Santas on Parade: Fini ... & A Contest

Here is a banner stitched from an old Shepherd's Bush design, Christmas Kringle. I made it up years ago but am only putting it out for the first time this year because I had it packed away so carefully, I had forgotten about it. And here is a close-up shot of the stitched portion of the banner. Out of sight, out of mind! The same can be said for a beautiful framed piece from Heartstrings, The Sugarplum Season, which was stitched and framed back in 2007 and is currently so carefully sored as to be inaccessible. Oh, well, maybe next year! I also stitched a number of the Heartstrings Designer Series Santa for one of my sisters and a gorgeous Woodland Santa from Celebrations magazine which I framed and kept in my office till I gave it to one of the teachers who loved it when our parish school closed ... and a primitive Woodland Santa stocking for my eldest son ... and all the Dragon Dreams JCS Ornament issue Santa with dragon ornaments for my daughter ... but again, alas, before my blogging and photographing days ... so no photos. I have also stitched a number of gift totes featuring Santa, but those too were given away before I got into the habit of photographing my finished pieces. But here is one more Santa, actually one of Dragon Dreams' contributions to the annual JCS ornament issue some years back, except I chose to stitch it on a tea towel. Ornament designs tend to fit pretty nicely on this particular style of towel. It seems I have stitched dozens of Santas over my 40+ years of stitching. Certainly, it has been two or three Santas a year, until fairly recently. With the exception of a few ornament sized Santas annually [probably Homespun Elegance or Prairie Schooler], I think I am pretty much done with Santa ... unless, of course, something really irresistible comes along. I wonder how long it will take me to tire of dragons and faeries or of Quaker samplers or of angels or of witches ... the next most numerous subjects of my stitching. What subjects do you, my readers, find yourself stitching over and over? Leave a comment about your stitching passions and I will choose the one that interests me most and stitch the winner a small gift. I'll keep this contest open till Little Christmas, January 6.

More Santas on Parade: the Sue Hillis Collection

Here are all the Sue Hillis Santas I have stitched. The Sue Hillis pirate Santa, which I think is uproariously funny, always has a place on my bookshelf at Christmas time. I hope to find the time this Christmas vacation to turn them all into flange pillows. I have the fabric and I should be able to carve out the time. Since my generous husband traded vacation times with his assistant allowing him to attend a family reunion in Puerto Rico, the good-hearted soul will not be home for Christmas week for the first time in a decade. This means that my days will be my own. Though I dearly love my husband of nearly 41 years [anniversary coming up in January], solitude is a luxury in my world. I grew up a would-be hermit in a large, boisterous and very social family. Christmas Eve with my extended four generation family will involve being with some 50 or 60 people ... and not everyone will be there! Christmas Day brunch at my home for my husband's extended family [one sister and one cousin] and my own youngest son [older son is in Seattle and the eldest, my daughter, will be working at the animal hospital] will be a much quieter affair. But Christmas week with my days all to myself ... well, solitude in moderation is a very good thing. I'll have a few more Santas to show on 12/26 and maybe even some finished pillows of these characters by the end of the Christmas vacation. Wish me luck with the finishing efforts.

Santa on Parade

Here begins my parade of Santas.

First is the 2008 Prairie Schooler Limited Edition Santa. I stitched the 2003-2008 Santas for my baby sister but most of those were framed and gifted long before I started blogging and photographing my stitching. Hence, no photos, to my regret.

Prairie Schooler Santas are something of a favorite of mine. I enjoy stitching those of their annual Santas that represent a concept or craft that is imnportant to me. This Santa represents Peace on Earth to my way of thinking. There is also a nod to the whole concept of the Winter Solstice with the Sun, Moon and stars ... reminding us that early Christians had to embed their feast day within an existing celebration to avoid being noticed and persecuted.

Next come the crafting Santas:



A sewing Santa















A quilting Santa














A Santa who embroiders









And a knitting Santa

And the final entry for today, this Homespun Elegance Santa stocking that I made for my husband.

I'll be showing other Santa's throughout the week. Stay tuned!