Winter Wonderland Project Round Up
Stay warm inside while making these Winter Wonderland sewing, quilting, and embroidery projects. You’ll find blue and white-themed, comfortable and cozy projects in each of the linked posts below. All skill levels and project types are represented so you can jump right in!
Quilt and Embroider with a Flurry of Snowflakes!
Novice or expert, quilting is always an exciting adventure. With so many techniques and styles to choose from, it can be tricky to master precision piecing, until now. Let your embroidery machine do the work for you! By using the software in the Flurry of Snowflakes embroidery bundle, you can easily create quilt blocks and finish the design with outline quilting motifs. Nancy shows you the step-by-step process on Stress Free Quilting with Machine Embroidery on Sewing With Nancy. Find out more here.
Sew a Super-Sized Dresden
Start with an approachable lap-size quilt pattern and make a larger, bed-size quilt. The larger Dresden appliqués can be stitched in approximately the same amount of time as smaller blocks, one of the bonuses to super-sizing your quilt blocks. The beauty of this template is that a Dresden Plate block can be made as small as 12″ or as large as 40″—a total of six sizes. Read more on the Super-Sized Dresden blog post.
Foundation-Piece a Festive Reindeer Block
This fun paper-piecing project is much simpler than it looks! Sew a 16″ x 16″ (finished) block to turn into a holiday pillow cover or wall hanging. You may even choose to omit the patchwork border to create a pot holder, or make a few blocks to incorporate into a quilt. Download the pattern here, and see how easy this reindeer is to stitch.
Sew with Faux Fur
Have you ever sewn with fake fur? A few years ago, when Nancy made a faux fur cape—for her niece to wear on her wedding day, she knew it was time to brush up on that particular sewing technique. You see, the wedding date was in winter and the location—Wisconsin. A faux fur cape would be the perfect coverup to wear between the church and the reception, providing the outside temperature remained reasonable. Nancy and her husband were married in January, and the high temperature that day was -10 degrees! Winter weddings are somewhat of a family tradition. Turns out, we all like to live a little on the edge. Grab the faux fur sewing tips here.
Illusion Quilts Made Easy: Slip Knot Quilt Pattern
There’s something magical about quilts. Perhaps it’s the creative process of selecting color combinations, arranging the blocks to create an overall pattern, or simply enjoying the satisfaction of a well completed project. Illusions Quilts allow quilters and sewists to experiment with hues of color and arrangement of blocks to trick the beholder’s eye into believing the illusion. Based on half-square triangles (HSTs), the illusion quilts are easy to sew and to enjoy. Make yours today and watch Sewing With Nancy here.
Sew Green Makeovers: Mittens
Sew mittens for everyone in the family with the multi-size patterns included in Sew Green Makeovers. Mittens are easy to sew from two layers of felted wool. When the mittens are cut out and turned right side out, a little bit of steam pressing will flatten the seams and the mittens are ready to wear on either hand. Sewing With Nancy guest Mary Mulari will show you how here.
10-20-30 Minutes to Sew: Double Duty Mat
When you need flexibility in sewing, create the Double Duty Mat to use as a sewing station and pressing mat. First the sewing station: Set the machine on the largest portion of the mat, which provides a handy area of notions to be stored directly below the mat. Or, slide the mat to a flat surface and use as a pressing area, again with storage options. Outdated jeans provide the stability and pockets for this upcycled project. In part two of this Sewing With Nancy TV mini-series, 10-20-30 Minutes to Recycle Jeans and in the book by the same name, Nancy Zieman demonstrates how easy it is to create this mat.
Sew Simple with Rectangles and Squares Round Up
As you may already know, Nancy Zieman’s approach to sewing involves streamlining and simplifing the sewing process. Making projects faster and more efficient frees up valuable time, and everyone could use more time! One of Nancy’s most popular Sewing With Nancy three-part series, Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three), addresses streamlining the sewing process. Change the way you think about projects and patterns. Everything demonstrated is simply cut from fabric rectangles and squares!
The randomly selected winner of McCall’s M7689 asymmetrical Tunic with Contrasting Hem Pattern is Elaine R.
Her comment is, “I like the long sleeved version…..and although I’m short, I still won’t need to shorten it, making it more appropriate for my age and shape!”
The randomly selected winner of McCall’s M7655 Knit Overlay Tunic Pattern is Bonnie.
