Christmas Hats

I made hats for all the girls ( Tracy, Heather and Dana included) this Christmas. Heather, Amanda, Brittany and Dana's are crocheted. Tracy, Kylie and Abbie's are knitted. I like picking something that I can make for everyone. This year it was hats. I even had time to make one for myself. All the crocheted hats were made with wool yarn I had in the attic. The knit hats are made with alpaca. Oh, this picture was taken with my new camera.

Merry Christmas

Vintage Friday

For as long as I can remember my mother made Swedish Meatballs for her Christmas Eve party. She had made them so many times that she didn't need a recipe.However, I do so here it is as best as we can remember.

Swedish Meatballs
2lbs. ground beef
salt and pepper
1 onion, grated with a grater, use all juices
handful of plain breadcrumbs
1egg
1 tsp. allspice
Mix ingredients, roll into small meatballs, bake or fry.

We usually eat these without gravy, but they are great with lingonberries.

Vintage Friday

Today's vintage post is my Christmas tree. This is one of four trees I put up each year, this one is in my bedroom. In the past this tree was decorated with red lights wrapped around the inside, feather boas wrapped around the outside and no oraments. The lights made the most beautiful designs on the ceiling when all the other lights were out. This year I started collecting vintage ornaments and I needed a tree to put them on. This seemed the right place. I changed to multi-colored lights and added tinsel. I love the way it looks. I want to contiue to add to my collection of ornaments and use them on this tree.

Stockings

I finished these stockings this morning. I had the embroidery done a few weeks ago, but put them aside and forgot to sew the backing on. I pulled them out and added the backing and trim around the top. I knew just where I wanted to display them, on the shelf in the living room.

Sunbonnet Sue

This Christmas I am trying to make as many gifts as I can. Each year I try to make more than the previous year. I made doll quilts for Kylie and Abbie. This is Abbie's Sunbonnet Sue quilt. I started the stitching for this quilt at least ten years ago. I found it upstairs and brought it down to look at for a few weeks. Once I made the decision to finish it, it was a lot of fun. I love to embroider. It is put together with simple sashing and buttons instead of quilting. The buttons are from the stash we found in my mother's attic. They belonged to my grandma. I like the idea that something of hers is included in a gift to my granddaughter. It makes me feel close to her.

Vintage Friday

A few weeks ago my sisters and I cleaned out the attic in my mother's house. We all were looking for different things. I had hoped to find some embroidered pieces my grandma made when I was little. She had copied coloring book pages and embroidered them. I have been looking for these for years. They were not there. I did find some Christmas candlewicking projects. I started this angel earlier this week. I don't know how I am going to finish it. I know I want to make a pillow out of the bigger piece. It won't get done for this Christmas but I will get it done for next year.

Happy Thanksgiving

Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

Psalm 100:4

Vintage Friday

I found these Christmas treasures at the thrift store yesterday. I love the boxes. I don't usually have good luck finding vintage Christmas decorations, so I was very excited to find these. I hope I find a few more things before the season is over.

Vintage Friday

This was one of the first cross-stitch patterns I bought. I still remember buying it. My sister Tracy and I walked to the store because we couldn't get anyone to drive us. It was not that far away and it was worth it to me. We had very little to choose from back then, but I still like this. I don't have time to do anything this season but I would like to do a couple projects for next year.

Vintage Friday

I've been working on a redwork quilt of Sunbonnet Sue patterns. I wanted to learn a little about Sunbonnet Sue and I found a very good site SunbonnetSue.com. It gives a history and several free patterns of Sunbonnet Sue. I learned that Bertha Corbett Melcher is the creator of Sue. She was the illustrator of childrens books written by Eulalie Osgood Grover. After I finish my quilt

( I'll post pictures when it's done) I am going to see if I can find a copy of one of these books.

Trick or Treat

This is a glow in the dark Trick or Treat bag I finished this afternoon. I started it in 1990 for Bryce. I did not like working with the thread, it kept getting tangled and shredding on me. I am throwing out the remaining spools, I'm sure I'll never use them again. Every time I finish an old project I feel like I have really accomplished something. It's a good feeling.

Vintage Friday

Last weekend Tracy and I found an Antique Mall while we were looking for a yarn store. Tracy said she knew she was a "gonner" when she spotted a booth full of old patterns and buttons. I tried my best to hurry, I could have stayed in that spot for hours. This is just one of several transfers I found that day. I'm not a great fan of kittens but I am a fan of old transfers. I might even embroider one of these and give it to Tracy.

Vintage Friday

This apron is not a vintage piece. I finished it on Wednesday. However, the fabric I used is vintage fabric. Jen gave it to me a while ago. I like the way it looks with the large ricrac trim. I think it gives it a real vintage feel. Amanda is giving this as a shower gift to a friend from college.

Vintage Friday

I picked up these two kits at a garage sale yesterday. Each has two towels to embroider. I not sure how old they are, either from the late 70's or 80's. I plan to make both sets to use in my bathroom. I am starting the brown set this weekend. I am going to use a cream silk on all the work. I think I'll use bright colors of the lighter set and make them for the spring.

Biscornu

This is my first biscornu. I am so excited to have made this. I discovered these last week while looking at cross-stitch blogs. I had to make one. I have to make more!

Vintage Friday

I found this book at an antique store while I was visiting with my friend Barb. I haven't had a chance to really look through it but I'm sure I will enjoy it.