Nutcracker Tree Skirt Blog Tour: Creative Spin

Greetings, friends! I’m so happy you have stopped by for a visit today. I am excited to share that I am over on the Therm O Web blog with a brand-new Christmas in July tutorial as part of the Nutcracker Tree Skirt Panel Blog Tour. This project features the beautiful Nutcracker Tradition fabric collection by Jennifer Long of Sew A Story for Riley Blake Designs, and I had so much fun giving this tree skirt panel a creative twist!

The Nutcracker Tradition collection is filled with the charm, color, and storybook magic we all love during the holiday season. From classic Christmas colors to whimsical characters and festive details, this collection brings the Nutcracker story to life in such a sweet and nostalgic way. It has that perfect mix of playful and traditional, making it ideal for handmade holiday décor, keepsakes, and gifts.

Nutcracker Traditions Fabric Collection 

Nutcracker Traditions Tree Skirt Panel

For my project, I started with the Nutcracker Tree Skirt Panel, but since I do not have a Christmas tree, I decided to think outside the box. Instead of creating a tree skirt, I transformed the panel into a festive table topper and a collection of coordinating ornaments. The panel artwork is so beautifully detailed that it does much of the design work for you, making these projects look much more involved than they actually are.

For supplies, I used the Nutcracker Tree Skirt Panel, HeatnBond Fusible Fleece and SpraynBond Basting Adhesive Spray from Therm O Web, wool blend felt, baker’s twine, and a few basic sewing tools. I also used scallop pinking shears to create a decorative edge that complements the scalloped details in the panel. These are simple, approachable supplies that come together beautifully for a polished handmade finish.

The HeatnBond Fusible Fleece stabilizes the fabric and keeps the cut edge from excessive fraying, while keeping the table topper padded and soft. The basting spray holds the layers in place for sewing without shifting or gumming up your needle.

The table topper is the star of the project and is a wonderful way to showcase the center portion of the panel. By adding fusible fleece and stitching the panel to wool blend felt with a blanket stitch, the topper has a soft, finished look with just the right amount of structure. The scalloped edge adds a decorative touch and gives the piece a charming vintage-inspired feel.

I love that this table topper can be used in so many ways throughout the holiday season. It would be beautiful on a dining table, entry table, coffee table, sideboard, or even as part of a Christmas dessert display. It is quick enough to finish in an afternoon, but the decorative panel makes it look like a project that took much longer to create.

To see my step-by-step tutorial with color photos, visit:
https://www.thermoweb.com/blogs/blog/nutcracker-tree-skirt-blog-tour-beyond-the-tree

Of course, I could not let all of those adorable Nutcracker character motifs go to waste! The remaining designs around the panel are perfect for ornaments. Each one is created with the same process as the table topper with fusible fleece and wool blend felt, stitched around the edge, and finished with a baker’s twine hanger. They are simple to make, but they have so much personality.

The ornaments are a great way to use every bit of the panel and add extra Nutcracker charm to your holiday decorating. Hang them on a tree, attach them to garlands, tie them onto packages, or display them in a bowl or basket for a festive handmade accent. They also make wonderful little gifts or keepsakes for friends and family.

Step-by-step instructions with color photos are available in the same post as the table topper:
https://www.thermoweb.com/blogs/blog/nutcracker-tree-skirt-blog-tour-beyond-the-tree

I hope this project inspires you to look at fabric panels in a fresh new way. Whether you make the table topper, the ornaments, or both, this tutorial is a fun and easy introduction to machine appliqué and a great way to create something special for the holidays without a long supply list or complicated piecing.

Be sure to visit the Therm O Web blog for the full step-by-step tutorial, supply list, and project photos. I will walk you through the entire process so you can create your own Nutcracker-inspired table topper and coordinating ornaments.

Thank you so much for stopping by today! I hope you enjoy this Christmas in July project and feel inspired to start stitching a little holiday magic of your own. Until next time, happy sewing!

Bluebells & Buttercups Fabric Tour: Sweet Stitches

Greetings, friends!

I’m so happy to be joining the Bluebells & Buttercups Fabric Tour featuring the newest collection from Elea Lutz for Poppie Cotton. If you've followed Elea's fabric lines over the years, you already know how beautifully she combines sweet vintage-inspired motifs with fresh, cheerful color palettes. This collection is no exception. Bluebells & Buttercups includes 18 coordinating prints filled with floral bouquets, ribbons, berries, cherries, charming little birds, and other whimsical details that feel as though they've stepped straight from a treasured storybook.

