Christmas Gnome

 

It's hard not to start decorating for Christmas before Thanksgiving. I did invest in a couple of new trees this year. A smaller tree for in the dining room and an adorable pencil style tree for in the four season. Both of them are prelit which is awesome! I did put the pencil tree up in my four season. It's not decorated, I am loving the shape and size. I try really hard not to start pulling out the gnomes and snowman before Thanksgiving. I'll be hosting a small Thanksgiving dinner so that is helping to keep the little Santas at bay until the day after! So my tree will just look adorable with no decorations until after Thanksgiving.

 I have been doing some holiday sewing and I'd love to show you what I've made the other day. It's so cute! It's a sweet little gnome in Santa's sleigh, or it could be Santa... wink, wink.... Instead of putting this applique on a tea towel, I made my own using some green shirting fabric which I thought would make a great background. For the applique I am using scraps from my new fabric line, Season Sampler by Marcus Fabrics.  

To make your own tea towel, I used a piece of material measuring 18" x WOF, I then folded it in half right sides together. Then sew around the edges a 1/4" leaving a 3" gap for turning. Then turn the rectangle right side out and press. I then did a top stitch around the rectangles edge. Voila! A pretty tea towel to applique on! (My towel is a bit smaller then what yours will be.)

Trace the applique shapes onto the paper side of your fusible web following manufacturers directions.

Rough cut the shapes out and pair with your fabric colors. Then press onto the wrong side of your fabric.

I am trying out a new fusible web, well new to me. You need to know I am not a paid representative for this company. I'm just trying something new then what I usually use. So far I like this brand. It fused my applique well and I'm happy with it. It says that you don't need to stitch around the edges, but for me a design doesn't look done unless there is stitching.

Cut all of of the shapes out and following the pattern placement sheet, arrange the pieces onto your towel, remembering to peel the paper off. Notice how some of the pieces overlap. Following the manufacturer's directions, iron in place.

Using a buttonhole stitch, I stitch around the gnome's nose, beard, mustache and sled rail with white thread. I use a brown thread to go around everything else.

~ Gnome and Sled ~

This cute new design can be found HERE and HERE.

This towel would be adorable put on display hanging out of a gift basket, wrapped around a bottle of wine or draped on a cabinet or oven door. This design would also be cute stitched onto a 10 minute table runner or turned into a quick candle mat or mug rug. There are just so many possibilities! Have fun with it!

Happy Quilting,

Cindy and Belvedere