Some Christmas decorations

As I am finally back home after a nice holiday in Paris to see the family, I can wish you all a Happy New Year for 2013, may it bring you what you wish for. To me it means a happy family, spending time with friends and a good health all around. 3 of my daughters have got exams coming up in 2013, so there will be a lot of revision and studying in the house.

 I thought I should show you some of the new Christmas decorations we had on the tree this year. It was very special for us as last year, or rather in 2011, after moving house in December, we didn't have a tree. There were too many things to do, and we were away for Christmas anyway. But for 2012 we put up a Christmas tree and all the new decorations were special because they were made by friends or by myself.

 This one was made by a lady from my knitting group, her name escapes me at the minute, but it is quite a big bauble, all hand knitted.

 This beautiful robin was made by me following a pattern by Gail Pan for the Aurifil Christmas Ornament series, when we were given 12 designs to make over 4 weeks I believe. You might still be able to copy them from the website at Aurifil, or follow the post made by Gail Pan. I only made 2.

 She explains very well how to make this ornament.

 The second one I made was a pattern from Lizzie B found here.

 This one is new, made by me this year in our quilting group, Golden Lion Quilters. There is a ball covered with fabric. You cut the foam with a knife slightly and push the fabric in. Hide everything with the ribbon. There was a bit of calculation first to draw the lines on the ball.

This was a present from Fiona who lives not far from me and Nicola who introduced her to me. They both love sewing, with a slight preference from them for hand work and embroidery.
I love meeting for some afternoon sewing, they have so many ideas. They go to charity shops to buy outfits in nice fabrics and then give each other half a skirt or jacket, so funny. It is only if you love sewing and making things that you can imagine the pleasure of receiving half a woolen jacket, washed to felt it. Wonderful.
Fiona made many ornaments like this one for Christmas for her friends and family. I believe she didn't sleep much sometimes. I feel privileged to have received one.

I suppose you could copy some links and keep them for next year, ready to be made for Christmas 2013.

Enjoy your sewing.

Pascale.

Christmas tree wall-hanging

I was wandering from blog to blog when I happened on this vintage Christmas tree on Pleasant Home. I think I was very interested by the technical aspect of the realisation; it stayed in my mind for a few days, so I knew I had to make it.

And it is that time of year again...

First you make a square of squares. To make this one I cut strips in 11 different Christmas fabrics, each strip 1 1/2" wide, by roughly 50cm or 20 "(the size of a fat quarter very often). You arrange them and sew them together, starting your seams once at the top and the next at the bottom to avoid any twisting. Iron you seams flat, one right, one left so that when you sew them back together they will meet in opposite directions.

Next sew them to make a tube, which you then cut in 1 1/2" wide rings. You open the seam between 2 squares on the 11 rings at different places to vary the colours. I chose to move by one square for each new row, which gives you this effect. You could choose to move 2 squares, or randomly.

Next you sew the rings together, once from the bottom, once from the top, and you should end up with this.

The back of my square with seams ironed flat.

These are the bits left over after squaring up. I will use them later.

Next you fold your square like on the photo, and sew the top and side together, leaving a gap for turning (see fingers).

 Put the seam in the middle, still with the opening, pin and cut the triangle at the bottom. Keep it for later.

 Now sew a straight seam at the bottom, on the wrong side. Take out the pins, cut the extra fabric in the corners, and turn right side out.

 I took the easy option to measure the wadding. I cut around my triangular shape. Easy.
It is more difficult to then push the wadding inside, and slip stitch the opening at the back closed.

 I used the triangle left over to do the same thing, in a tiny size.

That's all that was left, and discarded. Too small to do anything.

 The last stage is the quilting. I used my walking foot to quilt a triangular shape, with a space of 1/2". Easy again.

 I forgot to take a photo of a little ribbon stitched at the top, and another one at the back to hang my tree.

On the small tree I used one of the long strips end, as a binding, I left it too long on purpose.

I hope this will give you ideas for your own Christmas decorations.
The time seems to be flying in my house.

I wish you a Happy Christmas

Sorry I haven't been present much lately, because of the holidays, travelling to France and seeing some family and friends. I haven't done any sewing lately either. Just knitting a scarf for my daughter, because I can do it in the car.

The only thing I can show you are some decorations I made in previous years.

This is our advent calendar. It came as a back panel, with bands of fabric to be sewn to make the pockets. Of course the numbers are put at random.

We made this little cube in our patchwork group. The cardboard inside comes from cereal boxes.

This I made quite quickly, each star or tree is in two fabrics, one on each side, with wadding in the middle, and free motion quilting on top. They are attached onto a grosgrain ribbon with a nice red button. And the ribbon makes a loop to attach to the tree at each end.

This hanging is made with triangles of fabric, 2 colors sewn together, here green and red.

Sew right sides facing, all the way, leave a gap to turn, take away some fabric in the angles. Turn to have the right way out, slip stitch closed.

Next you need to attach each point to the centre, for me the red points meet in the middle of the green triangle.

Last you need to turn the unit, here on the red side, and pull the middle of each side to the centre of the triangle, so you have green coming back to the centre of the red triangle.

You need to sew all the units together to obtain the shape of the tree. I had 15 units, 1 at the top and 5 at the bottom.

I added little gold beads in the centres.

Enjoy this day, I wish you a lot of happiness.

Christmas projects

The weather is terrible in the south of England, it feels like it's been raining for days. They are so short and we don't see much of the sun with all these clouds...but I'm busy preparing things for Christmas.

I can't show them as they are presents. There is a bit of sewing, some crochet on the go. It will all be revealed later.

I have also made a Christmas stocking for my youngest daughter. The first 3 were finished at least 2 years ago, and there was one missing.

I used a free design from Eleanor Burns, so that I didn't have to think too much; she is so good in her explanations. On the website you will also be able to see different blocks she offers.

I made my stocking bigger, so it can carry more presents. It was so easy, and so fast.

And here are the photos of the previous ones, more square than the new model. Of course they are all special....

Enjoy your weekend, I'm sure you are also busy preparing for Christmas.

My fabric Christmas Tree

This is a tree we made with the help of John, dear husband of Frances, in our quilt group.

We had to cut multiple pieces of cardboard, as all the inside pieces are doubled with a padded part, including the inside of the box.

The tree is resting on a base, that can be glued on, although I haven't done it yet.

The little pyramid holds the box closed.

Inside there is a smaller box for the sweets I need to buy.

The last option is to put some little bells or anything that makes a noise, as an alarm for the sweets I suppose.

I enjoyed this project, and I am sure we will have a lot of pleasure in using it every year around Christmas.