15 Incredible Fat Quarter Friendly Christmas Sewing Projects For Beginners
I am super excited about today’s post topic, you guys. We are going to take a look at all kinds of fat quarter Christmas projects. Holiday sewing projects are probably my favorite because they put you in the festive holiday mood, even if you start them in October!
I want to go over projects that you can make using fat quarters. You can use these little precut rectangles for various projects, and we will explore the possibilities together today.
What is a Fat Quarter?
Before we look at some fun Christmas fat quarter projects, let’s go over what a fat quarter is. A fat quarter is a precut piece of fabric that measures 18”x21”. You can purchase them individually or in a bundle.
Fat quarter bundles are extremely popular in the quilting community, but you can use them for much more than just quilting. I’ll show you what I mean in just a little bit. The bundles are convenient because they are usually made of coordinating fabrics from the same design collection.
For example, here is a Tula Pink Curiouser and Curiouser fat quarter bundle I purchased recently.
How Many Fat Quarters in a Yard?
You might be able to tell from the name, but a fat quarter is a quarter of a yard. A yard is divided into fourths to get four fat quarters out of it.
To cut your own fat quarters, cut the yard in half from selvage to selvage. You then cut each of those halves into two using a vertical cut.
What Can I Make Out of Christmas Fat Quarters?
Well, I’m so glad that you ask! There are so many different kinds of projects that you can make using Christmas fat quarters, from sewing decorations for your home to making one-of-a-kind gifts for your friends and family.
It is extra special to give someone a gift you made with your own two hands, and you don’t have to be a master seamstress or sewist to make beautiful sewn items for yourself and others. There are plenty of beginner-friendly fat quarter Christmas projects out there on the interwebs, and I’ve gathered up some of the best (in my opinion) for any skill level.
Here is a short list of some of the things you could make using Christmas-themed fabric:
- Kitchen items: pot holders, hot pads, oven mitts, aprons, etc.
- Dining room essentials: table runners, placemats, napkins, etc.
- Other household items: Mug rugs or coasters, wall art, quilts, etc.
- Christmas decorations: tree skirt, tree ornaments, pillows or pillow covers, etc.
I wrote a whole post on winter sewing projects that you can check out here for more inspiration.
15 Fat Quarter Christmas Projects to Try This Year
Now that we’ve discussed what a fat quarter is and some basic ideas of what you can make using them for Christmas-themed sewing projects, I want to take an up-close look at 15 specific tutorials that are excellent ideas for beginners and skilled sewists alike. I found some free Christmas sewing patterns, which I will specify if they are free or not in the description of each project. Without further ado, let’s look at these exciting holiday sewing ideas, shall we?
Isn’t this lightbulb garland just adorable? This free tutorial + template download for bulbs will show you how to create this fun decoration. You could use this garland to decorate your tree and the fireplace mantle or hang it on the edge of a table.
If you love the look of patchwork quilts and want to add a little patchy goodness to your Christmas tree this year, check out this free tutorial from Blonde Design. There is a free download for the star pieces and easy-to-follow instructions on constructing the stars. This is a quick and easy project, so you could make several star ornaments in an afternoon using this great tutorial.
I found this beautiful mini quilt pattern on Etsy from the shop “JediCraftGirl.” This is one of her gorgeous quilt patterns, but this one stands out because of its whimsical design and the fact that it is a mini quilt. This is an excellent choice if you want to dabble in quilt making without making a full-size quilt. The finished size of this mini quilt is 22”x24”.
Here is a fun project that looks much more complicated initially than it actually is. This free tutorial shows you how to sew strips together, cut them into triangles, and sew them together to make a hexagon. You should know the basics of quilting if you want to take on this project since the writer doesn’t go into great detail about how to quilt or bind the quilt.
Amy Smart from Diary of a Quilter wrote this quick and easy (free) tutorial on how to make scrappy Christmas stockings. She includes downloadable templates and step-by-step instructions with photos. The tutorial was written specifically for making stockings using fat quarters. Trust me; you will have a lot of fun making these for your family.
Vanessa Lynch designed this cute pillow cover at Punkin Patterns. I love the design’s modern, clean lines look, but it still has a fun, whimsical vibe. This will be another fabulous beginner project if you want to dip your toes into quilting and learn the basics as you go. The finished pillow cover will measure 20 ½” square.
I don’t know about you, but I think this tree is ridiculously adorable! It’s giving me Dr. Suess vibes, and I want to make one now. It is an excellent example of taking fabric scraps and making something beautiful and unique. This free tutorial shows you detailed images for each step and well-written instructions. This is another excellent beginner sewing project your kids would blast helping with.
If you like to switch out your coasters for the different seasons, this free tutorial + free pattern is perfect. These would also make fun gifts to give to your friends and family. The tutorial includes photos and written instructions on how to construct the coasters and what type of interfacing to use inside to help them keep their structure.
Here we have another fantastically written free tutorial from Kim at Crafting Cheerfully. This beautiful wreath is constructed by tying cute mini pillows to a wire wreath form and looks so cozy and festive, don’t you think? The best part about this tutorial? You can use it to make wreaths for any occasion, not just Christmas/wintertime.
If you are looking for a no-sew Christmas fabric project, this is your lucky day! This is a nifty free tutorial from Laura over at Slice of Pi Quilts. In this tutorial, Laura shows us how to make these awesome 3D ornaments that look like paper decorations. You don’t have to do any sewing with this project; ironing and hot gluing are necessary. You will need two fat quarters for each ornament.
Here is another no-sew project that looks so much fun to make. For this wreath, you simply need to cut the fabric into strips and tie them onto a styrofoam wreath form. This inexpensive, quick, and easy fat quarter Christmas project will be fun for you and the kids to make together. Just like the other wreath on this list, you could easily make one of these for every season and celebration.
As soon as I saw this unique mini pillow, I knew I had to include it in this compilation. I love that you can tell it’s handmade. You can purchase this PDF pattern from the Etsy shop “simplyeilene.” The mini pillow will measure just 7”x9” and would make an adorable stocking stuffer.
Ina from Crafty For Home wrote this easy-to-follow tutorial + free downloadable pattern for making cloth napkins. Not only are cloth napkins better for the environment, but they also look way better than throw-away napkins or paper towels. With this tutorial, you can make napkins for Christmas parties, birthday parties, family gatherings, and other celebrations.
Here is a free tutorial from Anna of Tea and a Sewing Machine, and she shows us how to make a simple pillow cover with a sweet little bow on the front. You only need two fat quarters for this tutorial and a pillow insert.
This gorgeous garland is surprisingly easy to make, and this free tutorial from Sew Dainty will show you how to make it from start to finish. The tutorial has excellent detailed photos of each step and well-written instructions on creating these adorable mini trees and attaching them to ribbons to hang around your home.
I hope you enjoyed these fat quarter Christmas projects as much as I did. I definitely feel inspired by them for this year’s winter sewing projects.
How about you? Are you going to try any of these projects for your Christmas sewing time? Let me know in the comments below!
