Why new holiday fabric collections arrive at quilt stores in the summer

It’s hard to think about sewing or quilting with Christmas holiday fabrics in the summer. But late Spring and Summer is the time of year when all the new holiday and seasonal fabric collections arrive at our favorite quilt shops.

Hand stitched holiday decorations from the Winter Dreams collection from FIGO Fabrics. 

Summer delivery for Christmas fabrics?

These hand stitched decorations were made with a holiday fabric panel from a collection called Winter Dreams from FIGO Fabrics. The fabric collection was delivered to quilt shops this past June. 

I found inspiration in the Winter Dreams project panel and was moved to embellish the motifs with hand embroidery—melding colors of floss, perle cotton with various stitches. Being that the embellishing was done by hand, this project would not be a quick, over-night completion. 

Fabric panel from the Winter Dreams fabric collection by FIGO Fabrics.

So, unless you have a gang of Santa’s elves to help you, making handmade gifts or decorations for the holidays is going to take time… likely time you won’t have this time of the year—the short, busy timeframe between Halloween and when the decorations go up and gifts are slid under the tree. 

Hand embroidered heart.

The hand stitching on these decorations took a number of hours over a course of several months. It was my portable travel project during this time. Now that it’s November, I pulled out these embroideries—I finished 8!—to match them with coordinating fabrics for the backs. 

Three embroidered stars ready to be sewn to a backing fabric.

Stitched and turned right side out, these stars are ready for the filler/stuffing.

Once stitched and turned right side out, the pieces were stuffed. I used batting scraps for the stuffing and then hand stitched the opening with Scanfil organic cotton thread and the ladder stitch (not a whip stitch) for an invisible closure.

Batting scraps used for the filler/stuffing.

The sewing, turning, and stuffing takes a bit of time. Here are two finished trees that I think are quite charming and festive.

Hand stitched stuffed holiday decorations.

So this is why holiday fabric lines are delivered from May to July. And why quilt shops and independent sewing centers promote "holiday making" with classes and events in the summer. If one waits until November, you might be giving an IOU as a gift... and your decorations will be held over for next year. 

Stitched and stuffed holiday heart decoration.

A few tips about these holiday stuffies

A few things to note about the motifs on the Winter Dreams project panel:

• there are no seam allowances for the motifs. If making stuffed decorations, you will need to take the seam allowance out of the printed areas.

• I used a 2.0 stitch length on the machine to sew the fronts to the backs. Leave an opening for stuffing.

• Clip the inside acute angles (on the trees, between the star points, and the top of the heart) for easier turning. Clip the seam allowances up to (but not into) the stitching line.

• I used the ladder stitch to close the opening after stuffing. It makes a neater, more invisible join.

• Thread a needle with a strand of embroidery floss or perle cotton and sew a loop into the stuffie so it can be hung.

• This was the perfect travel project for me because it was small, portable, and required minimal supplies—an embroidery hoop, a small baggie of left-over strands of embroidery floss, a needle, and a pair of scissors. 

Coordinating fabrics for the backs.

The clock is ticking... are you in a hurry?

Check with your local quilt shop for the Winter Dreams collection. There is a project panel and several coordinates in this fabric line. For a quick holiday project:

• Forego the hand stitching and embellishing and just sew and stuff the motifs. 

• Use a fusible appliqué technique to appliqué the motifs onto a base fabric. Think: mug rugs, pillows, a banner, or table runner.

• The panel has a bunting project that could be no-sew by using a fusible.

• Fuse the motifs onto card stock for gift tags or greeting cards.

• Embellish the motifs with fabric paints or crayons.

• Find a pattern for quick patchwork and make something all by machine.

Enjoy your holiday making!