Angels Heard on High

The Christmas Tree first came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany. At this time also, German Merchants living in England decorated their homes with a Christmas Tree. The decorations were Tinsels, silver wire ornaments, candles and small beads. All these had been manufactured in Germany and East Europe since the 17th century. The custom was to have several small trees on tables, one for each member of the family, with that persons gifts stacked on the table under the tree. The early trees introduced into America by the Hessian soldiers were not recorded in any particular quantity. The Pennsylvanian German settlements had community trees as early as 1747.

Yes - I am still in that 'occupy' mode even though all that cleaning and organizing really whipped my behind. And everyone around me has or is coming down with the flu - taking lots of vitamin C and fluids.

I finished the Ruby Tote with Clover & Violet (will link up). Very different looking from theirs for sure. I opted not to add the side ties as will be using this for my quilt guild carry tote - lots of pockets inside to hold various items if needed for a class. The front pocket is a little bare - I have a flower pin with my name on it - that may go nicely there.

And this is the back. I went with a solid piece instead of the patchwork. This is just too pretty to cut up and I actually designed around this fabric. Some of these fabrics are from my stash and some are from items received in swaps/winnings. So it is a bit of a treasured piece for me. I love the earthy, country look to it - and these are my 'angels heard on high'.

More eye glass cases. I sent some on to the Senior Home and then made some for a local craft show - let me tell you, looking for a man's gift. This is it! I had men buying these for themselves. Even got a request for a case with a pocket in it to carry a pen, gas card, cash, etc... Used my tutorial found here.

And the next block for the Fat Quarter Stars Quilt Along. I almost forgot about this, but it worked up fast even with the hand stitching on the cathedrial window section. But the seams are a bit 'thick' and had to get my seamstress hammer out and whack those bad boys flat. I like the look of this block, but wouldn't want to do a whole quilt with them.

Are you getting a chance to occupy your sewing room? To clean, tidy, organize, stitch, fold some fabric, even to pet it and tell it is love?

CLOSING THOUGHT

As our community church has started to ring the bells in seasonal songs, I thought of this:

I heard the bells, on Christmas Day,
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

- By Henry Longfellow

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Deck the Halls Or Cleaning Them

In the mid 16th century, Christmas markets were set up in German towns, to provide everything from Christmas presents, food and more practical things such as a knife grinder to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose! A visitor to Strasbourg in 1601 recorded a tree decorated with "wafers and golden sugar-twists (Barleysugar) and paper flowers of all colours". Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time real silver was used, and machines were invented which pulled the silver out into the wafer thin strips for tinsel. Silver was durable, but tarnished quickly, especially with candlelight. Attempts were made to use a mixture of lead and tin, but this was heavy and tended to break under its own weight so was not so practical. So silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century.

ORNAMENT SWAP

I joined in Tony's ornament exchange this year and this lovely ornament is from Sherry. Reminds me of the handmade Victorian pieces - and I love pearls and blue! No one better touch this!

This cute little snowman - with snow belly - is from a student in Mrs. Cook's 6th grade class. I haven't had a child's homemade ornament for many years so this is special.

This precious beauty if from Belinda. Just had to ask her how she made these. I've made the prairie point fabric balls, but this is so different - so delicate and sparkly.

And this multi-pocket cone is from Tonya herself - filled with so many little goodies from her family. I have a few more to arrive, but had to share these with you. And yes I have been scolded - need to get a little tree to put my treasures on - I think a live tree.

OCCUPY YOUR SEWING ROOM

It was a cleaning day in the sewing room - which is kind of my house now that I think about it. I am moving my sewing area, which of course then means you move a lot of other things. But if I want to be more organized for 2012, it must be done.

Of course that involved putting all those saved/printed/gathered/hunted for papers and patterns into a neater order rather than that 'pile'. Gosh, I was so naive when I started - printed everything!!! Now things are where they belong with a lot of throw out. Well, a lot of the paper is boxed to use (recycle) for paper piecing. I need to find a set of blinders to hang next to the computer - limit those projects! But I did prep some projects for a full day of sewing today.

CLOSING THOUGHT

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree.
Lush, green ambiance standing before me.
Mesmerized by childhood memories.
I smile and ponder of which I see.
- Melvina Germain

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Yule Tree

In 722 A.D., Saint Boniface, an English missionary and Benedictine monk, came upon some men about to cut down a huge oak tree to be
used as a stake for a human sacrifice to Thor, one of the Norse Gods. With a mighty blow from an axe, Saint Boniface felled the massive oak and, as the tree split apart, a beautiful young fir tree sprang from its center. Saint Boniface informed the people that this beautiful evergreen, whose branches pointed toward heaven, was a holy tree symbolizing the purity of the New Faith and the promise of eternal life. Saint Boniface then instructed them to carry the evergreen from the wilderness, place it into their homes and surround it with gifts symbolic of love and kindness.

Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.

OCCUPY YOUR SEWING ROOM

Saturday I finished the binding and tie on the Stitch Along blocks and hung it on the mantel. I decided not to put buttons on the tie as there were beads and buttons on the blocks - would have been button over-kill.

I hemmed some curtains and got them hung. Just flat single bed sheets - easy peasy no headache sewing. But spruced up the bedroom which also was on the cleaning list.

This is a photo memory quilt that my daughter made for her MIL and asked me to quilt it. So picked out a Henry Glass blue voile for the back and one of their clam shell blue prints for binding, grabbed a batt. Basting went rather quickly and I went to town with quilting, using Marcia's ribbon technique. And I ended up machine stitching the binding on after calling her to say it was done - she was originally going to hand sew binding down, but with two little ones, didn't feel she would get to it. I hope to get an outdoors photo of the finish tomorrow.

ON THE WALL

I layed out my blocks from the 12 Days of Christmas to get some idea what I want to do for sashing. I will have to go to my LQS (gosh darn)as my Holiday fabrics now are just scraps and strings. I know what I want to do with sashing and a border, but some of the blocks need a little more embellishing, too. Will link up with Judy at Patchworktimes.

TRAVELING STASH

Box #1 - Growing Stitches comments will end Dec 13th

Box #2 - KelbySews comments open until 11pm Dec 9th

Box #3 - PhillysBlarney - announcing winner today

REMINDER

Quilters Gallery blog hop to celebrate 4th anniversary - sign up by Dec8th if you plan to be on the list of blogs participating.

CLOSING THOUGHT

"Under the tree the gifts enthrall,
But the nicest present of them all
Is filling our thoughts with those who care,
Wanting our Christmas joy to share."
- Joanna Fuchs

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon

Occupy Your Sewing Room

Today begins the wonderful idea of "Occupy Your Sewing Room" by Barb at CatPatches. I have a daily list of TO-DO's - today I want to finish the Stitch Along Banner for the mantel and get it hung. And I need to baste out a quilt that I am finishing off for my daughter - she made the quilt, I am machine quilting, attach binding, she will hand sew binding down and add label. And some house work thrown in.

ALSO - remember to go to SewCalGal this weekend to vote for your favorite Winter and Christmas quilt entry in the Holiday Quilt Show.

Sewingly Yours,
Sharon