Memories

Every Christmas for the last six years, my mom and sister and I have created an ornament to give to everyone at our family Christmas gathering. I have just over 30 aunts, uncles and cousins on that side of the family alone! In past years, we have done ornaments with bells, old family Christmas photos from the 50’s, snowflake cutouts, etc. This year, my mom outdid herself.

My grandparents are no longer alive. Around the time of my grandfather’s death, my mom and her siblings were sorting through the house and dividing up family treasures. My mom came home with several old quilts, all made by her mother or her grandmother. One of them was in poor condition in several spots. This year, my mom decided to cut out the spots that were in good condition into 35 Christmas tree shapes and create ornaments. This way, everyone gets a piece of this quilt and it gets a whole new lease on life.

To top the tree off, she used a button from my grandmother’s botton box. They are all so unique! My sister nabbed the one pictured above for Eleanor’s ornament- its sparkles are hard to see in the photo, but it is extra special.

Each year, we attach a laminated tag to the ornament with the year, “________ Family Christmas”, and a word. We have used ‘believe’, ‘hope’, ‘wish’, etc. This year? “Memories.”

These ornaments are so special. It was wonderful seeing the look on their faces as they opened the gift and realized what the ornament was this year. I look forward to pulling this one out of the box for years to come!

Do you have a similar tradition?

Single (baby) Girl Quilt

Last week I gained a new niece! Claire will have an interesting story someday when the topic of who was President when she was born comes up. I imagine her saying, “Well, the day I was born it was one guy, but then the next day…”

Just in time for her arrival, I put the finishing touches on her quilt- the Single Girl pattern by Denyse Schmidt. I really am in love with the rounded square quilting and the white binding. I may have to use this binding look again soon.

If you plan to use this pattern, here are a few thoughts:

• the templates are the most time consuming thing in the entire project.
• after sewing on the white pieces to each arc of color, I was afraid that I’d lose a lot of the size in squaring it up. It really wasn’t too bad, but my pieces are just a little smaller than her pattern claims they’ll be. How anyone can sew a curve and not lose some ground is beyond me!
• Marking….oh, the marking. I would love to make this pattern with a dark background fabric. However, marking it on a white fabric was enough for me. I just traced over it, using the lighting in my living room. I don’t think I have the patience (and I teach middle schoolers!) to use some of the dark fabric techniques I’ve seen online for marking this with chalk, etc.
• The white binding just looks so crisp and clean. It really does keep the focus on the rings.
• I used about 10 different colors of fabric. I had an eighth of a yard of each. I had more than enough to complete the rings, and I felt like I had a good variety. It always annoys me when I have a ton of fabric left over from a pattern when it says I “have” to have it. I ignored her pattern’s recommendation for the amount of colored fabric to get. I did, however, follow the amounts for binding, background and backing.

 

There just aren’t a lot of photos of this quilt out there, other than the ones made by Denyse, of course. It’s simply adorable.  Plus, how great is the name? I have explained it to several people and they love how it’s a double wedding ring that doesn’t connect. Genuis. I hope someone else will make one and show it off! I am imagining one in bright reds, hot pinks and whites with a fun green background- sort of a funky Christmas coloring. Yum!