Just Let Me Quilt: December 2022

Saturday, December 17, 2022

Which Way Is It To The Witchville BOM

It is almost time for the Cackling Stitches annual block of the month to begin and we're so excited! We've called it, "Which Way to Witchville" and it's full of all sorts of Halloween creepy, cute, and weird designs. It officially starts January 1st!

This is our 3rd BOM for the Cackling Stitches Facebook group and I love being part of the design team. My two wicked friends, Joan at Moosestash Quilting and Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks, whipped out their special magic wands for this BOM. They rocked it!

How do we run our BOM's? We try to keep them easy!

The 2023 "Which Way to Witchville" BOM runs from January 1st through September 30th.

All block releases happen on our Cackling Stitches Facebook page HERE.

We even give you the fabric requirements early to help you conjure/gather your fabrics.

You can find HERE.

It's not a mystery BOM. We show you each of our finished quilts!

This is my version:

Which Way to Witchville

48" x 64"

I used Benartex "Halloween Spirit" and Benartex "Cotton Shot" in my quilt.

I love to use solids when I applique!

Check out Moosestash Quilting's version HERE.

How our Which Way to Witchville BOM works...

On the first day of each month, we release a block pattern (sometimes it's more than one)

that is free for the entire calendar month. After that, those blocks go into our individual

ETSY shops where you can purchase them for $2 each.

New and free block(s) then appear for the new month...and so on, and so on.

So, what is "NEW" and never been done by us?

Beginning January 1st, the ENTIRE pattern is available in each of our ETSY shops for $15.

We've had so many people ask us if they can buy the whole thing at once, so we decided to go for it.

If you can't wait for each block release or you don't have a Facebook page, this is for you!

We hope you appreciate the time we put into creating this BOM and understand that we keep

the costs to a minimum for you. We ask that you respect our copyrights and do not share the

pattern with others. You're welcome to direct your friends to our Cackling Stitches Group

Facebook or any of our ETSY shops so they can get their own patterns starting January 1st.

Just Let Me Quilt Etsy Store HERE.

Moosestash Quilting Blog HERE.

Moosestash Quilting Etsy Store HERE.

Creatin' in the Sticks Blog HERE.

Creatin' in the Sticks Etsy Store HERE.

I hope you have a lovely holiday season and are ready to get back to sewing in January!

Friday, December 9, 2022

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange And New Blog Hops

The Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange of 2022 was an amazing week of Christmas, treats, sweets, and project inspiration that totally set off the season! I really hate to see it end.

Thank you to participants and visitors!

You inspire me, make me laugh, and add a few inches to my waistline...love it!

Yesterday's bloggers...

Just Let Me Quilt totally messed up her posting date, but hopefully everyone visited.

There's a giveaway HERE in case you missed it.

Quiltscapes rules as the queen of borders as she showed us how to make the cutest one for her

beautiful table runner. She shared her recipe for Lebkuchen which uses warming spices.

Check out her post to learn about how some spices can warm you up.

Songbird Designs made the prettiest Christmas mat with the reminder that it isn't

Christmas without cookies. The cookie recipe she shared is a wowzer one!

Patchwork Breeze shared the most delicious looking chocolate peppermint cookies.

She also showed the cutest candy cane holders I've ever seen that are great for gifts!

Quilt Schmilt has had her inner squirrel keeping her busy with guild and donation projects.

Her lovely table runner was finished just in time to be mailed!

Homespun Hannah's Blog made a beautiful Christmas quilt with such pretty fabrics.

It's called "Glad Tiding"...perfect name for a perfect quilt!

Happy Cottage Quilter put together such cute snowman candy bars for gifts and her

jumbo chocolate chip cookies look so yummy!

There's a Pinterest page for all this blog hop HERE.

2023 blog hop challenges are in the works...you know you want to play along!

Carla is hosting "Shades of Blue" in January.

If you haven't signed up yet, email her to see if she has openings.

