the 12 days of Christmas

Cross stitch tree skirt

Karen over at Log Cabin Quilter commented on my post from Christmas Eve that she couldn't see the tree skirt  under my tree very well.  In an email I said I'd take some pictures so while undecorating I did just  that.
This is one of my favorite things to get out each year and with each year it just gets more special to me.

The pattern is from Cross Stitch and Country Crafts Magazine issue (are you ready) Mar/Apr 1989! 

I didn't mark a date anywhere on the skirt but I remember working on each 'day' diligently.  If I had to guess, I would say it was under the tree for Christmas '91. With three little kids, I can't imagine that I could have stitched all twelve designs and completed the skirt in time for Christmas 1990.
 The original pattern had red ribbon bows made from 1/4 inch red satin ribbon.

this picture is from the original magazine!

 I did put the bows on but removed them maybe 10 years ago...just got tired of them and they were always flipping the wrong way.  I actually forgot I had them on until I found the picture above online!

This was a 'colonial' version. So instead of partridge, there is a Ruffed grouse, which is Pennsylvania's state bird, by the way. 

 My dad used to hunt them, they were plentiful here in the 60's.  My husband hunted them as well and our first dog, Clancey, an english setter was an amazing grouse dog.  She always pointed them out, but the guys didn't always make the shot and she'd slowly turn her head around and look at them as if to say "I did all that work to find it and you missed?"

a country hen in place of a french hen and the pipers, lords, ladies and drummers are dressed in colonial clothes and colors too.

I was a very seasoned cross-stitcher at this time but didn't take my first quilting class until the late summer/fall of '89 (I only know that because Meghan was two and we had just moved into our house and the class was close to were we had just moved from and quite a trip for me to make).  funny the things we remember....

 I sweated bullets putting this together.  I was so afraid I would ruin one of the cross stitch pieces. 

 Each one of them was really their own little project.

The gathering on the ruffles is not very good-I was literally learning as I went

 and I used to think that one day I would take them apart and redo them

but now I've come to love them

the only bad thing is that since the design is circular

days 1-2 and 11-12 

are always at the back of the tree

and the only one who sees them close up 

is Mr Otis.  He likes to sleep under the tree in the back after the presents are gone.

I've been cookin'....

baking actually!  My first loaf of "One-hour French bread"

I had already eaten the two ends before I thought to snap a picture.

this is my 12 days of Christmas quilt (from here).

I never liked the sashing; too white so it's having a coffee staining bath here.

Right now it's out on the deck drying.   It's looking good.

It's hard to tell from the picture but it's way darker and dull-er-

just as I hoped.

I've been finishing bindings-- 9-patch lattice is done-done.

sewing bindings--union jack is just started but I'm hopeful.

quilting an all-over stipple on the Granny Squares quilt. That I first saw here. I can't wait to see this washed and crinkled.

granny square getting quilted

...sewing on more binding. 

I used almost all my leftover pieces of binding from other quilts-hate to toss them, for granny squares. I still have some left but not much. 

granny square w/binding on-not hand sewn to back yet

and all the while thinking more and more of this...

I actually thought for a sec of taking a quilt with me to bind..hahhaaa 

I did find a rug pattern but not sure if I'll have time to transfer it and get a bunch of worms cut, not worrying about it that's for sure.

Went and saw The Bourne Legacy on Sunday (very good if you like that kind of action-I do) and today Meg and I saw "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" (really good.) 

 I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theater and now two in three days- craazzyy.

I have one more quilt on 'the list' that I want to quilt before we leave.  I think I can, I think I can.