The holidays approacheth!

As the holidays approach, it is time to start thinking about the menu as well as gift ideas.

As we enter November 2021, it’s time to begin to focus on family time and gift giving as well as the start of what I like to refer to as “The Cooking Marathon”!

Some of my favorite kinds of quilts to make are modern collage applique-style quilts. Not only are they really fun to create, they tend to have amazing visual impact.

Pictured here are a few shots of one of my favorite collage quilts. It was for my first grandchild, on her 1st birthday.

The pattern is by Shannon Brinkley, and is called Amaya.

The Die

In creating a collage applique quilt, you must first add a fusible to the fabric you plan to use for your collage. Then depending on how you want the pieces to look when they are overlaid, you have several options for now hou cut up your fabric. I like the look of random pieces, rather than specific shapes, but that could also be an option. On could use a circle or flower die for example, then your collage pieces would all have the same shape.

Since I like random shapes, I love using the crazy quilt die to cut random shapes from my fabric. This allows me to cut several shapes at once.

No need to slice fabric with a rotary cutter, when this die takes care of several cuts, several layers at once.

Get the 10″ Crazy Quilt Die

Get the 6″ Crazy Quilt Die

And Now The Recipe

As I began my own holiday traditions with my own children, I began creating menus for holiday meals. I wanted to create lasting memories for them, just as my memories of holiday meals had done for me.

Some recipes I would call and ask my grandmother how to prepare, but others, I explored and tested new recipes and discovered new favorites.

One of those great holiday meal memories was cranberry sauce. I loved it. I would mix it with my dressing (in the South we don’t make stuffing, we make dressing) and enjoy it along with each bite of turkey! That was the kind of cranberry sauce you wiggle out of a can.

I found a wonderful recipe, thanks to Martha Stewart, that had a few ingredients, was quick to make but also delicious. It is combination of both cranberries and cherries and my kids have come to expect it with every holiday meal, even to this day.

Prep: 5 mins

Total: 30 mins

Yield: Makes 3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 package (12 ounces) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 cups water

Directions

Step 1

In a large saucepan, combine cranberries (no need to thaw if frozen), cherries, sugar, and water.

Step 2

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until most berries have burst and liquid is syrupy, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover, pressing plastic wrap directly on surface of relish; refrigerate.

Note: The relish can be made up to two weeks ahead and refrigerated in a covered container; bring to room temperature before serving.

View it on MarthaStewart.com

I hope you will give both the die and the recipe a try! Make sure to give me a shout if you do!