However, when it comes to sewing... well that’s a different matter! As lovely as it is to create something new for Christmas, there’s nothing like a clock ticking in the background to take away the fun – so, the aim here is to give you some beautiful festive projects with plenty of time to make them. 
The quilts in this issue are a varied collection of wintery delights with a gentle nod to Christmas. Our cover star, Starry Night by Judith Hollies is a modern take on a traditional design. For those of you who love the Scandi look, Lynne Goldsworthy has created Lonestar (page 24) in so shades of grey and white while Janet Goddard has taken more of an abstract approach with her gorgeous Winterberry quilt (page 34).
As we all know, the therapeutic benefits of sewing are many. One charity that invests in this knowledge is Fine Cell Work - training prisoners in needlework skills to ‘foster hope, discipline and self-esteem’. I have followed their work and projects for several years and so it was with great interest I read about their collaboration with author Tracy Chevalier. Tracy is the subject of this month’s Q&A on page 40, and gives a moving account of working with the inmates on their latest project the ‘Sleep quilt’.

As always, we love to see where your sewing skills are taking you, so do keep us posted. But for now, I will resist wishing you a Happy Christmas, and instead wish you all a calm and creative run up to the festive season.

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