me in the driveway in the wind but at least it was sunny out.
Sarah
How fun, Sarah, that you have made “Sparkling Pines” several times in the past (before you followed my blog and we became acquainted)! Your “Options” quilt is truly a treasure, and I will enjoy showing it off to blog readers on Oct. 31. Thanks for quilting along!
I love both of those patterns! Hope to make them before Christmas- THIS Christmas!
Hope you and your family are well. And thank you for the patterns.
Mary Ed
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