Level: Intermediate
Time: 5 hours

Sue used two of her favorite quilting techniques, appliqué and paper piecing. Both of these techniques are easy for the beginner and challenging for the advanced sewer. The base of the tree skirt is 7 1/2" Log Cabin blocks with 3/4" logs. The Gingerbread House, Gingerbread Boy and Girl are appliquéd in the center of Log Cabin blocks. The Gingerbread Boy and Girl ornaments are stuffed and Log Cabin ornaments are paper pieced using 1/4" logs.

Janome Supplies Required

• Memory Craft 11000, 10001, 9000, 5700 
• Digitizer
• Customizer 11000
• USB or RS232C cable, or ATA PC Card 
• Clothsetter
• Memory Card #151 (Christmas Collectibles)
• Memory Card #109 (Christmas Design I)
• PC Design Card #1006 (Doll Face Collection) (MC10000 only)
• Embroidery Hoop
• Embroidery foot P
• Custom Crafted Zig-Zag foot
• Even Feed Foot (embroidery machines)
• Janome Embroidery thread - White (001), Black (002), Dark Brown (205), Blue (207), Red (225), Green (226), Dark Sepia (260), Sola Blue (263), Floral Pink (266)
• Janome Metallic thread - Gold
• Janome Silk Topstitching thread -White
• Janome Bobbin thread
• Blue Tip needle 75/11
• Janome Topstitch needle Size 14

Fabric and Notions Required

• Log Cabin block fabrics
* 1/4" yd. light fabric for center square
* 1 3/4" yds. light fabric
* Green fabric
-Color 1 - 1/4 yd.
-Color 2 - 3/8 yd.
-Color 3 - 1/2 yd.
-Color 4 - 5/8 yd.
* Red fabric
-Color 1 - 1/4 yd.
-Color 2 - 3/8 yd.
-Color 3 - 1/2 yd.
-Color 4 - 5/8 yd.
• Gingerbread house fabric
* 10" x 10" red brick for base
* 2" x 3" red plaid for chimney
* 3" x 3" plain gold for door
* 5" x 2" gold for windows
* 1/4 yd white flannel for roof and snow
• Gingerbread boy and girl fabric
* 3/8 yd. brown dot for bodies
* 4" x 4" red stripe for boy's vest
* 4" x 4" red dot for girl's apron
* 3" pre-gathered lace for girl's apron
* 2 yds. 3/8" red ribbon
* 2 little buttons
• Ornaments
* Fabric remnants left over from Gingerbread Tree Skirt
* 1/2 yd. brown dot cotton fabric
* 1/8 yd. red dot cotton fabric or a remnant 4" x 4"
* 1/8 yd. red stripe cotton fabric or a remnant 4" x 4"
* 1/8 yd. green stripe cotton fabric or a remnant 4" x 4"
* 1/2 yd. 1" pre-gather lace
* 3 yds. 3/8" red ribbon
* 3 yds. cording for hanger
* Fiberfil
• 2 1/2 yds. calico for backing and binding
• 1 1/2 yds. polyester batting
• Robison-Anton Polyester Embroidery thread - #5549 (Burgundy), #5763 (Merit Gold) and #5615 (Evergreen)
• Robison-Anton 100% Super Stitch Cotton thread - #22335 (Ivory), #32263 (Foxy Red) and #22323 (Holly)
• All-purpose sewing thread
• Large eye needle
• Fusible web
• Iron-on tear away
• Tear away stabilizer
• Glue stick
• White fabric marker
• Tracing paper
• 1/4" grid 2-sided graph paper (4 squares to the inch - printed on both sides)

Download and print out the 3 pattern PDFs.
Log Cabin Blocks
Note: Two different color combinations of Log Cabin blocks will be created. Twelve Blocks will use white and green fabrics. Twenty-eight blocks will use green and red fabrics. The construction is the same no matter which fabric combination you use. 1. Cut forty 2" x 2" squares from center fabric.
2. Cut 1 1/2" strips from the Log Cabin fabric.
Note: Because you are paper piecing, it is not necessary to cut the fabric logs to the correct length. You will cut off the excess after pinning the log in position. I recommend that you sew one Log Cabin block as a sample. Instructions given are for a green and red block.
3. Cut the graph paper to equal an 8" square.
4. Fold the paper in half and in half again to find center.
5. Mark a 2" square around center. This would equal four squares to the right and left of center. Plus four squares at the top and bottom of center.