Her comment is, “Love this pattern! I would make the View B dress for work and the pullover tunic for casual weekends. Thanks for the great giveaway.”
You’re Invited
Celebrating Nancy Zieman Open House
9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 16
Wisconsin Public Television studios
Wisconsin Public Television and Nancy Zieman Productions invite you to join us in the Wisconsin Public Television studios—the location of the Sewing With Nancy set—for an open house: Celebrating Nancy Zieman.
Nancy Zieman, longtime host of Sewing With Nancy and co-founder of Quilt Expo, passed away on Nov. 14, 2017. An educator, author, pattern maker, television producer, entrepreneur, and innovator, Nancy inspired millions of sewing and quilting enthusiasts throughout her career. She hosted Sewing With Nancy, the longest-running sewing series on television, since 1982.
Please join us on Dec. 16 from 9 a.m. to noon in the WPT studios for the Celebrating Nancy Zieman event in honor of Nancy’s life and legacy. View the Sewing With Nancy set*, get a behind-the-scenes look at the production of Sewing With Nancy, view a tribute video, and visit with the production staff who worked with Nancy over the years. You will also be invited to share your memories of Nancy—and how she inspired you—in a feedback booth.
9 a.m.–noon Saturday, Dec. 16
Wisconsin Public Television Studios—Vilas Hall
821 University Ave.
Madison, Wis. 53706
This free celebration in honor of Nancy is an open-house format: Please feel free to arrive and leave at any time. Coffee and light fare will be served.
RSPVs are requested but not required. If you are able, please RSVP by clicking here.
The WPT studios are located on the second floor of Vilas Hall. Enter down the stairs next to the loading dock entrance on the Park Street side of the building. Volunteers will be on hand to point you in the right direction. Please allow extra time for traveling and parking.
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.
Clovis
Winter Wonderland. All good projects.
BevM
I love these Christmas designs. My favorite
color is blue!
Maria Elena Blecha
Winter wonderland!!! So many choices, I think I would love the quilt with the reindeer!! The boxes also will be very useful for getting organized (lost cause) in my sewing room! Maria
Barbara Bolt
What a quality, lovely lady. We will miss her greatly. She has left a phenominal legacy that will inspire others for a long time. God blessed her with a loving family on and off the air.
Thank you for keeping us informed.
With love and graditude,
Bobbie Bolt
Suzie Simpson
Thank you for keeping her legacy alive and well. She was such a wonderful educator. Her personality and skills with be missed. She was truly one in a million. I am still grieving this loss. While I may never met her in person, I spent many Saturday mornings with her. Her books line my shelves, and I have several DVDs and patterns. But I am am glad she is no longer in pain. Praying that God will be with her entire family and bring them peace.
Suzie
Venita Abel
We will miss such a great educator & ‘friend’. Enjoy the Open House. Would love to attend but live in Michigan. So glad you are keeping her legacy alive.
Barbara
Thank you for keeping her memory alive. She was a great teacher.
I have many of her books on my shelves. She was the best.
My condolences to her family. Barbara
Terry
I am deeply grateful for all of the techniques that Nancy taught us all through her books and shows. I am also very glad that I bought so many of her books and DVDs over the years. It makes me happy to be able to pass these along to my grandchildren and great grandchildren to enrich their lives and skills. Nancy is very much missed.
janice schultz
I am so very sorry for nancy’s family and their loss. I always looked forward to getting home from work to watch her shows. such a very beautiful and talented person. We will all miss her very much.
Gail Beam
I Absolutely love the jean machine mat!
Jacqueline Deitsch
Such a very beautiful wonderful and talented person. What a quality, lovely lady. I and ever one will miss her greatly. She has left a phenomenal legacy that will inspire others for a long time. She was an awesome wonderful educator. I spent many Saturday afternoons with her. Her books and DVDS and patterns line my shelves. I have use them to pass on the knowledge and keep the joy of sewing going.Praying that God will be with her entire family and sewing family bring them peace. Nancy will always be in our hearts. wish I could be there for your celebration of Nancy life, But to far to travel.
Rose
I love this Dresden pattern and would love to make a queen size for my bed. I usually make smaller quilts for children’s throws. Thank you Nancy for all your inspiration, tutorials, videos. You are truly an inspiration to so many people. May you Rest In Peace knowing that you have had a huge impact on people all over the world.