American Patchwork & Quilting December 2015

The December 2015 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting is on sale from October 6--December 1.

Missed it? Order a digital issue here.

Designer Pam Buda's prairie-style fabrics and quilt patterns have their roots in ordinary pioneer women.

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Designer: Wendy Sheppard of Ivory Spring

Quiltmaker: Sherry McConnell

Fabrics: Gold Standard and Simply Sterling collections by Maria Kalinowski of Kanvas Studio for Benartex

Combine silver and gold to get a luxe look for the season. Double Sawtooth Star blocks in metallic prints add a splash of shimmer to your decor.

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Into the Wild

Combine African-theme prints and bright batiks in a quilted throw. Solid black sashing creates crisp lines and makes the savanna scenes in the center of the quilt come to life.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Diane Nagle of Peddlecar Quilts

Fabrics: Winter Village collection by Lynette Anderson for RJR Fabrics

Sew a table runner fit for the season using foundation piecing and machine appliqué.

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Designer: Laura Boehnke

Fabrics: Gathering Basket collection by Kim Diehl and Cozy Yarn Dye Flannels, both from Henry Glass & Co.

Quilt tester Laura Boehnke opted for soft purples and greens instead of traditional reds and greens for her fusible-appliqué version of Christmas Cottage. She combined flannels and florals for a holiday table topper that easily transitions to spring. Fussy-cutting plaids makes easy work of the house windowpanes.

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Designer: Lisa DeBee Schiller

Felted wool cones embellished with hand embroidery and fringe become the perfect Christmas tree pincushions. They also double as adorable holiday decor-for your sewing room or any room in the house.

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Designer: Kathleen Malarky

Let cute holiday prints do the work of decorating your home. Use them to band bath towels, as designer Kathleen Malarky did here.

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Designer: Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis

Make custom travel accessories so it's easy to identify your bag on the baggage carousel. Tammy Silvers used white and black prints and contrasting green topstitching to craft her luggage strap, luggage tag, and laundry bag.

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Designer: Becky Goldsmith of Piece O' Cake Designs

Woven Plaids are from the Brushstrokes collection by Pepper Cory for Studio E Fabrics.

Combine quilting cottons and felted wool with easy appliqué. Choose your favorite design from Becky Goldsmith of Piece O' Cake Designs or make all three eyeglass cases (or rotary-cutter holders!) and give them as gifts.

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Designer: Liz Taylor of Liz Taylor Handmade

Fabrics: Hip Hooray collection by Lizzie Mackay for Blend Fabrics

If you fall in love with a fabric collection, snag this idea from designer Liz Taylor to use lots of it. Top your favorite print with skinny pleats in the coordinating prints.

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Designer: Lisa DeBee Schiller

By adding faux fur trim and folding the tip down, designer Lisa DeBee Schiller made easy Santa hats using a basic pattern.

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Designer: Tonya Alexander

In this nod to a traditional Thousand Pyramids quilt, diamonds pieced in the colors of gemstones shine on a muted background.

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Designer: Laura Boehnke

Fabric: Vincent Van Gogh collection by the Van Gogh Museum for Robert Kaufman Fabrics

For her version of The Perfect Setting, quilt tester Laura Boehnke "painted" a masterpiece using fabrics inspired by famous Vincent Van Gogh paintings. Swirls, textures, and scenes from Van Gogh paintings enliven the jewel-tone prints, helping to create a wall hanging that can enjoyed up close and from afar. Laura framed her work of art with two borders.

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Designer: Pam Buda of Heartspun Quilts

Quiltmaker: Debbie McClarence

Fabrics: Antique Cotton collection by Pam Buda for Marcus Fabrics

Scrappy triangle-squares sparkle on an indigo-blue print background. Use precut 10" squares for almost no fabric waste.

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Fresh Start Table Runner

Bring a fresh look to your table with a quilt made from cool blue, green, and gray prints. Fun stripes for borders add movement to the table runner.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Gail Pan of Gail Pan Designs

No matter where you sit in relation to this table topper, a happy snowman will be smiling at you.

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Floral Fancy

Sew a bright and whimsical table topper using an assortment of floral prints and bright borders. A carefully arranged pink zigzag print highlights the Nine-Patch blocks.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Avis Shirer of Joined at the Hip

When it's cold outside, stay inside and sew a throw made of Snail's Trail blocks, which bring to mind swirling snow.

Buy this pattern here.

Flower Swirls

Choose florals in green, blue, and pink for a color palette reminiscent of an English garden. Get a scrappy look by limiting your color palette yet using a variety of prints.

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Designer: Jean Wells

Fabrics: Kona Cotton Solids collection from Robert Kaufman Fabrics

Designer Jean Wells wraps up a year-long exploration of color and improvisational piecing with Early Spring, a one-of-a-kind wall hanging.

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Join the #apqlearnalong here.

Designer: Mary McGuire

Quiltmaker: Laura Boehnke

Fabrics: The Sultan's Garden collection by Mary McGuire for RJR Fabrics

Combine bold florals and rich solids in Sawtooth Star blocks to stitch a happy quilt.

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Sunrise Stars

Pair gray, an updated neutral, with sweet pastels in a star-studded wall hanging. Use solids and near solids to balance some of the exuberant prints.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Designer: Jackie Robinson of Animas Quilts

Fabrics: Chickadees & Berries collection by Jackie Robinson for Benartex

Framelike strips and a background of checkerboard units make a wintry panel print pop.

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Underwater Adventure

Ocean-theme prints paired with beachy blues and sandy tans are perfect for a kid's quilt. A stripe border print ties all the colors together for a playful finish.

Get the free quilt pattern here.

Quiltmakers: Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. and Cheryl Hadley

Fabrics: Farmhouse collection by Fig Tree & Co. for Moda Fabrics

Winding Trails goes from winter to spring in Joanna Figueroa's downsize version. Joanna oriented all the 4-1⁄4"-square blocks in the same direction instead of rotating every other one as in the original quilt.

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