Christmas Crazy Quilt: 2013 Unfinished Project

My friend Cindy is working on some Christmas stationery to sell on-line.  I just moved all my embroidery files to my computer.  I had a lot of Christmas designs.  I'm in a finish projects mood.  Or, at least make a decision about its worth and move it to its next destination. 

All these influences prompted me to pull out accumulated supplies for my Christmas wall hanging.  According to a letter in the package of supplies I started this in 2013.  Right after I moved back to my house I took one of the blocks off the wall hanging and started working on it for a pillow.  I didn't get very far. Truthfully it has taken me awhile to embrace this project again.

The current crazy quilt has really built my self confidence about mixing motifs, trims, stitches and still producing a cohesive piece.  Previously I struggled too often with making everything match; designing for someone else's perceived aesthetic.  I wasn't giving myself permission to be myself and enjoy the journey. 

This time when I looked at the blocks I have already stitched and the supplies I've accumulated, I feel like I can have some fun with the Christmas wall hanging.  I don't have to stick with a tight theme.  Christmas is the theme!  It's as easy as that. 

By the time I pieced these blocks, I had learned the value of low contrast or almost solid fabrics. They are 15" blocks.  I like large blocks.  I have a lot of large embroidery designs and I like to give them plenty of room.  I also have a good supply of "stuff" I can use to develop a theme so there's that too.

At one point I had the idea to make this a wallhanging of nothing but snowflakes.  So I started machine embroidering snowflakes.  Well, that's way too narrow for me.  There are so many other wonderful Christmas designs to use. 

These are pretty intense.  They took somewhere in the vicinity of 2 hours each to stitch.  

Once I abandoned the snowflake idea, I started envisioning patches scattered around the surface.  These are the start of some very wonderful patches.  I looked through designs yesterday for more to add. 

Some time in my thrifting past I found this '80s Santas panel.  They will be great appliques.

Another friend crocheted a pretty stack of snowflakes for me.  I think I'm set for snowflakes now.

I found this poinsettia table runner on the Christmas clearance table.  It will make a swell border. 

Sounds easy enough, right?   Yep, for Christmas 2021.  Ya know, if we make it that long. 

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