6. Place the exact same marks on the other side of the graph paper. This will help when you begin to sew.
7. Right side up, place the center square fabric piece over the center mark. Notice that the fabric lines up perfectly with the grid lines marked at 2".
8. Using a glue stick, attach the center square to the graph paper.

9. Right sides together and matching raw edges, place green fabric color 1 on top of the center square fabric.
10. Place a pin at each end on the green fabric.

11. Cut the log strip a little longer than the center square.
12. Set up the MC10000 for Professional-Style Embroidery.
13. Select Straight stitch #1. Adjust the length to 1.8.
14. Attach the Custom Crafted foot F2.
15. Turn the graph paper over. Place the graph paper under the presser foot. Stitch one grid line to the left of the 2" mark directly over the graph paper markings. Do not backstitch. Sew a little beyond the 2" mark on both ends.

16. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to right side. Flip Log 1 open. Press flat.

17. Place the same color green, right sides together and matching raw edges, on the top side to the center square extending over Log 1. Place a pin at each end. Cut off the excess log strip.
18. Turn the graph paper to wrong side (sewing side). Sew one grid in from 2" mark directly over the graph paper markings.

19. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to right side. Flip Log 2 open. Press flat.

20. Right sides together and matching raw edges, place red fabric Color 1 on the center square fabric extending over Log 2. Place a pin at each end on the red fabric. Cut off the excess log strip.
21. Turn the graph paper to wrong side (sewing side). Sew one grid in from 2" mark.
22. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to right side. Flip Log 3 open. Press flat.

23. Place the same color red, right sides together and matching raw edges, on the top side to the center square extending over Log 3 and Log 1. Place a pin at each end. Cut off the excess log strip.

24. Turn the graph paper to wrong side (sewing side). Sew one grid in from 2" mark.

25. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to right side. Flip Log 4 open. Press flat. The center square should measure 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".

26. Right sides together and matching raw edges, place green fabric color 2 on top of Log 1 extending over ends of Log 2 and Log 4. Place a pin at each end of the green fabric. Cut off the excess log strip.

27. Turn the graph paper to wrong side (sewing side). Count over three grids (3/4") from the stitched line for Log 1. Sew on this line.

28. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to right side. Flip Log 5 open. Press flat. The width of Log 1 should be 3/4".

29. Using the same color red, right sides together and raw edges even, place on top of Log 2 extending over the ends of Log 3 and Log 5. Place a pin at each end of the Red fabric. Cut off the excess log strip.
30. Turn the graph paper to wrong side (sewing side). Count over three grids (3/4") from the stitched line for Log 2. Sew on this line.
31. Remove the graph paper from the sewing machine. Turn to the right side. Flip Log 6 open. Press flat. The width of Log 2 should be 3/4".

32. Continue, placing Logs as shown in the diagram 4. Logs 7 and 8 are the same green. Logs 9 and 10 are the same red. Logs 11 and 12 are the same red. Logs 13 and 14 are the same green. Logs 15 and 16 are the same red.

33. Sew twelve blocks with the green and red combination. Do not remove the graph paper until the blocks have been sewn together. Save all left-over 1 1/4" strips for ornaments.
Hint: To speed up the sewing, sew several blocks at the same time.
34. Sew twelve blocks replacing the red Logs with white Logs. The green Logs remain the same.
35. You will also need sixteen half blocks. You can either sew full blocks with the green and red combination or simply sew 2 different half blocks as below.

36. You should have a total of forty blocks. Twelve green and red combinations. Twelve green and white combination. And sixteen half blocks.

Appliqué
Base
1. The twelve green and white combination blocks are used as the appliqué base.
2. With fabric sides together, matching grid lines, sew together according to diagram below. Remember to use the three-grid rule (3/4" logs) so that your project will turn out square.

