Happy Hanukkah 2022

Today is the first day of Hanukkah 2022. While it's not a major Jewish holiday, because it comes around the same time as Christmas, it is embraced as one. When I lived in Maryland many years ago, my neighbor Heather (Jewish) told me that it became a way for her family to counter all the bling and lights and presents and parties of their kids Christian schoolmates! They wanted lots of presents, too!

Hanukkah card

I have had a small amount of Hanukkah fabrics in my stash for at least 20 years. The fabric in the card above is one of the oldest. I came upon a set of these window cards in the Dollar store (meant for Christmas family photos) and decided to feature some fabric. I put batting on the back, quilted it in a swirl and glued it inside. I love this!

Hanukkah Dreidel Coasters (6" square)

I designed a simple Dreidel block for paper piecing and made a few coasters. You've seen these before. I used the same pattern to make a little gift bag. It appeared in a quilting magazine a few times. I have given these away.

Dreidel gift bag

And one last quilt for today: this is from 1998 and was published in Quilt Magazine. The motifs are printed fabric and I added small pinwheel blocks surrounding them. Not sure who I gave this to, but it was a very special quilt for me to make!

I've even made some English paper piecing blocks using my Hanukkah fabrics. Here's a single block designed by Katja Marek. I should make it into a coaster!

And I found that I had cut some hexagons for 2" papers and decided to begin making a special Grandmother's Flower Garden block. What do you think? Maybe I'll be done by the end of the week; I just need two more of the blue hexagons. I will only use one light one for the center.

2" hexagons featuring menorahs

If you celebrate the Festival of Lights this week, I wish you and your family the best!