Christmas in a week

It's not too late. There is still a week to Christmas this year. And then there is always next year!

I have already made several of these ... and given them away. Now here is one I am going to keep. I also wrote a bit of a "How to".

Traditionally Fröbelsterne  (or Moravian Stars) are made with paper. I have made them since I was a child in Germany. Paper doesn't always last that long, but last year I decided to make them with fabric. I think they turn out pretty good. People seem to be excited when they receive them as gifts.

Fröbelstern

You can find something about it HERE.

In Germany you can buy 'kits" of precut paper strips to make these stars. This year I even found some kits before Christmas time at our new Lidl here in Richmond.

HERE IS A LINK which is very informative. It has a step-by-step drawing but also u-tube links etc.
I found out that the star is called by at least all these names: Advent Star, Danish Star, German Star, Moravian Star, Nordic Star, Pennsylvanian Star, Polish Star, Swedish Star or (!) Froebel Star.

Long time ago I also used stiff ribbon. But here is how I did it with fabric.

I cut a piece of HEATnBOND LITE 30 inches by 4.5 inches.

Iron on the back of a piece of fabric. I like this bonding material because it is used with a dry iron, no steam.

Trim all around, peel and iron on another piece of fabric. It can be the same material or different. The selection of front and back material or even different strips make a lot of difference.

Cut the fabric-sandwich in 4 strips each 1 inch wide.

In the internet instructions they say to cut slanted to the tip but that makes the tip week. I do it like this which makes it much easier.

Follow the online instructions. There are many. If you don't like one, there is another you might like better.

Tweezers are my most important tool. Instead of trying to stick the strip through I enter with the tweezers where the strip is supposed to come out and then pull it.

The next two photos show front and back ... different because my front and back fabric was different. I could have used two strips folded the other way ... etc etc.

I like thin gold or silver elastic and make an overhand knot taking the two ends together. A bit of glue into one of the tips and insert the knot-end.

Done! (see photos in the beginning)

My first ever fabric post card

Sorry, sorry, have not posted in quite a while. Life happened. All good though.

I am a member of the Country School Quilters who meet every month in Montpelier. The link is on the right side. The link is great because somebody takes photos of the "show and tell" and it is posted in files under "Our Flickr Site".

The leaders in this group are very active. One lady seems to be "the challenger". She always comes up with a new challenge. And people do participate and we get to see the results. Several month ago the program was about fabric post cards. She had lots of samples and it was very interesting. She past out material to take home and make one. I had good intentions but never got around to do it.

At the December meeting those who wanted too put their name into a hat. Then those participating (I think most) draw a name. Challenge: to make a card and mail it to that person.

I think this is a lot of fun. I made my card and it is in the mail. Actually it should have arrived. We even went to the postoffice to have it hand cancelled. The post-lady had no problem with it.

And then I made another card just because.

The first card is pieced like a crazy quilt but then I top-stitched it onto the Peltex. Silly me used green for that and the bobbin thread shows through the iron-on back fabric. Oh well.

The second has the background like it but I used the "quilt as you go method". This time I used a beige thread all the way. The angel is fussy cut and appliquéd with top and bottom thread different. I also machined the two stars on it.

I mailed the second one to a friend too but made a third like it to keep as a sample. I have a feeling I might make more. It's quite therapeutic to create something which doesn't take weeks and is a finished product.