3. Sew two more units exactly the same.
4. One unit of four will be used for the base of the Gingerbread House and the other units will be used for the base of the Gingerbread Boy and Gingerbread Girl.
Note: All appliqué pieces are backed with fusible web before cutting unless otherwise stated. If the fabric is lightweight, fuse two pieces of fabric together and then back with fusible web. For all appliqué, Janome Bobbin thread is used in the bobbin unless otherwise stated. When appliquéing, remember to use stabilizer.

Gingerbread House Note: Almost all of the House will be completed before attaching to the base. The smaller pieces are sewn using reverse appliqué.
1. Cut two pieces of iron-on tear away a little larger than the Gingerbread House pattern.
2. Place one piece on top of the Gingerbread House and trace the whole house (doors, windows, etc) using a pencil. This will become your pattern.
3. Using the other piece of iron-on tear way, trace the snow areas and chimney. Set aside.
4. Iron the house pattern on the right side of the house fabric. Cut out.
5. Using a sharp pair of scissors or an Exacto knife, cut out windows and door from the house fabric. The pieces removed for the door and windows become your pattern for those sections of the design.

Door
1. A wreath is sewn on the 3" x 3" door fabric before it is attached to the house.
Hint: If you have not changed your needle lately, now would be a good time to change a new Blue Tip needle 75/11.
2. Set-up your Memory Craft for Professional- Style Embroidery.
3. Insert Memory Card #151 (Christmas Collectibles) into the machine. MC10000 owners use the Card Reader 10000.
4. Select design #11.
5. Using the Clothsetter and template that came with the Memory Card, position the design on the door fabric where desired. Be sure to properly stabilize fabric.
6. Stitch design using the suggested thread colors except substituting color #003 (Gold) with Janome Metallic thread.
7. Place the door fabric, right side of door fabric on the wrong side of house fabric at the door position. Use either a glue stick or pins to hold in place. This technique is called Reverse Appliqué.
8. Set-up your Memory Craft for Ordinary sewing.
9. Select a Zig-zag stitch. Adjust the width to 3.5 and length to 0.30.
10. Place Robison-Anton thread #5549 (Burgundy) in the needle.
11. Zig-zag the door in place.
12. For the doorknob, select stitch #40 (Decorative Diamond). Adjust the width to 5.0 and length to 0.30.
13. Place Janome Embroidery thread #260 (Dark Sepia) in the needle.
14. Start sewing the doorknob; immediately touch the Auto Lock button. One rotation of the design will sew and stop automatically with a lock stitch at the end.
Note: For the MC9000 select stitch #40. For MC5700, use a zig-zag and stop manually.

Windows
1. Iron the pattern pieces for the windows on the window fabric.
2. Cut out leaving approximately 3/8" all the way around the pieces.
3. Using the Reverse Appliqué technique (right side of window to wrong side of house fabric), position the window fabric at each window location. Glue stitch or pin in place.
4. Using a fabric marker, draw lines for windowpanes.
5. Select a Zig-zag stitch. Adjust the width to 2.0 and length to 0.35.
6. Place Robison-Anton thread #5763 (Merit Gold) in the needle.
7. Sew the panes in the windows.
8. Change to Robison-Anton thread #5549 (Burgundy).
9. Adjust the zig-zag width to 3.5 and length to 0.35.
10. Zig-zag the windows in place.
Hint: For the sample, a little fussy cut mouse was fused in the attic window. Check your fabric stash; you may have a little critter perfect for this application.

Snow
1. Using the snow pattern cut out the pieces that go above the door, windows, roof, chimney and bottom of house. Do not add seam allowance.
2. Position the snow on top of the windows and door. Glue stitch or pin in place.
3. Change to Janome Embroidery thread #001 (White).
4. Zig-zag stitch width and length remain the same.
5. Zig-zag the windows and door snow pieces in place.
Hint: For MC10000 owners, you may have noticed that you are changing the width/length of the zig-zag often. The width of 3.5 and length of 0.30 is used often, to save time, place into memory.

Attaching House Base 1. Gently remove the graph paper from the White area of one Log Cabin unit.
2. Lay the House on one of the Log Cabin green/white combination units.
3. Pin in place the remaining elements for the House. (Snow roof, snow at the bottom, Chimney and Chimney snow).
4. Center the design on the Log Cabin unit. Once set, remove all of the snow pieces and chimney.
5. Iron the House to the base Log Cabin unit. Do not sew the house down yet.

