We're sharing this folk-art-style download with you for free from the Today's Quilter archives. Get ready to up your festive quilting game with these whimsical appliqué shapes to add to yuor Christmas quilts and patchwork projects.
We first featured Mandy's Merry Christmas Wall Hanging way back in issue 2 and it has been one of our most popular ever Christmas projects, and so we're bringing you a taster of it today!
Mandy's adorable folk art-style scene feature some of our favourite festive motifs, including decorated trees, reindeer and gingerbread men. These free Christmas sewing patterns are a gentle introduction to the art of appliqué using fusible web.
To sew up your own mini version of Mandy's seasonal scene, download Mandy's Free Christmas Appliqué Templates PDF – featuring the gingerbread men, house and tree from her original project.
Queen of the festive motifs, Mandy Shaw has created some of our favourite classic Christmas quilts and projects in recent years, including her Follow your own star medallion quilt (below) from issue 17.
If you like this design, browse the collection of Mandy's classic Christmas sewing kits (including the sweet nativity heart decoration below) over at www.sewingquarter.com. You can see more of Mandy's work over at www.dandeliondesigns.co.uk and in her regular appearances on Sewing Quarter TV.
All about appliqué
The term ‘appliqué’ comes from the French word appliquér, which means ‘to apply’ or ‘to put on’. The technique has been popular for centuries and is a wonderful way to express individuality. It can be used to create some stunning designs, as seen in Baltimore album quilts, which often feature floral motifs.
Appliqué inspired by folk-art images never seems to lose its appeal, as Mandy’s charming designs show. Thanks to developments in products such as fusible web and fabric glues, there are many appliqué methods available to us today, including the fusible web method used in Mandy's wall hanging.
