What's the Rustic Wedding's answer to the crepe paper streamer? A beautiful and unique garland! While researching the top wedding trends for this series, one of the items that came up again and again was the use of garlands as a decorating component. We saw them as hanging elements, as table decorations, even as accessories on wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses. Our garland is what we'd call a "Low-Sew" project. There's just a little bit of hand sewing involved. We've created a cut flower on a string treatment, using a fabric die-cutting machine. There are many cutters out there on the market; we chose the Sizzix Big Shotto test for our series. Originally developed for the card-making and scrapbooking industry, die cutters made their way into the world of fabric over the last several years. The Sizzix brandis very popular as is the Slice Digital Die Cutter and the AccuQuilt GO. 

What's the lifeblood of any wardrobe? Accessories! Why do we love accessories so much? Because they're a fast, economical way to jump start an old outfit. Throw on a belt, wrap up in a scarf, add a fabric flower pin... suddenly, it's a whole new look and feel. The small size of accessories also makes them a great way to try out new substrates, like the beautiful rayon we're using today from Valori Wells' Novella collection. Our long, beautiful scarf has an elastic channel through the middle, allowing it to ruche up into a fun, ruffly shape secured at each end with a pretty little bow. We made two scarves, each one in two coordinating rayons. Wear them separately or together. For yourself or as a gift, these quick and easy accessories are a great way to brighten up anyone's wardrobe for the new year. 

As you've probably noticed during our first week with Amy Butler's new Alchemy, we totally love the innovative substrates she's brought into this collection for Rowan Fabrics. There are, of course, beautiful quality quilting cottons, but this time, she also has a wide range of incredible new textures with which to work. Our All-Weather Tote from earlier this week featured a soft cotton laminate, and today, we're working with rayon challis and velveteen. She also has a unique rayon/linen, sateen bliss, linen/cotton and a voile. Each of the different substrates comes in a wide array of colors and patterns, exploding the amount of creativity you can achieve by mixing and matching looks, weights and textures. Our elegant wrap combines the luxurious drape of rayon challis with the soft romance of velveteen. It's perfect for a holiday night on the town where you need a bit of warmth, and you want a bit of drama against that perfect little black dress.

Kick up your heels and curl your toes - these Christmas stockings are so eye-poppingly bright and fun, they're sure to put a smile on Santa's face when he lands at your house on Christmas Eve. We took the traditional Christmas colors of red, green and gold and turned them on their ear with stunning zebra prints from the Super Fly collection by Jennifer Paganelli, topped with lime stardust medallions from Tina Givens' Star Flakes and Glitter collection - both for FreeSpirit Fabrics. Add rick rack and poms and these stockings are perfect for the wild elves on your list. Our Re-imagine & Renovate projects are an on-going series here at S4H. It's a fun way to see how one project can turn out an unlimited number of ways, depending on the choices you make with fabrics, trims and notions.