So many of you have asked about Letters For Santa, so I’m finally sharing the story behind this Christmas quilt pattern. It started as a little sequel to my Love Letters quilt. Once I let myself imagine a Christmas version, I couldn’t stop picturing a big pile of letters to Santa, like every kid in the neighborhood dropped their wish list in the mailbox on the same day.
That picture turned into this quilt, and it’s become one of my very favorite things I’ve designed.
Merry Little Christmas by Bonnie and Camille
I wanted this quilt to feel cozy and classic, so Merry Little Christmas by Bonnie and Camille for Moda was an easy pick. If you’ve sewn with a Bonnie and Camille line before, you know they just feel like Christmas. Those reds, greens, and sweet little prints have an old fashioned storybook look that won’t feel dated in five years.
The backing is my favorite surprise. I used the Merry Little Christmas Wovens in the white grid on aqua, and that soft aqua peeking out from behind all the red and green makes it so cozy and it gets softer with each wash!
A Cozy Throw Size Christmas Quilt
Letters For Santa finishes at 62″ x 72″. It’s just right for Christmas movie nights on the couch or folded across the foot of the bed for the season. I made this one for our family, and I can’t wait for it to get softer and worn from years of holiday snuggles.
Piecing the Letter Blocks
This was my first time designing letter shapes into a quilt, and figuring them out was such a fun puzzle. The tricky part was getting each letter to fit neatly into the block size while still looking like something you’d seal up and mail. I spent a lot of time at my design wall moving pieces around before the layout finally clicked.
I’ll be real with you, this isn’t a quick weekend quilt. It’s a slow and steady project you can start in October or November and sew a few blocks at a time. If you love precise piecing, you’re going to have so much fun with this one.
My best tip for the letter blocks is to press your seams toward the darker fabric. With so many prints in this line, it kept my points crisp and made matching seams a whole lot easier. A few extra minutes at the ironing board really pays off here.
Custom Quilting by KellyAnnQuilts
Kelly of KellyAnnQuilts did the custom quilting on this one, and she tied the whole thing together so well. With this much going on in the piecing, custom quilting is what makes it feel finished.
If you’ve never sent a top to a longarm quilter, try it at least once. Handing off your quilt and seeing what someone else adds to it is one of my favorite parts of the whole process.
Supplies I Loved for This Quilt
With this many little pieces, a sharp rotary cutter and a good mat make a huge difference. I also piece with Aurifil thread because it’s strong and thin, so it doesn’t add bulk to all those seams. You can find my go-to quilty tools in my Amazon storefront.
Merry Little Christmas isn’t available anymore, but that’s the fun part! Pick your favorite Christmas fabric line and make this quilt your own. A bundle with plenty of reds and greens plus a few low volume prints will give you that same cozy, classic look. You’ll find lots of holiday bundles to choose from at Fat Quarter Shop.
Get the Letters For Santa Christmas Quilt Pattern
If you’re dreaming up a holiday quilt of your own, you can grab the Letters For Santa Christmas quilt pattern and start this weekend. Classic red and green is always cozy, but I’d love to see this one in a totally different color story too.
And if you want a quilt for every season, Letters For Santa has a sister pattern. Love Letters is a sweet heart quilt that’s perfect for Valentine’s Day.
When you make yours, tag me @bretquiltdesigns on Instagram. I can’t wait to see it!
If you loved this one, here are a few more posts you might enjoy:
- Ombre Heart Quilt Pattern for Fat Quarters: Love Letters, the Valentine sister to Letters For Santa
- Valentine Quilt Pattern: Introducing the Love Letters Quilt
- Fall Jelly Roll Quilt: Clover Fields in Fig Tree & Co, another cozy quilt for the season
Looking for a quick handmade Christmas gift? Grab my free quilted casserole hot pad pattern.