jennifer, Author at Hopeful Homemaker

Holiday Supergiant Hunter’s Star Quilt

December 10, 2019 jennifer Quilting and Sewing

Every year I hope to spend time making Christmas quilts, but I rarely fit it in. Not this year! In addition to my giant sized Christmas quilts , I finished my Holiday Supergiant Hunter’s Star Quilt.

This quilt is made with my two-for-one Giant Hunter’s Star pattern , and is the huge one block version. It’s fun and fast to make. One thing I learned with this project is that the Kona kiwi color is difficult to photograph, and much prettier in person. In all my photos it looks more yellow than it is, or more jade.

Something I like about the holiday supergiant hunter’s star quilt, or any themed supergiant hunter’s star quilt , is the opportunity to showcase large scale prints I love. Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do with these large, gorgeous patterns. This is a quilt that lets them be noticed.

I pieced together a backing from fabric in my stash. The rest of my merry mistletoe print went in, as well as a couple of other greens I had on hand. It’s very simple, but uses fabric I have no need to keep saving!

Again, I chose straight line quilting in diagonal lines for this quilt. It’s simple and effective.

I also did something I’ve never done before, and cut binding strips from the backing scraps after trimming my quilt. It worked well and I like it. This time I sewed my binding to the back and top stitched it down on the front for an even faster finish.

I’m thrilled to have finished another Christmas quilt for my family to enjoy this season and in years to come.

Changing my Story: I’m Ready for Christmas

December 9, 2019 jennifer Christmas, Musings on Life and Beauty

I hear it every year, busy women asking each other, “Are you ready for Christmas?” The big question is followed by many responses.

Almost. I haven’t started shopping. I just have a few more things to do. I’m not even close.
What is your answer to the question? I’ve probably given almost all of them over the years, but this year that conversation is bothering me a little. So I’ve made a decision and I’m changing my story: I’m ready for Christmas.

My kids are ready for Christmas. They’re ready for all of it: Christmas movies, twinkling lights, the first snowfall, Christmas music on the radio, hot chocolate, Christmas stories. No matter their age, their hearts are open to the magic of Christmas. My college student has been watching Hallmark Christmas movies since October – that’s how ready she is.

What it really means is that they’re ready for the feeling of Christmas. Their hearts are open to the beauty of it all. The lights went up on the house and it was magic for them. We chose a tree and it was magic again. They came home from school to find the stockings hung: magic. Oh yes, they’re ready.

For me, and for many adults, the question of being ready for Christmas has become a discussion of our to-do lists instead of a state of being. It’s about our tasks instead of our hearts, because I think it reveals a tendency to act like the holiday is something we provide. In truth it’s a gift for our taking as much as for our children.

I turned toward November and December with a heart in need of nourishing and a little healing. There’s no way to overstate the miraculous and generous ways in which my family has been blessed this year, but there are wounds that came before the miracles and they need binding up. In many ways, I’ve never needed Christmas more, so I’m coming to the stable with a yearning heart.

As I pondered this difference between myself and my kids, I realized it’s my choice. The bell can still ring for me at Christmas, the magic is mine for the savoring. I AM NOT THE GIVER OF CHRISTMAS. It’s a gift from God himself, in the form of his Son. To quote Jeffrey R. Holland, “But first and forever there was just a little family, without toys or tinsel, with a baby, that’s how Christmas began.” And that’s where the power of Christmas really comes from. The lights and the tinsel won’t bind up my heart. Christ will.

This is why I’m changing my story, I’m ready for Christmas. I’m ready for His love, ready to adore Him, most importantly I’m ready to celebrate what He has done for me. That feeling, that celebration, is free for the taking, regardless of my to-do list. My new story starts now, because I’m ready for Christmas in the only place that matters, my heart. Won’t you join me?

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Holiday Quilts: Giant Hunter’s Star

December 9, 2019 jennifer Christmas, Quilting and Sewing

Last month’s quick holiday quilt tops are now finished and in use. I waited for our first real snowfall to photograph them, and it was worth it. I enjoyed making these quilts! When I wrote my Giant Hunter’s Star pattern , I wrote it with an option for using fat quarters, but I hadn’t made one for myself.

I split a fat quarter bundle of the Alison Glass Holiday collection into two different colorways and made a Giant Hunter’s Star from each stack.

The blue/green/gold colorway is such a pretty combination. I love the festive feel of both quilts, without them being strictly red and green.

Each quilt is quilted with straight lines in a diagonal crosshatch pattern. I followed seam lines where I could and used my hera marker to make crease lines for all the others. It was a relatively fast and simple way to quilt them.

I have two favorite prints in this collection, the Kitschy print (left) and the Crossed print (right), so I chose one of each to use on the backs.

For my binding I used the same print on both quilts because I like the stripe. It’s called Stripe (surprise, surprise!) and works great as a binding.

Now I’m two quilts closer to my goal of having a Christmas quilt at the foot of every bed this holiday season. It feels great to finish them up, and they were fast, fun projects.

If you’re looking for a quick quilt to make, this pattern is fast and fun, and available here .