The sounds of Christmas...

When I was 6 or 7 years old, I slept in the bottom bunk of a set of bunk beds which my Dad made….I wonder what happened to those bunk beds. I recall that were monstrously huge and very heavy to move. Years later they would be moved to the smaller bedroom where Matt and Mark would sleep. Mark fell out of the top bunk on night when he slid under the guard rail and broke his collar bone. I don’t think we moved that bed to Imlay years later.

Thanksgiving had come and gone and it was obvious that we were getting ready for Christmas. Many nights I would lay in my bed, listening to the activity in the rest of the house. I would hear Mom open the leaf on the table to make it bigger. I would hear a soft thud as she placed something on the table followed by a metallic clicking sound which sounded like I was unbuckling my boots. Soon I would hear a hum, a pleasant sound, that would start and stop regularly. Then a clicking noise or two and followed but the hum again. A shuffle of paper and a snipping sound and again the hum. I would lay there looking at the plywood bottom of the top bunk trying to imagine what my parents were doing.

I would hear the grinding squeak of the cardboard table, as someone opened it. My father made our Christmas cards for many years. He would start around Thanksgiving with construction paper, stencils, pens, paint, sequence, glitter and glue. He would draw shapes and we would cut them out. He would sit in front of the TV and assemble cards and write on the inside. This was back in the 1960’s long before crafting and card making became the trend that it is today! I wish I had some of those old cards he made! I think he would be pleasantly surprised how popular this activity had become. I believe he enjoyed making them. He was very creative but their may have been a financial budget purpose to it as well.

I would lie in my bed listening to the sounds of holiday activities until I eventually fell asleep. The next morning I would go out to the kitchen. The table would be small again and ready for our breakfast. The card table would be nowhere in sight…I would wonder what they were doing…When I would go to bed the next evening the process would repeat again ….The sound of Christmas and wonderful memories…

Be sure to take a moment to look, listen and really fully experience the new Christmas memories you are making!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love, Jan

10 Minute Table Runners

Tis the week before Christmas

And how do I know?

The sewing machines humming,

As I sew and sew…

Daddy is snuggled so neatly in bed

While across the hall,

So many ideas fill my head.

A perfect poinsettia print

from my stash

Will pair well with

the new red plaid,

A pine bough, pine cone and holly gem

Paired with a pretty green fabric from Barrington

 
 

A winter scene fabric

from last week’s find

Will blend so well

with the blue of mine.

Stash fabric with

holiday wishes galore

Goes well with a print

used for trim before

A cute little Snowman print
Paired with a fabulous red and white check
Sure to becomes the next great event.

Fabric all paired and laid on the mat
ruler in hand and keep the cutter flat
Press down firmly and cut as you go
Making the strips that we will sew.

With the needle threaded,
And the bobbin full
If power is on
You are ready to go.

Right sides together
Feetdogs are up
Sew the seam on the right
One quarter inch up

The iron is hot
And showing its might
Bellowing of steam
All through the night

Pressing your seams
will make them so nice
a perfect piece, sure to delight

Now it is time to do it again
Left sides together and let us begin
By placing the fabric on the sewing machine
Presser foot resting with the fabric in between.

A push on the foot pedal and off you will fly
Another quarter inch seam on the other side.
Now turn the fabric so the right sides you see
And a press of the iron to the newly sewed seam

On to the third step with a quick little trim
with the rotary cutter on each of the fabric ends
Now they are even and easy to sew
A short little seam on both sides you know…

 And a quick little turn and you are almost there

With a press of the iron, it’s time to declare

The project’s complete  with time to spare

And ten minute table runners are everywhere!

Does that sound familiar? It's nearing Christmas at our house and I am busy making Christmas gifts. And yes have gotten totally carried away with these Ten Minute Table runners. As I scan my stash piles, I see fabric that is just begging to be sewed up. This has to be the reason that I bought this fabric, right?

Well all I can say is that I am not much of a poet but sometimes "the moment"  just calls for a me to try.

So there you have it and I hope you enjoy it!  A Quick little Christmas ditty from Jan!

Merry Christmas to all and a Happy Sewing New Year!

Jan Smith!