One Pattern, Three Holidays: Simplify Your Seasonal Sewing with Pockets Full of Blessings
It’s finally that time of year again! I’m talking vibrant tree colors, pumpkins galore, squash soup... my favorite fall things are suddenly everywhere, and I am here for it!
Fall is also when my sewing creativity (and to-do list!) seems to triple overnight. Suddenly, I'm seeing beautiful projects everywhere and remembering all the holiday decor I dreamed of making last year. I’m planning for parties and events and wishing for hours upon hours to craft everything necessary for them!
Of course, we won't get to everything, but it's fun to try! If you're tackling your own overflowing list of dream projects this holiday season, you need a secret weapon.
The Secret to Efficient Holiday Sewing
One thing that helps me tackle all my creative goals through the holidays is having one pattern that can be used multiple ways. That way, I get the sewing process down, and things just move faster, meaning I can get more done, faster, and then spend more time with family.
My Pockets Full of Blessings Table Runner pattern collection is designed to do triple duty between Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Valentine's Day! That’s three major holidays, one simple pattern.
Make a runner for each holiday by choosing on-theme fabrics and colors, or you could make just one that's more neutral, or matches your regular decor, and rotate the card sets to use if for each holiday. It's up to you!
And, it's not just a table runner—it's a family activity. A memory maker. An heirloom collection.
The secret is in the unique pocket design and the printable cards for each occasion!
The Pockets: Three Holidays, Endless Memories
The Pockets Full of Blessings pattern features small pockets sewn along the sides of the table runner. These pockets are where the magic happens—sized perfectly to hold custom printable cards that shape fun family activities for each holiday.
- For Thanksgiving, think gratitude journaling, plus there's a bonus set of quote cards to add in.
- For Christmas, an Advent countdown. Learn a name of Jesus each day and read a verse as you count down to Christmas.
- For Valentine's, try daily love notes OR random acts of kindness ideas!
The best part is, you only need to buy the pattern once to get all the different card sets (and even future ones!) and the instructions for creating a beautiful, meaningful family tradition for all three holidays. All you have to do to customize it, is choose your fabrics according to the holiday!
Fabrics shown in my samples are:
- Thanksgiving runner: Bee Cross Stitch by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs
- Christmas runner: Christmas Eve by Lella Boutique for Moda Fabrics
- Valentine's runner: I Love Us by Sandy Gervais for Riley Blake Designs
Get 10% off fabric and more at Sewing Parts Online with my code, SewWorthy10.
The Pockets Full of Blessings runner is the perfect project to start right now, before the holidays are in full swing. You can knock out the basics and be ready for an entire season of holiday memories before the first snow falls!
More Than Decor: Turning Pockets into Family Traditions
The true blessing of this pattern isn't just having a table runner for decor; it's the instant tradition you create. Think of the runner as an interactive family centerpiece that sparks conversation, creativity, and connection.
1. Thanksgiving: The Gratitude Journaling Cards
The most popular use for this pattern is as a Thanksgiving Gratitude Journal. In fact, that’s where it gets its name. The printable cards for this set are simple and open-ended. You simply leave a small stack of blank cards next to the runner.
Each day in November, or just on Thanksgiving Day, family members (including guests!) write down something they are thankful for. As the month, or dinner, progresses, the pockets fill up with little blessings, creating a stunning visual reminder of all you have to be thankful for.
The set includes 4 versions of gratitude journaling cards intended for different stages of writing abilities.
- One is blank for the youngest journalers to simply draw a picture of their blessings.
- One is lined like a school tablet with a dashed line with a place to write a name above the “is thankful for” prompt.
- And the last two are lined like regular college ruled notebook paper, one with the “is thankful for” prompt, and one without. You can choose which ones to print for your family’s specific needs.
Below, I recorded what my daughter said when she was 3, and then at age 4, she was ready to try writing it herself, with spelling help. She wrote her name, "Mrs. Akins," and "Mrs. Nadia." I love having this little keepsake of her earliest handwriting, complete with a backwards d.
2. Christmas: The Advent Countdown Cards
Forget those cheap store-bought calendars! Your Christmas version of the runner becomes a priceless Advent display to use year after year.
The Advent Card Set includes 24 cards, each with a different Name of Jesus and a scripture reference, plus two more cards for the start of Advent and Christmas Day. The cards are numbered so you can place them in the pockets and turn one over each day to reveal the name and reference, celebrating the true meaning of Christmas as you count down to December 25th.
My kids love to wake up in the morning and race to grab the next card. We then read the verse noted on the bottom and learn about a name and character trait of Jesus that day.
3. Valentine's Day: Love Notes and Kindness
The two Valentine's sets are pure joy! It's a chance to intentionally remind your family how much they are loved. You can secretly fill the pockets with little Love Notes for your spouse and kids to find each morning, or you can use the set of Random Acts of Kindness ideas that your family can complete together throughout the February days leading up to Valentine's Day.
Or, use both!
Last year, I used one side of my runner to write notes for my daughter each day, and one side for my son. I wrote one thing I love about them for each day.
You can also tuck small chocolates in the pockets! Ghirardelli squares are an especially perfect fit!
No matter which holiday you sew for, or if you sew for them all, the Pockets Full of Blessings pattern collection is your shortcut to creating a handmade holiday heirloom that gets used, loved, and filled with memories—not just admired from afar!
The Keepsake Pouch: Collecting Your Memories
The best part of an heirloom is watching its story grow, and the Pockets Full of Blessings pattern includes a simple, coordinating project to help you do just that: The Keepsake Pouch.
The instructions for this small drawstring pouch are included right in the pattern. You can easily sew it using one of the runner fabrics for a beautifully coordinated set!
This pouch is specifically designed to collect your cards. Each year, as you empty the pockets after Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Valentine's Day, you simply tuck the filled cards (gratitude notes, love notes, etc.) into the pouch. Over time, you build a physical collection of your family’s blessings, memories, and kind words—a true archive of your holiday traditions that you can look back on for years to come.
Are you ready to create a new holiday tradition and heirloom?
Grab your Pockets Full of Blessings Table Runner Pattern today! Available as in instant PDF download or as a printed paper booklet. For both formats, the cards are available as a digital download to print at home any time you need more. You also get forever free access to any future card sets that become available!
Read more about the Pockets Full of Blessings Table Runner Pattern Collection here:
21 Ideas to Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Pockets Full of Blessings
How to Print Flawless Cards at Home
Advent Cards and Pockets: A Christmas Table Runner Tradition
Tell me in the comments: Which holiday are you most excited to use the pattern for first?
1 comment
Should add cards for Easter as well.