You'll love these crisp, eye-catching quilts rooted in tradition but with a refreshingly updated style. In a departure from her much-admired floral patterns, Cindy Lammon demonstrates her range with pretty pieced quilts, stockings, a tree skirt, and much more--all composed of simple shapes. Select from 14 cheery projects that lend themselves to both modern and traditional fabrics Enjoy these quilt patterns year-round; patterns can be used to produce stunning quilts for any season Find easy, confidence-building designs for beginning and intermediate quilters and sewists

An historical survey of American Christmas that describes how the modern holiday emerged. It traces the evolution from years prior to 1880, when people presented one another simple, handmade presents, through the late 19th century when industrialization inundated the celebration with inexpensive "tawdry" trinkets, to today. Includes photographs of store and product advertising. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Stitch it pretty! 16 projects for your family, friends, and home Fill your home with small works of art that embody the simple life. Start with 16 useful handmade gifts in the popular Zakka design style, then add adorable motifs pulled from everyday life. 35 charming designs are printed on iron-on transfer paper–have fun sketching them with bits of fabric and free-motion stitching. Customize a variety of bags, a fabric basket, a makeup roll, coasters, and more. You can even use images pulled from a photograph, a rubber stamp, or a child’s drawing! - 16 charming projects for your home using free-motion quilting and raw-edge appliqué - Choose from 35 adorable sketches, printed on iron-on transfer paper, for handmade gifts you’ll love to sew and share - Branch out and try sewing your own doodles (or your kid’s!), a stamped image, or a traced photo

In days of old, Christmas was defined by the custom of exchanging simple handmade gifts. Today, it has become a multi-billion industry, synonymous with commercialism and consumption. How did this transformation occur? In this incisive and engaging examination of how Christmas has evolved since 1880, Waits chronicles the history of the holiday, from its origin to its current form. The book is illustrated with dozens of historical photographs and will be of interest to cultural and social historians alike. Christmas was a relatively modest occasion in the English- speaking world, celebrated by the exchange of modest handmade gifts, until the Victorians invested the holiday with immense significance as part of a larger effort to celebrate home, family, and a mythic past of well-ordered communities. By the late 19th century, Christmas had become a major American festival. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar industry and easily the most important seasonal event of the year. In this survey of the modern American Christmas, William Waits shows us how this holiday emerged, tracing its evolution from the days prior to 1880 when people presented one another with simple crafted presents to the turn of the century when industrialization brought with it waves of inexpensive, tawdry gimcracks. In the early twentieth century, reform-minded Americans reflecting on the new Christmas prompted a backlash against this cheapening of the Yule tradition, and the Christmas card was born. Henceforth, family members and close friends exchanged useful, costly items, while cards were sent to acquaintances and distant relatives. These reformers also persuaded retail stores to keep their regular hours of business during the holiday, rather than lengthening them, to give trade workers the opportunity to join in the celebration. They also rationalized the collection and distribution of holiday charity, resulting in the Christmas celebration we have today. Waits's book clearly illustrates that the notion that Christmas is uncontrollable is simply untrue. An incisive and engaging history of giftgiving, The Modern Christmas in Americaalso examines the differing traditions of giftgiving to friends, employees, the poor, and among entire communities. Handsomely illustrated with dozens of historical photographs, this book is not only the perfect holiday gift but will also be of interest to any student of American history and culture.

Offers simple suggestions for retrieving the true spirit of Christmas.

Provides daily readings for busy, harried people so that they can stop and enjoy the advent season, allowing a bit of room for God amid the hurrying around.

Learn the secrets to fearless, modern appliqué! Top appliqué designers share 16 innovative projects with full-size patterns. Master 7 classic techniques from invisible machine appliqué to bias tape design, each with step-by-step instructions that make it easy to learn. Then, peek inside the design process with profiles of 9 award-winning quilters, inspiring you to rethink the bounds of appliqué.