Spruced Up Pattern release

Hi all, its been a while.

I’m getting in touch because I’ve released a new pattern today. For someone who’s not very Christmassy, this was a push.

The Spruced Up Block pattern is available here:

As I wrote in my previous blog post (I know. two posts, the same year!? The word prolific comes to mind, right?) when the going gets tough I call on my quilty friends for help.

Embroidery by Carina Envoldsen-Harris @carinacraftblog

So I got some cool makers involved, let’s call them the Ghosts of Christmas for now, in the hope that they’d infuse me with some Christmas spirit. I’ll share some of their work below but I can say this, I’ve been converted and there’s even a tree skirt and a Bah Humbug Quilt in the works. But first I’d like to tell you a bit about Spruced Up.

This is a pattern I’ve had sitting in my Touchdraw file for years. But because I’m Scrooge, I didn’t fancy sharing it. Bah Humbug. Who makes Christmas quilts anyway? Quite a few of you I’ve realised after mentioning the design here and there. Yes, sharing my ideas has never been a problem, I just used to struggle with sharing my patterns.

Spruced Up is  made with three sizes of Drunkard’s Path.

The pieces above makes up a new set. It’s  in my shop and it’s called Basic Drunkard’s Path Set. It  contains all the pieces you need to make the Spruced Up Block (the 1 3/4”, 3 1/3” and 7” Drunkard’s Path, all with the nifty square-up tool). If you already have the Combined DP Set you’re sorted too.

The Combined Drunkard’s Path Set:

And all my patterns come with paper versions of the templates as well.

I’ve kept the block clean of any garnish  so it can be left as is, without being spruced up..

Block by Carissa Englert @treadletothemetal

…gently spruced..

Block by Gretchen Young @gollygwhiz:

Block by Saija Kiiskinen @saija_elina

.or glammed up to its boughs.

Block by Paula James @the_secret_sewer

Block by Joanne Crossland @lunaloo236

There’ll be a competition to see who does the most Christmassy decoration. All you need to do is share your pictures on IG with #spruceduppattern and your Pimped Pine is in the draw. There’ll be prices along the way too so remember to show me your work in progress. At the Advent finale I will pick my favourite finished block.

The pattern is available to buy in my shop pappersaxsten.com/templates or through Sew in the City, my LQS. Sew in the City is hosting a Spruced Up Workshop on November 16th.

Cushion by Saija @saija_elina

Mini by Joanne Crossland @lunaloo236

Cushion by Paula James @the_secret_sewer

I’d like to say a big thank you to:

Julie Zaichuk-Ryan southatlanticstitchingcompany.com for tech-editing and to all my lovely testers for making me look forward to Christmas:

Paula James, Joanne Crossland, Maria Doyle-Mediaro, Gretchen Young, Carissa Englert, Dorothy Hill

And a big thank you to Carina Envoldsen-Harris and Saija Kiiskinen who I might have bullied into playing along. I sent my own block to Carina to do her thread-magic to:

And Saija made her  her Spruced Up Cushion in super cool Marimekko. Saija has also blogged about it here.

I’ll leave you for now, not with a Bah Humbug but with some more inspiration from Saija.