Decorate the Tree Quilt: A Christmas Keepsake to Stitch and Treasure

Hello friends! This is Jennifer Long from Sew A Story.

One of my favorite Christmas traditions is decorating the tree with ornaments that hold special memories. Each decoration tells a little story, reminding us of the people, places, and moments that make the season meaningful.

That was the inspiration behind my Decorate the Tree: Christmas Keepsake Quilt, created using my Nutcracker Tradition fabric collection for Riley Blake Designs. This festive quilt celebrates the joy of decorating for Christmas, and I am excited that we will be making it together during our upcoming free Quilt Along!

A Christmas Tree Surrounded by Stars

The Decorate the Tree Quilt finishes at approximately 63½” × 69½”, making it a lovely size for displaying in your home, draping over a sofa, or gifting to someone special.

At the center is a beautifully illustrated Christmas tree panel filled with ornaments, ribbons, and familiar Nutcracker characters. Surrounding the panel are 19 colorful pieced star blocks, each showcasing different prints from the Nutcracker Tradition collection.

I especially love how the festive reds, pine greens, midnight blues, and soft pinks come together to frame the Christmas tree and create a quilt filled with holiday cheer.

A Fun Way to Enjoy Christmas Quilting

This beginner-friendly quilt combines traditional piecing with simple Stitch and Flip techniques to create the star blocks.

The Decorate the Tree Quilt Kit includes the illustrated center panel, coordinating fabrics for the quilt top and binding, a 5-inch fabric stacker, and the printed pattern. You will just need to provide your own backing, batting, and thread.

With the beautiful panel already telling the center of the story, you can enjoy creating the surrounding stars and watching your Christmas keepsake come together.

Three Tips for Sewing Your Decorate the Tree Quilt

1. Prepare Your Panel Carefully

Before cutting, take time to center and measure your panel according to the pattern instructions. This will help your borders fit beautifully as you begin assembling the quilt.

2. Have Fun Choosing Your Star Fabrics

The 5-inch stacker includes a wonderful variety of Nutcracker Tradition prints. Arrange your star fabrics before sewing and enjoy choosing which colors and patterns you would like to feature throughout the quilt.

3. Press Your Star Blocks as You Go

The star blocks use Stitch and Flip construction, so careful stitching and pressing will help create crisp points and keep your blocks accurate when joining them with the borders.

Join Our Free Decorate the Tree Quilt Along

I am so excited to invite you to our free three-week Decorate the Tree Quilt Along beginning November 18, 2026!

We will work through the quilt together over three weeks:

Week 1, November 18: Getting Ready, Trim the Panel & Cut
Week 2, November 25: Sew the Stars
Week 3, December 2: Assemble, Quilt & Bind

You can join us inside the Sew A Story Open Creative Community, where we will share helpful tips, encouragement, and our progress as we sew together.

Our Getting Ready information is already available, so you can begin preparing your fabrics and supplies before we start!

A Christmas Keepsake for Years to Come

I love imagining this quilt becoming part of your family’s Christmas celebrations. Perhaps it will be displayed alongside your Christmas tree, used for cozy holiday movie nights, or gifted to someone who treasures handmade traditions.

However you choose to enjoy it, I hope the Decorate the Tree Quilt brings warmth, creativity, and wonderful Christmas memories into your home.

I would love for you to join us this November as we stitch another beautiful Christmas story together!

Yours in storytelling creativity,
Jennifer Long
Sew A Story