Wednesday 10 December 2014

WOW: A Tablecloth for Christmas


WOW = WIPs On Wednesdays 

I'm so happy to have completed my festive wall hanging, the 12 Days of Christmas, that I'm feeling reinvigorated enough to maybe get a few other lingering Christmas WIPs finished too. I wasn't planning on it, but today I'm thinking about finishing this Red December tablecloth. 
It's perfect for Christmas and all it needs its some edging in red (which I'd already prepared years ago). Red December is a Christmas quilt that I love. It was released a few years ago as my free Yahoo BOM Group Christmas project. Well, I don't know what's happened this year, but this month I've received 5 requests from members for the pattern, completely out of the blue. And that naturally has me thinking about the quilt and the tablecloth I made from the very same stencils. I think I was planning on adding more stenciled embellishments to the tablecloth, but looking at it anew this morning, I just don't feel like that's necessary.

And this is the quilt. As you can see, its already basted. And now I'm considering whether or not to try and squeeze it in before Christmas. It's a dilemma. Part of me just wants to see it done and I am really looking forward to having it finally quilted. But another part of me knows how tricky and moody my 820 is and I don't know if this is a challenge I have the nerves for so close to Christmas at such a busy time of year. I'm really disappointed that my sewing decisions have to factor in a moody machine, but that's something I don't have the energy to dwell on. If I did, I simply wouldn't get anything done - and my WIP pile won't stand for that!
This is my quilt 'Red December', it's such a simple design and yet so evocative. I really love it and have planned on quilting it for a few years now. I'm looking at it thinking, do I have time? Should I attempt to quilt it before Christmas? Am I really serious? I know I always underestimate how long it will take to quilt a quilt on the 820. On the other hand, this is a simple quilting project so it may be do-able. I'll think about it some more as I finish up the tablecloth.
It's probably no surprise to you to see that my main Christmas colour is red. It always has been. This is something I never really gave much thought to until last weekend when I went to visit a friend of mine. She has all her festive season finery up and its decidedly green. She tells me she's always been a 'green Christmas' kind of woman. That's the first time I'd ever considered that preference. However, now that its occurred to me, I realise that one of my DD's is decidedly gold and always has been, and the other is all snowy whites and silvers.

So of course I'd love to know, what festive colour are you?


17 comments:

  1. beautiful tablecloth - I have recently seen a pattern that would make into a good one for Christmas

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  2. Personally I'm a red girl all the way but I was worried that my DH was getting red burnout so I switched most of my decorations to white and gold a couple of years ago. Red will make a comeback soon!

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  3. I understand your quandary, I myself would give it a try as this beautiful quilt is worth the dilemma. I can just see it taking pride of place with all the xmas finery. My xmas color is definitely red without a doubt.

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  4. It's beautiful--not sure I could bring myself to put it on the table but sleeping under it would surely bring sweet dreams

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  5. For Christmas I love red, green and gold or cream, lovely warm colours. Your beautiful red and white quilt will look wonderful quilted!

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  6. Esther so wonderful to see Red December out again even if it is only for an airing, that is some beautiful Quilt. I have a feeling you are all ready quilting it LOL. What a lovely Xmas table it will be this year with the red and white table cloth on it. Just don't have any beetroot this Xmas LOL Glenda

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  7. You are on a roll with your Christmas projects, Esther!
    I love traditional Christmas colours red, green and silver.
    Unfortunately we cannot have a Christmas tree up, because our British Shorthair cat chews the lights and breaks the baubles.

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    1. Oh goodness, I remember those days! My Maine Coon used to climb our tree all the way to the top and then come crashing down with it (usually in the middle of the night) so we would have cords pinning the tree to the wall. We had to 'cat proof' our tree. What a hassle that was. I must admit though, now she is gone we do all miss her.

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    2. Brilliant idea and we used to do that when I still lived with my parents, but for Kruimel's (Crumb in Dutch, he is a big British Shorthair cat) mischief, this doesn't really work. He just chews the electric lights until they break. I wouldn't even feel safe to have them plugged in.

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  8. My Christmas Colours?
    The Colours of Jacaranda and Agapanthus which without fail tell me our Aussie Christmas is nearly here!
    PURPLE and Green!!!!

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    1. Of course Wendy! I hadn't thought of that. My agapanthus are in bloom right now too. What an interesting colour inspiration for Christmas. I must admit that my brain is hard wired for a European Christmas of lush green trees, berries and the lofty hopes of snow....even though a warm summer day are the usual reality round here!

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    2. Nothing lush about our trees here in Holland at the moment :)

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  9. Esther, have you considered not quilting the table topper? You might consider backing (like a summer spread) without the batting and adding the binding. I love the red and white all year and Christmas is just an excuse to put up more red. Thanks for all of your inspiration

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  10. I don't think I was clear enough in my post - I have a quilt called Red December and I also made a tablecloth from the same stencil (re-worked for my table length) so I actually have 2 projects in this post.

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  11. Red December is lovely Esther!! I hope you had great Christmas festivaties and I wish you a happy Newyear!!
    Quilty Greets, Babette.

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  12. Love this pattern and hope to finish my quilt some day. It's been a pain because I used a thicker fabric and was a gorgeous turkey red. I gave up on doing it by hand and started it by machine figuring I could get through the fabric easier. I did an edge stitch and that doesn't look great either. I think it's time to find a thinner fabric despite the fabulous color it is and start over. It's one of my favorite red/white patterns so I haven't given up yet.

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