Better late than never LAST MINUTE candle mat (a holly jolly Christmas project tutorial)

Happy Tuesday before Christmas Blogland Neighbor-hood !! The MBIAJ Sewing Dept is just tickled pink beyond their wildest dreams because this year they actually finished a gift BEFORE Christmas !!!! YES !!! You read that correctly ..... the MBIAJ Sewing Dept has COMPLETED a gift AHEAD of schedule !!!! (... and trust us, this IS ahead of schedule considering that the usual modus operandi involves sewing up to and including Christmas morning). Do you think it could be .....






.....the new self appointed boss???










Well anyway, we'd like to think that we are not the only frazzled last minute gift makers out there .....and with that in mind, we thought we'd share this quick and easy project with you because YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO MAKE THIS BEFORE CHRISTMAS !!!! (that is, of course, if you don't have to drop everything , get in your car and go buy the stuff to make this ..... if that is your situation ..... STOP !!! and write out a lovely I.O.U. note instead !)

OK ..... GET BUSY !!!! Here's what you need:

















Assorted wool felt
Hexagon quilt template
15" x 15" piece wool felt for backing
Black thread
Chalk marking pencil
Freezer paper
2" x 2" piece of template plastic or cardboard (from cereal box)


Use chalk pencil to trace patterns onto wool felt
Cut 7 large (2 1/2") hexagons from assorted wool felt
Cut 6 smaller (1 1/2") hexagons from assorted wool felt
Cut 6 "snowflakes" from assorted wool felt (free hand draw a simple snowflake onto template material and use as a pattern)





using black thread, sew snowflakes onto smaller hexagons (sewing down center of each "arm" of the snowflake)



sew smaller hexagons onto center of larger hexagons (stitching 1/8" from outer edge of smaller hexagon) You will have 6 of these (the 7th hexagon is the plain center )





decide on your hexagon placement



when you are happy with your placement, turn hexagons over and iron small strips of freezer paper on the back to hold 2 hexagons together at a time (since hexagon edges are butted up against each other, the freezer paper strips act like pieces of scotch tape holding the hexagons in place until they are sewn)



turn over again to right side and use a zig zag stitch to connect hexagons together





carefully remove the freezer paper from the backs


after all hexagons are sewn together, place them onto a piece of freezer paper and trace around outer edges


iron this piece of freezer paper onto wool felt backing fabric


and cut out backing hexagon



next layer backing hexagon with hexagon top , matching all edges (pin to hold in place)



stitch 1/8" from edges of center hexagon and ....



....then stitch 1/8" from outer edges of hexagons all the way around. Press and .....





.... TA DAAaaaa !! You're all DONE !!!!











OK ..... on to the next project (that Santa Kitty runs a tight ship !)

Oh, by the way, that candle (in the first picture) is a soy candle (I LOVE those) and it came from a very fun and cute shop here in Jim Thorpe, Pa called Homespun.

Oops !! Gotta GO !!!! (Santa Kitty is tapping that foot of hers and pointing at her watch again ......)

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)