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Tools: What’s on this student’s head?

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Okay, I’m cruising through all the photos of student’s work at a recent Sue Spargo workshop in Kokomo, Indiana and I paused. What is that on this student’s head? If you are like me or know someone over 40 you know we need more light to see as we age. Please someone tell me what this is and where you purchased it. I will not rest until I have one atop my head, just like Pat.

Editor’s note Feb 26, 2011: I have enjoyed reading each of your comments. Thanks for sharing with me all the ways you can use this head light and where to get one.  –Scarlett

Comments

  1. It looks like a basic headlamp. There are tons of different styles ranging in price at most hardware stores. 🙂

  3. It’s called a head lamp. You can buy them at most outdoor stores. We use them at our summer cottage because we don’t have any electric power. Perfect for reading at night and finding our way home in the dark. Great idea for sewing , quilting and art.

  6. My husband and I each used one last night at the end of our hike when it got dark:) Love mine! So nice that it’s hands free, especially since we hike with trekking poles.

  8. My husband and kids have them for camping. I believe we bought them at the local Travel Country store. Should be able to find them at a sporting goods store.

  9. I have a magnifying head thingy that also has a light on it that can move to shine wherever you need it. I got mine at Harbor Freight really cheap.

  10. LED headlamp – most handymen, mechanics have one. Available at places like Home Depot, Lowes…different styles
    My husband’s is made by Coast, it has an adjustable light.

  11. That thing on her head, a basic Energiser head lamp. They can be found all over the place, usually at Target, in the flashligh section. The head lamp runs under $20, closer to $10, if I remeber corectly. They run on 3 triple A batteries, and go a long time between changes. my family has replaced all the traditional flashlights with these, and loves them.

  12. LL Bean, REI, Lands End all carry them. We use them camping, walking the dog at night and they are a more directed light, so I can read in bed with one and the light doesn’t bother my husband. Pay attention to the reviews, they are all a little different. Mine is lighter than my husband’s and my son’s is bomb proof. These are great stocking stuffers and my girls use their’s all the time. My oldest uses it at night when she is on the campus. We have a joke about where we all keep ours.Watch out, mine can sometimes walk away and find itself in my husband’s toolbox.

  13. Like many of my fellow mail carriers I used one when delivering or collecting mail after dark. We must use both our hands to hold, “finger” and deliver mail, so “using our heads” to light our way is the logical solution. I have to admit I never thought about using a headlamp for close work when quilting or other handwork, but since I often do craft projects or read whenever we’re on driving vacations, I will certainly keep this handy tool in mind!!!

  14. I have been using a light like this for years. It is a simple head lamp that some use for camping or other outdoor activities. I spend lots of time waiting on my kids in a dark car so I use the light to keep knitting after the sun goes down and I’m in car line waiting to pick up the kiddos! I get mine at walmart.

  15. Looks like the Everready led headlamp I bought my husband in Walmart for about $10. It allows you to point it down and has several light settings so you can move the light where you need it and use a little or a lot of light.

  16. It looks like a hikers headlamp. You can buy them in all kinds of varieties at REI or Cabella’s. Really any outdoor shop will carry them 🙂

  17. You can also find at Walmart in the flashlight section….and some models even have a magnifiy capability

  18. You can get them at WalMart, Kmart any department store will carry them. You need to go try them on so you can get one that is not to heavy.

  19. My husband bought one for me so that I could walk at night. He got ours from LL Bean. It is one of the most useful tools we have. It’s used for many, many things and we both use it. I see it’s already been correctly identified.

  20. I now have two, I got them at an Electrical supplies shop. I bought the expensive one for me and it is too bright so I gave it my husband and I use the $10.00 version. It is just right and has is a led daylight type.

Have you read?

Pine Tree Quilt Blocks for Nordic-Style Christmas Quilts

If you’ve been noticing more clean, minimalist Christmas quilts popping up lately, you’re not imagining it. Scandinavian-inspired quilting — often called Nordic quilting — has become increasingly popular thanks to its calm winter palette, simple shapes, and nature-inspired motifs.

Instead of busy holiday prints and bright reds and greens, Nordic-style Christmas quilts lean toward pine trees, snowy landscapes, soft greys, deep forest greens, and creamy neutrals. The designs feel modern and peaceful, but they still capture the cozy warmth of the holiday season.

One of the easiest ways to bring that aesthetic into your quilting is by using pine tree quilt blocks. These blocks are perfect for winter quilts, Christmas wall hangings, table runners, and even minimalist holiday decor quilts.

Below are several beautiful pine tree quilt block tutorials and Scandinavian-inspired quilt patterns that would work perfectly in a Nordic-style Christmas quilt.

