Home Grown Christmas Decorations

After a glimpse of some of my international Christmas treasures, I’ll show you some of my Kiwi decorations.  My daughter Nicky doesn’t do quilting, but in her younger years liked to try different crafts before moving on to the next one.  She made me this cute Crazy Patch Christmas Tree with ribbon tied gift boxes wall-hanging many years ago.  It fits in nicely on the wall by the front door in our sitting room.

Crazy Patch Christmas Tree

The rest on show were all made by me over the years.  Unlike my daughter, I haven’t had nearly enough of P&Q yet.  There are so many more things to make, going by my UFO collection and wish list!   On the coffee table is one of my really early Christmas quilts with a snow globe on top.  In fact I’m rather proud of my early attempt of log cabin blocks.  I spotted a version of this hanging up somewhere or other and decided “I can make that”, went home and got started.  Christmas Log Cabin was made back in 1992.  The red has faded over the years, the quilting is minimal, but I still enjoy getting it out each year.

Christmas Log Cabin

I enjoyed hand stitching my little Christmassy swag some years ago, and it is currently hanging off the CD rack.  I used to attend a monthly friendship stitching group and this was one of the designs we were offered – there was no pressure to make each item, the choice was ours.  As I enjoy doing stitcheries, I was rather keen to do this simple little design.   Sadly, I didn’t label it so I’m not sure of the date. Presumably the pattern was printed in one of the Aussie craft magazines – if anyone can tell me the name of the pattern and designer I would like to know please as I am slowly trying to document my early work.

Christmas Swag

The design for my Burgundy Pedestal Santa was published in Homespun magazine and was completed in 2010 in time for Christmas.  This Santa doesn’t have any legs, just a solid squat body underneath his coat.  The original Santa was clothed in blue denim, but that wouldn’t do for me - not nearly Christmassy enough!  I made his outfit from a burgundy check jacket I purchased from the Op Shop.  Here he is standing guard in front of the dresser. 

  Burgundy Pedestal Santa

And yet another Santa completed the same year.  Jingle Bells Santa was purchased as a kit and was designed by Judy Golder of Simply Country Crafts.  I had made his body quite some time before he was finally decently clothed in his felt jacket and toning cotton trousers, and a bell on his hat, fetchingly finished off with white bobbles.  He has a loop stitched to the back of his neck and is currently hanging about on top of our Milford Track walking stick.

Jingle Bells Santa

My Tree of Christmas Cheer was designed by Ami Downs and completed in 2011.  I deviated from the suggested design of a pieced tree using multiple fabrics, and decided my tree just had to be green with a touch of gold!  With the naive stitchery in front, and finished with a yellow star button, this was a fun and easy make

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Tree of Christmas Cheer

And here is Muffy doing what she does best, curled up fast asleep.  Folded on the back of the  couch is Christmas Stars from Around the World, which was finally completed after a long hiatus last  year.  This quilt  is full of memories and is  very dear to me as I have used Christmas fabrics sent to me by my overseas pen friends over the years.

Muffy under Christmas Stars from Around the World

I am still patiently waiting for a hanging rod to be installed in both the sitting room and my sewing room, then I can hang a couple of larger quilts up.  It just might be happening any day now – I’ll be sure to let you know.