Now November is here I'm feeling the pressure of shopping for over two dozen family members for Christmas. I miss the days when our kids were small. Besides being adorable and at home with us, they were easy to buy for. I'd have everything beautifully wrapped and ready to be tucked under the tree by Thanksgiving. That ship sailed about the time our grandkids started coming. Why do I do this to myself every year? It gives me a royal pain in the...head.
One tradition I started 15 years ago was giving our grandkids an ornament, hoping they'll still have it when they have a tree of their own. I'm not delusional enough to think they will but I can wish. Taking a break from my quilting, I dug out my embroidery machine. I hate to admit I've owned this machine for 10 years and the only thing I've used it for was putting names on Christmas stockings and trick-ortreat bags. Whenever I buy something, if I don't use all the bells and whistles within the first few weeks I never will. But this year I decided I was gonna make something besides the aforementioned projects.
My much more talented sister had purchased and downloaded several nice holiday pictures for use on the embroidery machine which she generously shared with me.
After purchasing the box of primo embroidery thread cones and needles with large eyes for those of us with not-so-perfect eyes that she recommended, I was ready to tackle a new skill. The machine does all the work while all I do is change thread colors on demand. Easy, right? Wrong! I managed to get my first two tries ruined with a tangled mess of threads. I also broke two needles. I grabbed my laptop, and researched. There was a little piece of metal that's supposed to stay under the the bobbin holder. I gently shoved it back in place and Viola, success.
While I was taking a break and watching more video tips on embroidering on my machine I stumbled upon one demonstrating how to make ornaments. Even I could do something that simple. There was only one way to find out. I picked the picture of a pair of Christmas bells, loaded some sparkly fabric selected a thread color and hit start. I love that it stops and waits for me to change colors for each step. The hard part is picking a color. Thank goodness my sister talked me into buying that large box of thread cones.
I decided to take oneinch strips of different Christmas fabrics I have in my stash, sew them together, cut in circles, take the bells I embroidered and cut circles then sew the two together with a thin strip of fabric for the hangers and now I have a homemade, doubled sided ornament that's quilted on one side and embroidered on the other. Brilliant, huh? I only have 30 more to make before Christmas. As slow as I am it may be next Christmas before they all get one. These dang kids have got to stop bringing so many more members into the family. Just kidding. I love 'em all even when I give thanks for giving me a headache.