Joan is taking sign-ups now for "Sweet on You".

Email her to join in!

Wednesday, December 7, 2022

It's The Last Day Of The Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange

It's never fun to come to the end of a blog hop, but it's been a blast! So many amazing things to make and bake from the Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange.

Yesterday rocked my socks off with all its inspiration and treats!

Inflorescence has the cutest models showing off her aprons and her pumpkin gems

look so delicious and easy to make!

Crazy'boutquilts made some gingerbread ornaments that you can almost smell through

over the internet. They look so sweet and good enough to eat!

Patchouli Moon Studio got creative with placemats and shared four different ones.

You'll love them all!

Texas Quilt Gal sewed up some rag stockings and then added adorable wood buttons.

So cute! Her toffee recipe will definitely make your mouth water.

Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching shared a pecan bar recipe that needs to be added

to everyone's baking list. It looks amazing! She also shared how to make a sweet quilt.

Needled Mom never disappoints with her Christmas quilts. You need to check out the Santa

on her newest one! She also showed us how to make a beautiful ornament.

Quilted Delights wow'd us with her red and white quilt. It's gorgeous!

She even shared how to make it...check it out!

About my post...

I had the dreaded "melting brain syndrome" hit me this week.

I posted on Monday instead of today. Whoops!

You can see the whole post and giveaway HERE.

I made some treats...

I sewed a quilt...

I sewed a pillow...

I have a giveaway, too. Enter and comment HERE.

Don't miss visiting any of these blogs!

December 5

Creatin' in the Sticks
DesertSky Quilting
Karrin’s Crazy World
Days Filled With Joy
Just Because Quilts
That Fabric Feeling
For The Love Of Geese
Words & Stitches

December 6

MooseStashQuilting
Just Sew Quilter
Ms P Designs USA
Beaquilter
Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life
Stitchin At Home

December 7

Inflorescence
Crazy'boutquilts
Patchouli Moon Studio
Texas Quilt Gal
Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching
Needled Mom
Quilted Delights

December 8 - TODAY

Just Let Me Quilt
Quiltscapes
Songbird Designs
Patchwork Breeze
Quilt Schmilt
Homespun Hannah's Blog
Happy Cottage Quilter

There's a Pinterest page for all these goodies HERE.

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Day Three

It's been a great two days of the Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange. I think I've gained at least 10 pounds just looking at the recipes and added way too many things to my sewing to-do list...I'm loving it!

MooseStashQuilting showed us a "howling" good time with her project. The singing

critters were adorable! She also reminded me of what a great time we had in Las Vegas.

I'm ready for her to come back!

Just Sew Quilter shared a recipe for chocolate dipped cookies. Oh, my! They look delicious and beautiful. Check out her folded Christmas tree, too...so cute!

Ms P Designs USA saved us some calories with adorable gingerbread stockings. They are great

for small gifts and gift cards. These are definitely worth making!

Beaquilter embroidered the sweetest pincushion and shared her yummy Danish cake.

It looks like it's worth breaking my diet for!

Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life finished the cutest gnome runner and reminded us

of the recipe she shared a few years ago...mint snowballs. Be sure to click her link for them!

Stitchin At Home made stockings for the family this year. They have bling...I love bling!

Her recipe for snickerdoodles (my favorite cookie) looks amazing.

Here's a no calorie gingerbread house I made two years ago.

Be sure to check out all the posts this week. You'll be glad you did!

You can find a giveaway in my blog post HERE.

There's a Pinterest page for all these goodies HERE.

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Day Two

I was totally off on my own blog hop and posted my projects yesterday instead of on Thursday. I definitely had a melting brain moment! Anyway, yesterday had a fabulous array of Christmas projects and sweets!

It's been an awesome beginning!

Creatin' in the Sticks shared a pretty "Bits of Christmas" quilt and a yummy brownie recipe.

Who knew that two quilt blocks could make such an amazing quilt.

DesertSky Quilting had a sweet helper make cookies that looked delicious.