The collection offers a lovely range of coordinating colors and prints that make mixing and matching effortless. Whether you're creating quilts, bags, home décor, or small sewing accessories, the fabrics work together beautifully and provide endless opportunities for playful patchwork and creative embellishment. You can view the entire collection on the Poppie Cotton website here: https://poppiecotton.com/pages/bluebells-and-buttercups.

For my stop on the tour, I couldn't resist making several smaller projects that highlight the sweetness and versatility of the collection.

🌸Mini Medi Tote Bag

My first project is a Mini Medi Tote Bag, one of my own designs available in my Etsy shop:

Digital Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1743028230
Paper Pattern: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com/listing/1743026780

This pocketed patchwork tote measures approximately 12.5" wide x 12" high x 3" deep, with a 5.5" handle drop. I had so much fun combining ALL of the Bluebells & Buttercups prints to create the patchwork exterior. One of my favorite things about this tote is how an entire collection of fabrics can be showcased in a single project.  The smaller-scale prints really shine in the patchwork, while the coordinating Country Confetti fabric provides the perfect finishing touch for the lining and handles.

🍒Cherry Project Bag

Next up is a Cherry Project Bag, measuring approximately 12" wide x 10" high.

This little bag features patchwork piecing accented with miniature rick rack and a wool felt cherry embellishment. To add an extra handmade touch, I used pink baker's twine for the zipper pull. The bag is both lined and backed with Country Confetti, which complements the collection perfectly and provides a nice visual contrast to the feature fabrics.

The cherry-themed fabrics inspired this project from the start, and the wool felt embellishment was the perfect finishing detail. I didn't use a specific pattern for this bag, just creativity.

🍓Blissful Bloom Fabric Bowls

I also created two fabric bowls using my Blissful Bloom Fabric Bowl Tutorial, which is available free on the Therm O Web website:

https://www.thermoweb.com/blogs/blog/blissful-bloom-fabric-bowl-featuring-bliss-batting

For these versions, I decided to give the original design a Bluebells & Buttercups twist. Instead of the wool felt flowers featured in the tutorial, I created wool felt strawberries and cherries to coordinate with the fabrics (of course, as always, I used my favorite Wool Blend Felt from Benzie Design).

For the strawberry bowl, I embellished the flowers using ¼" buttons and a seed bead in the centers, adding even more texture and dimension. These little bowls are perfect for organizing sewing notions while also adding a cheerful decorative touch to the sewing room.

🍅Tomato Pincushions

No sewing-themed fabric collection would be complete without a few pincushions! 

I made several tomato pincushions, using my own method rather than a formal pattern. The hand stitching was completed with DMC pearl cotton, which adds beautiful texture and detail. The tomatoes are stuffed with fiberfill, while the attached berries are filled with emery sand to help keep pins sharp.

Wool felt was used for both the tomato leaves and berry caps, creating a classic look that pairs perfectly with the vintage charm of the collection.

These may be small projects, but they are such a delightful way to showcase favorite fabric prints.

🧵Covered Tape Measures

My final projects are several covered retractable tape measures.

I used standard round 60-inch retractable measuring tapes and covered them using fabrics from the collection. These quick projects are both practical and fun, making them perfect gifts for sewing friends or charming additions to a sewing basket.

The smaller prints in Bluebells & Buttercups work especially well for projects like these because every side reveals a tiny glimpse of the collection's sweet details.

Let me know in the comments if you would be interested in a tutorial on how to cover a round retractable measuring tape...

🌷Final Thoughts

Bluebells & Buttercups captures everything I love about an Elea Lutz collection—sweet motifs, beautiful coordinating prints, and plenty of opportunities for adding handmade details. From bags and bowls to pincushions and sewing accessories, every project was a joy to create.

I especially enjoyed incorporating wool felt embellishments (my signature), trims, and hand stitching alongside these fabrics. The collection lends itself beautifully to projects that celebrate traditional sewing techniques and thoughtful handmade touches.

Thank you so much for visiting my stop on the Bluebells & Buttercups Fabric Tour. Be sure to visit the other talented makers participating in the tour for even more inspiration, and don't forget to take a look at the full collection from Poppie Cotton—it's shipping to quilt shops this month. I can't wait to see what everyone creates with these delightful fabrics!

Happy sewing! 🍓🌸🍒🧵