The joy of creation can result from doing beautiful needlework, creating a lovely quilt or simply baking and cooking delicious treats for your loved ones!

Professionals from the Quilting and Needlework Industries have joined together to share their holiday memories, a glimpse into their businesses, and MANY irresistible recipes!

Please visit ILovetoBakeCookies.com and TheArmchairChef.com for more fabulous holiday creations!

Needlework and Quilting Pros HOLIDAY Bake Along!

ILoveToBake.com JEWELED CHRISTMAS TREE COOKIES

Ever since I can remember the Holidays have always centered around the family making crafts. Each year my grandmother would have a newly crocheted red and white hat and sweater set for all her grandchildren (she started with 2 and now she has 23 grandchildren and 12 great grand children). We would make cookie ornaments and hang them on the tree. My mom and grandmother would pull out our Christmas blankets, we would draw our Christmas cards and make our presents. Till this day I still make each of my aunts and uncles an ornament for their tree. Now instead of using glue and construction paper I design a family ornament for each year and stitch it. It is so amazing to me to see everyone so excited to receive their ornament and place each one lovingly on their tree. My whole family has continued our crafting traditions within their immediate families and I encourage you to do the same.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/3 cup butter, chopped 3 tablespoons sugar 1 egg white 2 tablespoons orange juice 8 ounces colored fruit candies colored ribbons to decorate

Step by Step

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. 1) Sift flour into a mixing bowl. 2) Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. 3) Stir in the sugar, egg white and enough orange juice to form a soft dough. 4) Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. 5) Roll out thinly and stamp out as many shapes as possible, using a floured Christmas tree cutter. 6) Transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them well apart. knead the trimmings together. 7) Using a 1/2 inch round cutter or the end of a large plain pastry nozzle, stamp out and remove six rounds from each tree shape. Cut each candy into 3 and place a piece in each hole of the trees. 9) Make a small hole at the top of each tree to thread through the ribbon. 10) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cookies are slightly golden in color and the candies have melted and filled the holes. 11) Cool on a baking sheet. 12) Repeat until you have used up the remaining cookie dough and candies. 13) Thread short lengths of ribbon through the holes so the cookies can be hung up. 14) Serve (or display!) and Enjoy!

Follow the Leader Designs

Versatility best describes Follow the Leader Designs fresh designs which reflect Colleen’s unique approach to needlework: “I have changed patterns my entire life. Every time I purchased a chart or read a magazine I always found myself tweaking the design just a bit…add some specialty stitches; change the threads, different count linen. It got to a point where my finished pieces looked nothing like the chart!” Each FTL design packet contains two charts: the design can be finished entirely in counted cross stitch but also includes a second chart to complete the design using the many specialty stitches that Colleen enjoys stitching in hand dyed fibers and floss. Since the stitcher is at liberty to choose how and which specialty stitches will be integrated into the overall design, each piece becomes a unique expression of that stitcher’s skills and personality. http://followtheleaderdesigns.blogspot.com/

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