Pretzels make cute antlers on a reindeer, by the way.

Karrin’s Crazy World showed us her beautiful home all decorated for Christmas and

some melting snowman cookies that are so cute.

Days Filled With Joy had the prettiest gingerbread houses made from fabric and

some yummy looking ones with fluffy frosting. Check out her printables, too!

Just Because Quilts post was filled with an eggnog cookie recipe and

the cutest reindeer in a table runner.

That Fabric Feeling made pencil holders which would make great gifts and her

craison and chocolate chip cookies sound over-the-top incredibly good.

For The Love Of Geese knows how to use the Accuquilt dies to make fun projects.

She's "up to her ears" in Christmas stockings and she shared an easy sugar cookie recipe.

Words & Stitches had me laughing at her post (in a good way) with chocolate hearts

and a funny way to describe the thread she used on her quilt. Loved it!

Flashback: This was the recipe I shared in 2019.

Check out all the Christmas treats this week:

You can find a giveaway in my blog post HERE.

There's a Pinterest page for all these goodies HERE.

Sunday, December 4, 2022

The 2022 Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange Begins

My very first Virtual Cookie Exchange was in December 2013. I've had it every year since, except one year when I have no idea why it didn't happen. It's changed a bit and not everyone makes a sweet treat, but there is always Christmas goodness in fabric and projects!

Update: Whoops! I posted today instead of my real day. Joan at Moosestash suggested that "the season has melted my brain." Yep, I'd have to agree with that.

Prancer's Favorite Christmas Treat

Prancer isn't fussy about what he eats, as long as it has Hershey's Kisses in it.

I had plenty of those and other leftover candy (from a retirement party and Halloween.)

The Kisses, pretzels, peanut butter cups, Rice Chex, Cadbury balls, nuts, and M&Ms all

went in a big bowl. Sorry, I didn't measure anything...just dumped it all in a bowl.

I slowly melted some Ghirardelli white chocolate chips and almond white chocolate

together in a glass bowl and placed it in the microwave. You have to melt it slowly, in 30 second

intervals, or it burns. Regular chocolate would be yummy with this, too.

Pour it over the goodies in the bowl. Stir it to coat all the pieces. Spread on a cookie

sheet that's lined with parchment paper or foil. Let cool. Break into pieces. Done!

These are perfect for small gifts and to-go treats for Prancer.

This recipe is from my first Virtual Cookie Exchange. It's still one of my favorites!

Really, they are delicious!

Ritzy Chocolate Mint Cookies

1/2 lb semi-sweet dark chocolate chips
2-3 drops peppermint extract
1 sleeve of Ritz Crackers
Some crushed candy canes

Melt dark chocolate over low heat or in a glass cup at 15-second intervals in the microwave (stir after each 15 seconds.) Stir 2-3 drops of peppermint extract into the melted chocolate (don't use too much peppermint--the 2-3 drops is plenty.) Using a fork or dipping tool, dip each Ritz Cracker in the melted chocolate. Place on a foil covered cookie sheet making sure they don't touch each other. Sprinkle each chocolate dipped cracker with a small amount of crushed candy cane. Chill. Eat. Enjoy.

This recipe is from December 2016. It is a little more work, but it is amazing and so delicious!

Chocolate Cheesecake Cookie Bar

When I was at the Garden of Quilts in Utah, I was walking by the Jillily Studio booth and noticed a Christmas pillow (Holiday Lane) in a corner. I was excited to see it because I had sewn one a long time ago during a blog hop. The designer of "Holiday Lane", Jill Finley of Jillily Studio, was in the quilt booth so I got to meet her. She is just the nicest lady!

Jill was so kind and said I could share her link to the free pillow pattern (HERE). There is even a kit available HERE.

Here's my 2022 version of Jill's "Holiday Lane"' pillow pattern.

I used Benartex fabrics, "Cozy Winter" by Cherry Guidry, for my pillow and quilt.