American Patchwork & Quilting December 2014

The December 2014 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting is on sale from October 7--December 2.

Missed it? Order a digital issue here.

Designer Jean Wells shares the path her quilting life has taken over the past 45 years.

Designer: Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique

Fabrics: Into the Woods collection by Vanessa Goertzen for Moda Fabrics

Using one triangle template and simple quilting motifs, designer Vanessa created stockings with pieced fronts. They are perfect for containing small gifts or enhancing your seasonal decor.

Get this free pattern here.

Designer: Joyce DeCunzo

Fabrics: Father Frost collection by Jackie Robinson for Benartex

Make a gift of wine or other food item more memorable by creating pretty fabric packaging. Designer Joyce fussy-cut some of the wine carriers' decorative fronts from a panel print.

Get the free pattern here.

Designer: Jennifer Black of Merry's Stitchins

Fabrics: Toweling Fabric and the following mini charm packs (precut 2-1⁄2" squares), all from Moda Fabrics: Miss Kate collection by Bonnie and Camille and Be Jolly collection by Deb Strain

Who hasn't been tempted by little packets of precut 2-1/2" squares? Designer Jennifer used them with just a bit of rickrack to embellish sweet tea towels.

Get the free pattern here.

Designer: Sachiko Aldous of Tea Rose Home

When your pincushion is on your wrist, it's always handy! Designer Sachiko used a silk flower for the petals surrounding the puffy pincushion flower center.

Get the digital issue here.

Designer: Wenche Wolff Hatling of Northern Quilts

Fabrics: Winterfall collection by Wenche Wolff Hatling for Lecien Fabrics

Designer Wenche crafted two-tone birds with simple embroidery stitches and a variety of ribbons and beads she's collected.

Get the free pattern here.

Designer: Monique Dillard of Open Gate Quilts

Fabrics: Northgate Manor collection by Monique Dillard for Maywood Studio

Cutting up a floral fabric allows a bit of rose to enhance the classic color combo of blue and cream.

Get the digital issue here.

Earn Your Stripes

Make your stripes look twice as nice: Use them as a border and in the blocks. To give your eyes a happy resting place, pair the stripes with colorful solids.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Ann Lauer of Grizzly Gulch Gallery; quiltmaker: Mina Erickson

Fabrics: Poppy Panache collection by Ann Lauer for Benartex

Give your big prints room to bloom. Surround them with a two-tone fabric that mirrors the background color to create faceted shapes.

Get the digital issue here.

Serene Garden Path

Use a cool-color palette sprinkled with metallic highlights to create a calming floral wall hanging that is subtle yet ornate.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Marcia Harmening of Happy Stash Quilts

Elevate your table with decor featuring the textural dimension of double appliqué, a skinny flange, and extensive quilting.

Get the digital issue here.

Pop of Poinsettia

Set a more neutral holiday table with a runner sporting a background of cream and black. A poinsettia adds a pop of red, creating a festive focal point.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Victoria Findlay Wolfe of Victoria Findlay Wolfe Quilts

Triangles in two sizes are apparent on first glance at this throw. But a closer look reveals how the overall design is cleverly created from pieced and solid hexagons.

Get the digital issue here.

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

Fabrics: Wondertones collection for Blank Quilting

Consistent color placement of the A pieces creates a design where the hexagonal blocks are more apparent. When assembling, sew together three identical side units around a large C triangle. Quilt tester Laura Boehnke also took the challenge out of choosing which fabric works best for each large triangle by using the same fabric for all of them. While bringing simplicity to the forefront, this color option also lets the hexagons shine as brightly as the triangles.

Get the digital issue here.

Designer: Tina Lewis

An antique greeting card prompted a simple-to-sew seasonal pillow.

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Designers: Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith of Homestead Hearth

What's better than squares? How about squares that form squares! In this quilt, a plethora of 1800s reproduction prints unite in a king-size Square-in-a-Square design.

Get the digital issue here.

Batik Rainbow Wall Hanging

Use a breathtaking assortment of batiks in a Square-in-a-Square design. This wall hanging begins with warm colors in the center, then moves to cool colors around the outside for a final product that resembles a vibrant rainbow-color firework.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis

Fabrics: Rapture collection by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics

Create a breath of fresh air when you combine florals of varying scale in an oh-so-easy throw.

Get the digital issue here.

Designer: Pat Wys of Silver Thimble Quilt Co.; quiltmaker: Teresa Wade

Fabrics: Bella Solids collection by Moda Fabrics

Use a diagonal setting to give a fresh twist to traditional blocks in a timeless color scheme.

Buy this pattern here.

A Scrappy Romance

Fall in love with this wall hanging featuring pretty pastels and romantic florals. Scrappy 36-Patch blocks and strategic sashing jump off a cream quilt center.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Sue Spargo

Try hand applique and embroidery on a folk art pillow. The goat's spots are perfect for showcasing beautiful stitches.

Get the digital issue here.

Get instructions for the stitches here.