Christmas

How many of you are making Christmas crafts already? This is a babushka ornament I made this past weekend. I would love to do a whole tree filled with these sparkling gals.

Hmm, I usually start writing Christmas cards in August too. Last year, I was waiting for my mother to have an operation and I just wrote and wrote all of the addresses. The repetitiveness took my mind off where I was and what was happening. Luckily, my mother was fine and my cards were then pushed to the back of my desk, only to be forgotten, and mailed a few days before Christmas!

This year I would like to hand make all of my own cards or at least draw the design and have a printer print some up. When do you usually start on your Christmas card list? Are you someone who mails them early every year or late?

Who is this?

I'm in the middle of a craft binge at the moment. I can't stop. I'm strung out on tea. I need to keep going with the sewing or I'll lose the momentum, but just wanted to post a few teasers. Who is this sparkly gentleman?
And this sparkly girl?

To find out, stop by again tomorrow and all will be revealed.

Santas in September - Continued

Here's the other couple of santas.

Christmas in October

Do you want to create a hand made Christmas? I do, so I start early every year. I want my projects ready to hang on 1 December so I can enjoy them the whole season long.

After touring around Europe this summer, I was so delighted at all of the different versions of Santa Claus I just had to design a quilt.

There’s Pere Noel from France, Kris Kringle from New Amsterdam, Father Christmas from England, Grandfather Frost from Russia
Sinter Klaas from Holland
I was intrigued when I heard about all of the traditions in the different countries – some children hide candy in their shoes, others play practical jokes at Christmas time, and others fear being whipped if they’re naughty by one of santa’s helpers. So I did a bit of research about each Santa and found loads of delightful stories.

When I show-and-telled my project to my sewing group and I had requests from fifteen of the twenty gals for the pattern, I had to make it. I’ve loved seeing how so many of them have made my quilt their own by adding embellishments and fancy stitching.

So I thought I would offer this to the sewers out there who want to make a one of a kind quilted wall hanging. It will be available for purchase soon (when I figure out how to add this to my web page) and includes the applique patterns for all six santas, easy to follow instructions, and fun facts about the santas from around the world.

Go on an European Christmas tour without ever leaving your sewing room!