Nordic Pine Tree Quilt Block Tutorial

One of the cleanest interpretations of a Scandinavian tree block comes from Diary of a Quilter, where Amy Smart shows how to make a simple pine tree quilt block using classic piecing techniques.

Her tutorial for the Nordic Tree Quilt Block keeps the shapes simple and geometric, which fits perfectly with the Scandinavian style. The block is built using triangles and rectangles, making it beginner-friendly while still producing a crisp modern look.

This type of block works especially well with neutral winter fabrics like soft greys, linen textures, and muted greens.

Evergreen Tree Quilt Pattern

If you prefer a full quilt pattern instead of a single block, Cluck Cluck Sew’s Evergreen Tree Quilt is a great example of how pine tree blocks can create a striking minimalist holiday quilt.

The design uses rows of simple pieced trees arranged in a modern layout, creating a quilt that feels both festive and contemporary without relying on traditional holiday prints.

This style of quilt looks especially beautiful when sewn with low-volume fabrics and solid greens, which helps emphasize the Nordic aesthetic.

 

Modern Improv Pine Tree Quilt Block

Amy Smart’s popular improv tree tutorial on Diary of a Quilter’s Modern Patchwork Tree Quilt tutorial shows how to build simple patchwork pine trees using rectangles and angled strips instead of precise templates. The relaxed “improv” piecing gives the trees a slightly organic look, which works beautifully for Nordic-style quilts where the goal is a natural forest feel rather than perfectly identical blocks. The method is also very stash-friendly and works wonderfully with scrap fabrics.

Scandinavian Tree Rows Quilt Pattern

For quilters who prefer a structured quilt layout, the Tree Rows quilt design featured on Quilty Love’s Scandinavian Tree Rows quilt pattern article shows how rows of minimalist pine trees can create a striking Nordic holiday quilt. The repeating tree shapes create a calm forest-like layout, especially when sewn with solid fabrics or low-volume prints. The pattern even includes additional projects like a coordinating pillow and table runner, which makes it a versatile winter quilting design.

Half-Square Triangle Pine Tree Quilt Block

Another beginner-friendly option comes from the tutorial at Craft Passion’s tree quilt block pattern tutorial, which demonstrates how to construct a small pine tree block using half-square triangles (HSTs). This technique creates crisp tree shapes with very little fabric waste and is a great way to use leftover triangle units from other quilt projects. The block finishes small but can easily be scaled up or repeated across a quilt top.

Classic Pine Tree Quilt Block Tutorial

A simple pine tree block tutorial can also be found on Neighborhood Quilt Club’s pine tree quilt block tutorial, which demonstrates a straightforward patchwork tree using basic square and triangle units. The design is intentionally simple, making it ideal for beginners who want to try a seasonal quilt block without complicated cutting or templates.

Woven Pine Tree Quilt Block

For something slightly different, the woven pine tree block featured on Susie’s Scraps woven pine tree quilt block tutorial uses a woven fabric layout that gives the tree shape subtle texture and depth. The pattern works beautifully in scrap fabrics and can easily be turned into placemats, table runners, or a full quilt top featuring rows of winter trees.

Nordic Quilting Fabric Ideas

The fabric choices play a huge role in achieving the Scandinavian aesthetic. Instead of traditional Christmas prints, look for fabrics that feel natural, calm, and wintery.

Good choices include:

  • muted forest greens
  • soft grey solids
  • cream and ivory prints
  • low-volume snowflake fabrics
  • linen-texture quilting cotton

Many quilt shops carry winter neutral fabric bundles specifically designed for Nordic-inspired projects, and these palettes work beautifully with pine tree quilt blocks.

Why Pine Tree Quilt Blocks Work So Well for Nordic Quilts

Pine trees are a classic motif in Scandinavian design because they reflect the Nordic landscape — forests, mountains, and winter nature.

In quilting, they’re also incredibly versatile:

  • They can be made with half-square triangles, flying geese, or strip piecing
  • They work well in modern quilts and traditional quilts
  • They look beautiful in scrap quilts or minimalist fabric palettes

Best of all, pine tree blocks can be used beyond Christmas. Many Nordic-style quilts featuring trees can stay on display all winter long.

If you’re looking for a holiday quilting project that feels modern, calm, and a little different from traditional Christmas quilts, pine tree quilt blocks are a perfect starting point.

Whether you sew a single block into a mini quilt or create an entire forest of trees across a full quilt, these Nordic-style designs bring a beautiful winter aesthetic to holiday quilting.

And the best part? With simple shapes and clean piecing, many of these blocks are beginner friendly while still looking incredibly polished.