Saturday, December 24, 2016

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas or a happy whatever you celebrate! May your holiday be full of friends and family with lots of good food and cheer! I always wish for a white Christmas; but, we often aren't lucky enough for one! May there be much happiness and peace in the coming year!

Tall Tree
Our quilts are hung.
This very tall tree hangs on a door. My mother-in-law made and gifted this to us years ago. I enjoy listening to the bells jingle when the door is opened and closed.













Home Grown Santa

This is the small wall hanging that hangs in the kitchen. I made this for my grandmother in 1992 and it hung in her house every year until she passed. I think of her when I hang it each season. She always liked a little sparkle on her packages so I used lame on the bows!











Angel on High



This is the little larger angel wall hanging that hangs in the bedroom. I made this in 1994 for a friend. She called me a couple years ago saying that she was moving from a 3500 square foot house to an 800 square foot apartment and would I like it back? Of course, I would welcome it back!

Life happens. When I give a quilt, I tell the recipient that if the quilt outgrows its usefulness, it is always welcome back--no questions asked!

For many years of my quilt making, I gave what I stitched away and as life has happened, a number of those projects have returned. They are like past friends coming home to retire!



Santa's Sleigh
This wall hanging of Santa in his sleigh, I made in 1998. It was an early attempt to free motion quilt with metallic thread and to create texture using different stitch designs. It is one of my husband's favorite quilts. I had quite the challenge figuring out how to attach the cord that I used for the sleigh runners.




Better Homes and Gardens
Block of the Month





My mother-in-law made two of these quilts from a block of the month through Better Homes and Gardens. She started the quilt in the late 80s and gifted this one to us in 2009. The other, she made for her daughter and son-in-law. Ours decorates the bed.


Serenaded with a song












The tree is decorated with many homemade ornaments from friends and family members. There are even a few ornaments that I picked up during some of my travels. This year, it is extra special because the grands helped with the decorations. The oldest grand was terrific with the decorations. Although, when I showed her the first box, she was concerned that there weren't nearly enough to decorate such a big tree. She delighted in touching the ornaments and hanging them "just so!"

She tickled me with the comment, "Look Gran, I made a line!!! It looks so nice!! It is just the way I want it!" When I was about her age, I remember our tree was "redecorated" to disperse the ornaments in a more pleasing arrangement. That redecorating hurt my heart. I said, "Hmmm, we need to step back and look. Do you see any bare spaces? No?? Terrific, because I LOVE it!" Then the grand had to sing and dance a song for me. What a special memory!

The cookies are baked, the breads are ready for gifting. The packages are wrapped. Christmas is here!!!!



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8 comments:

Unknown said...

What lovely quilts and girls. Merry Christmas to u and urs!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Right back at you, Carla!--Terry

Janice Smith said...

Merry Christmas, Terry to you and your family. Your little helpers did a wonderful job decorating the tree.

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Thank you, Janice. There were lots of giggles while we decorated!--Terry

Anonymous said...

Their little faces are adorably the same but tipped in the opposite directions! So cute. Love the story about the line of ornaments. Perfect decorating!Merry Christmas to you and your family!
kfstitcher Karen Fitzpatrick

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Karen, It was perfect decorating! It is important to get it the way you want it and have it stay that way! LOL--Terry

Monica said...

What a wonderful post, Terry! It is so great to see some of the older quilts and hear their stories. I love that continuity of being able to hang them year after year. Suddenly I am back in the Christmas spirit!

TerryKnott.blogspot.com said...

Monica, thank you! I wondered if posting photos of some "oldies" would be boring! I do like getting them out each year and enjoying the memories that come with each!--Terry