Saturday, 15 December 2007

Knocking down the projects

(even if it does take years)

I had a little Christmas miracle when my Relief Society president gave me a stack of old Friend magazines to use for Sharing Time. As I sorted through them I found my childhood nativity set featured on the cover of the December 1977 issue.

I hadn't even known our (long gone) felt nativity came from The Friend! I kept the cover and the instructions thinking I would re-make my nostalgic childhood nativity some day. That was 11 years ago.

Somehow, this year was the year. My kids were old enough to help, and better yet, all of my siblings have children so we made a set for each of their families.


It was our *Top Secret* project back in November.
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Now I'd really like to attack another Christmas project that has been waiting for attention.
I've had this fabric for more than 5 years, but I still don't know what I want to do with six beautiful yards of nativity toille:



Philosophically, I don't believe in having things that are too precious to use. I really want to use this fabric.
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I could sew Christmas dresses for my little girls, but they will out-grow them, and history tells me, stain them.



I'm struggling to take scissors to this fabric! What would you make?
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27 comments:

michelle said...

I don't know what could be better than being able to re-create your childhood nativity! (and share it with your siblings!)

...unless it is that nativity toile!!! Love it. How large are those panels? You could make a runner or a tablecloth if it is large enough...

Bond Girl 007 said...

oh I love that fabric...how fun to be able to do so many projects.

Anne said...

That fabric is gorgous! I have absolutely zero ideas, but i'm confident that your extremely creative readers will be able to offer up some great tips.

Neighbor Jane Payne said...

Oh gee....that fabric is covetable. It's really, really, really pretty. I like Michelle's idea...that way you don't have to take scissors to it either! Let us know what you do decide to do with it.

How sweet to do the nativity with your kids. What a good mom you are.

Kelly said...

A quilt. I would make a quilt. But actually I wouldn't because I know I would get it all cut out and never finish, so I would keep storing the fabric year after year thinking "I want to make a quilt!"

Michelle Alley said...

That material is so neat - where did you find it? How about a quilt to spread out over the couch - which it looks like has already been a good idea, or cover binders with it and put your Christmas traditions, memories, and photos. Or a table cloth to cover where you put your nativity scenes. Really neat, can't wait to see the felt nativity set!

Lindsay said...

Love the nativity project. Yet another project I think I must copy.

And I am so in LOVE with the toile. So beautiful. I don't know what I would do with it either. I am sure you will come up with something brilliant!

Lindsay said...

Oh, I thought of one thing. You could cut it and put it in frames to hang on your wall at Christmas time.

Elizabeth said...

A Christmas tree skirt?
It is hard to decide what to do with such a beautiful piece.
I can imagine your siblings were thrilled to get those nativities. What a sweet gift.

Anonymous said...

What about pillows? Could you make some big pillows with each panel? Put the wisemen on one side, the shepherds on the other, Joseph and Mary in the middle. I love the material too. I know the feeling of having several projects just waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the fruition of said projects. Good luck! I hope you can decide on something, one step forward!

Anonymous said...

Make a skirt for ME. I'm not growing as fast anymore, I don't stain my clothes anymore, and if I do grow out of it, Carmen and Chloe can wear it when they grow up.

Amy said...

Oh that fabric. I love it. And I can't wait to see what you decide to make of it!

Anonymous said...

A wall hanging or three? I love the idea of the tree skirt. I don't know what would be best, but I do know I love that fabric!

Katie A. said...

I love the nativity scene project. And it looks like it turned out great! I was also going to suggest a tree skirt with your other fabric, or a table runner. Very beautiful.

melanie said...

The nativity is perfect. What a treasure to find that Friend! It was definitely meant for you, someone that would do something with it.

I would have a hard time with that fabric too. A runner like Michelle said and then possibly a skirt for Jaclyn (love her comment). I'm sure you could use every inch of 6 yds. Good luck with that one.

Kelly said...

Jaclyn's comment is cracking me up. She makes a very good argument!

Is there enough to make a tablecloth? I know you're always on the lookout for a cool square tablecloth. It's really great fabric.

The nativity is so cute! Here's a question -- is this a Christmas gift? Your mom mentioned that you had made us a nativity out of styrofoam balls, but they didn't give us anything (except the wrapped gifts for the girls from you and Marie), so I wasn't sure.

April said...

I am absolutely drooling over that fabric. But I am quite the fabric freak. You need to make a quilt out of it. You could make some of the blocks very large to capture the big scenes. It would be gorgeous. I'm all kinds of crazy for toile in any form...but nativity toile. I can hardly contain the utter joy surging through my veins.

(I know you think I am exagerating...But I just took my pulse...110!) I could make you a pattern if you're interested...okay, did I just step over the line?

Marie said...

All of my ideas have been suggested all ready. I don't think you should cut it up and sew with it because you want to see the whole scene, and maybe it is my lack of sewing expertise, but it seems like it would be hard to cut strategically instead of using a cutting wheel or someting similar. My favourite ideas are a Christmas table runner or cloth, and or cutting into like three chunks that show the picture, frame them, and then in December take down the three composers hanging above your piano and hang the nativity in its place.

Kelly - I'm not sure Mom was supposed to tell you about the nativity! Ha!

April said...

Sorry to come back...I'm obsessively curious about that gorgeous fabric. (Just pure and simple lust.) Anyway, I loved Marie's idea about framed over the piano...that would be incredible. But with six yards you could definitely do that AND a beautiful quilt. My mind is spinning. I must get a life in 2008.

Bond Girl 007 said...

I have been thinking about your fabric and with 6 yards, I finally came to a conclusion...you can make a quilt. You can buy a white flannel piece for the back and the top with this beauty and use it for christmas time. I can't think of anything more meaningful than to take it out of inverness on christmas time every year and that would kind of be a tradition. I think it will do either a throw or a twin size one...no what I am saying you could do a big throw or a queen size...don't you need 3 for each side for queen? I forget..but those are my thoughts on it.

Bond Girl 007 said...

oh..i FORGOT to tell you I left you a note on the beduinos...actually the recipie for you to do them this christmas...you won't regret it. they are yummyyyyyy

jenny said...

That fabric is awesome. I don't think I could cut it either!!

I was so bummed I tried to print out your awesome scripture thing from the Friend you posted about a while back and I think it must have been on the back cover, because I couldn't find it. Bummers.

Score on finding that felt nativity!

sista # 2 said...

I love that story! What a treasure.

Price Cream Parlor said...

I love the nativity and that you made some of your own and to share! What a fun project. You are super Mom for sure!
I love this fabric. I would use it for pillows for the holidays. Are the panels large? They are amazing! Did you find that in Canada or on your many road trips?

Jill said...

Wow, Nativity toile, I've never seen that before. Making pillows or a Christmas tree skirt or some sort of wall hanging are all I can think of.

Mandy said...

that fabric is beautiful!

I love Chloe's smile. She always looks like such a happy girl.

Anonymous said...

Love the Fabric! I think you have been given some great Ideas. Tree Skirt and pillows are some of my favoirtes. A skirt for you would not be bad.

Can't wait to see what you do with it.