Chimney
1. Cut out Chimney from red check.
2. Place the snow piece for the roof on the House.
3. Position the Chimney, using the pattern as the guide.
4. Remove the roof snow and iron down to the chimney to secure.
5. Change thread to Robison-Anton color #5549 (Burgundy).
6. Zig-zag the Chimney in place. Stitch width and length remain the same.
Note: You only need to sew the two sides of the Chimney, the top will be covered by snow and the bottom will be covered by roof snow.

Candy Canes
1. Open Digitizer 10000 EasyDesign.
2. Transfer design #20 from Memory Card #109 (Christmas Design I) to your computer.
Note: If using theMC9000 or MC5700, save the design to your hard drive using Customizer 2000 and Memory Craft Reader/Writer Box.
3. Open Design #20.
4. Click Select. Click and drag a box around the bow only.
5. Press the Delete key on your keyboard and the bow will be gone.

6. Press the Select icon. Click and drag a box around the bottom part of the cane to move it a little closer to the top.

7. Click Select. Click on a white area of the candy cane to highlight.
8. Click Copy. Click Paste. Position to the blank area of the candy cane.

Click on Resequence. Move the white colors together
9. Save the design. Filename "Cane1".
10. Click Edit. Click Select All. Click Flip Along Horizontal.
11. Save this candy cane design. Filename "Cane2".

12. Print a template for perfect placement in EasyTransfer or Customizer.

13. Transfer the designs to the Memory Craft.
14. Using the Clothsetter and templates for placement, sew Cane1 on the left side of the Gingerbread House using Janome Embroidery thread #225 (Red) and #001 (White).
15. Repeat for the other side.
16. Using Burgundy thread, zig-zag the exposed House base. Adjust the width to 3.5 and length to 0.35.
Snow for Roof and Chimney
1. Place the snow roof on the House. Iron in place.
2. Change to Janome Embroidery thread #001 (White).
3. Zig-zag the snow roof in place. Width and length remain the same.
4. Iron the snow on top of the Chimney. Zig-zag in place.
5. Change thread to Robison-Anton color #5549 (Burgundy).
6. Zig-zag both sides of the House from snow to Candy Cane.

Gingerbread Boy 1. Trace pattern for body and vest onto the iron-on tear away.
2. Iron the body pattern to right side of brown dot fabric.
3. Using a white fabric marker, trace the Gingerbread boy onto the fabric.
4. Gently peal back the iron-on tear away to transfer the rest of the marking onto the fabric.
5. Remove the pattern.
6. Insert a #14 Topstitch needle.
7. Place Janome Silk Topstitching thread #04 (White) in the needle.
8. Select stitch #74 (Wide Cording). Adjust the width to 4.0 and length to 2.00.
Note: For Memory Craft 9000/5700, owners use a zig-zag or one of the other decorative stitches.
9. Place tear away stabilizer on the wrong side of fabric.
10. Sew rickrack as arms, legs and hair using the marks as a guide.
11. Remove stabilizer from wrong side.
12. Cut out the vest pattern pieces without seam allowance.
13. Iron on the red stripe fabric. Cut out.
14. Position the Vest pieces on the Gingerbread Boy. Iron in place.
15. Insert a Blue Tip needle.
16. Place Janome Embroidery thread #225 (Red) in the needle.
17. Select a Zig-zag stitch. Adjust the width 3.0 and length 0.35.
18. Zig-zag the vest in place.
19. Open Digitizer 10000 EasyDesign.
20. Transfer Design #18 from PC Design Card #1006 (Doll Face Collection) to your computer.
Note: MC9000 and MC5700 owners should follow the same face instructions as for the gingerbread girl.
21. Open Design #18.
22. Delete the chin, change the mouth and nose to red, eyes to blue and eyebrows to white.
23. Reduce the size to approximately 2.00/1.70.
Hint: The size indicator is located below the Edit Toolbar.
24. Print a template using EasyTransfer or Customizer.
25. Use the Clothsetter and template for perfect placement of the Gingerbread Boy face.
26. Sew the face.

