New for December 2009: I just redid the Santa's Tugboat instructions as well as adding a two new patterns, Santa's Workshop, and Gingerbread Dream Home (see both at bottom of the page).
I've been collecting Gingerbread Patterns over the the last 20+ years. A lot of them come from old issues of Good Housekeeping. Some of you may remember when their November or December issue featured their Gingerbread House contest winner on the cover--sigh...I miss those days.
You can download the PDFs of the pictures and instructions and feel free to pass them along or send people to this website page. These are all FREE since I'm not the original designer and some of them are so charming and wonderful I thought you might like to have them as well. You need Adobe Acrobat reader as they are all in PDF format (unless noted otherwise).
Feel free to leave me a comment at the bottom of this page on these patterns, you can leave a link to your photos if you make any of these. ENJOY!
And if you need any gingerbread inspiration click here to view photos of gingerbread houses, many of them from past Good Housekeeping gingerbread contests. I'll keep adding to it as I have the time.
NEW! Little Gingerbread Cottage: This charming little cottage, from the December 1990 issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine, features a red licorice roof. Be sure to read all the directions before you start and remember, they don't always give you all the pattern pieces---they give you instructions for additional pieces you have to measure out yourself. Enjoy! Click on the small photo for larger view. Click here for the PDF directions.
Gingerbread Swan King: I finally finished my gingerbread swan--I recreated the pattern I lost (found it in a woman's magazine 30+ years ago). I just finished up the patterns and the instructions which you can download here (you need PDF reader). Let me know if you have any questions at jkeeler415@costumepastimes.com and send me a picture and I'll include it here. You can click on the picture to the right for a larger view.
Gingerbread Angels Cookies -- (3 different patterns): these are about 10" high and based on the angel ornaments used on the Metropolitan Museum of Art Christmas tree.Click here for instructions. Click here for Photo 1, click here for Photo 2.
Santa's Tugboat: As of December 5, 2009 I updated the Santa's tugboat instructions and recipie. It's more complete and I re-typed it so it's much easier to read. Click here for the PDF file.
Gingerbread Dollhouse: click here for instructions. Click here for pattern. I've actually made this one before. Click here to see my photo.
Icing Church: I finally remade this church this year--hoorah! Click here for instructions, its a big file so please be patient The pattern is actual size so it's ready to use. Click here to see a larger photo of the Church and click here to see the one I made in the 1980s...
Gingerbread Train: click here for instructions and pattern, is a really big file so please be patient.
Gingerbread Swiss Chalet: This was the project that got me started in gingergbread 35 years ago--simple and sweet and very, very easy. Click here for instructions (sorry, its a big file) and click here for the pattern. Here are more photos when I made it again last year: Photo 1, Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4.
Santa's Workshop: Just finished transcribing this one for 2009. This pattern came from the same issue that featured the Gingerbread Train and Santa's Tugboat. Hope you enjoy. Click here for the PDF instructions and photo.
Gingerbread Dream Home: This is from the Good Housekeeping issues from December 1988--a nice fairlytale house in the woods, all dressed up for the holidays with candles, wreath, and red-and-white striped carpet to welcome your many guests. Click here for the PDF instructions and photo.