27. Sew a couple of buttons between the vest pieces and a bowtie made from ribbon at the neck.
28. Gently remove the graph paper from the White area of another Log Cabin unit.
29. Cut out the Gingerbread Boy.
30. Iron in the center of the Green/White unit.
31. Change to Janome Embroidery thread #205 (Dark Brown).
32. Zig-zag the Gingerbread Boy in place. Adjust the width to 3.5 and length to 2.00.

Gingerbread Girl
1. Repeat steps 1-9 as described for the Gingerbread Boy.
2. Trace and sew the apron top just like the vest.
3. For the apron skirt, use 3" pre-gathered lace. Sew a double hem at each side to conceal raw edges.
4. Topstitch in place using white embroidery thread and a straight stitch.
5. The face for the Gingerbread Girl was created using the drawing tools in the Digitizer 10000. Have fun creating your own Gingerbread Girl face.

6. For an added touch, add a ribbon bow at the neck and in her hair.
7. Follow steps 28-32 for the Gingerbread boy to sew the Gingerbread Girl in place.

Construction
Note: At this point you have three areas (green/white units) sewn together. Layout the entire tree skirt or place on a felt board. Iron seams as you go.
1. Start construction at the front bottom tip with two half triangles. Sew together using the 3/4" rule.

2. Sew together the right and left blocks for the green/white unit.

3. Sew the side units to the green/white unit. Sew the bottom unit in place. Set aside.
4. Sew together the right and left outside edge units.

5. The two blocks on the bottom are sewn together but the two blocks on top are left open to wrap around the tree.
Note: The four center squares will eventually have a circle cut out in the center for the tree trunk. Fold the edges back just as a reminder.

6. Sew these blocks together to create a complete row. Set aside

7. The top will be sewn together as two-halves.

8. Sew all of the units together to complete the tree skirt top, refer to below diagram.

9. Gently remove the graphic paper from the full blocks only.
10. Graph paper on all half squares is still intact. The outside edges are all on the bias.
11. To prevent stretching, straight stitch a 1/4" seam allowance around the outside edge. Use the graph paper as a guide.
12. The half squares now need to be trimmed to size. Using the straight stitch sewn as a guide, trim away the excess fabric and graphic paper.
13. Gently remove the remaining graph paper.
14. Measure the tree skirt.
15. Cut a backing piece approximately 1" larger all the way around. Piece backing fabric if necessary.
16. Lay the backing fabric, wrong side up, on a flat surface.
17. Lay the batting on top of the backing fabric.
18. Lay the tree skirt on top of the batting. Do not lay on the diagonal, lay bias edge to straight edge.
19. Starting at the center, safety pin or baste all of the layers together.
Quilting
Note: Sue used Ivory, Foxy Red and Holly of Robison-Anton Quilting thread in the needle and Robison-Anton Polyester Evergreen in the bobbin. Fill several bobbins with Evergreen.
1. Set up the Memory Craft for Quilting
2. Attach the Even Feed foot
3. Select a Straight stitch. Adjust the length to 2.2.
4. Quilt around each of the appliqué motifs using Ivory thread.
5. For the log cabin blocks, stitch in the ditch between each log using the thread color to coordinate.
6. After all of the quilting is completed, cut out the center hole and the slit down the back. Using a saucer as a template, draw a circle in the center. Cut out the center hole and the slit going through the batting and backing fabric.
Binding
1. Measure completely around the tree skirt.
2. Cut strips of binding fabric 3" wide to equal the tree skirt measurement.
3. Piece the strips together to make one long strip.
4. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
Note: Sue did not cut the binding on the bias. If desired, you can cut all of the binding on the bias or piece a strip of bias binding for the center hole.
5. Matching raw edges, pin binding strip to the right side of the tree skirt starting at the back side.
6. Stitch 1/4" from the raw edge. Sew binding strip all the way around the tree skirt.
7. Where the two ends meet, fold over the raw edge of the strip where you first started to sew and lay the ending raw edge on top. Finish sewing.
8. Wrap the binding strip snugly over the edge of the tree skirt covering the stitching line on the back.
9. Either slip-stitch in place by hand or stitching in the ditch from the front, catching the binding on the back side.