The First Noel

This wallhanging is my entry in SewCalGal's Virtual Christmas Quilt Show.  If you go to her website here you can either join in, or just go and look at loads of lovely Christmassy quilts.

This wallhanging is applique'd, which is unusual for me, and shows "pictures" of the carol, The First Noel.  I sort of designed it myself, in that I found various pictures of things such as the angels and Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus, which I turned into fairly simple applique shapes.  Then I embroidered words from the carol on each panel.  The idea of the separate panels was taken from another wallhanging I had seen somewhere in the past.  I can't remember where, so if it was one of your quilts, I apologise for not crediting you here.

This quilt is way out of my usual comfort zone in terms of techniques, design and even colours, but I love it and it hangs over my mantelpiece every year.

That, together with the advent calendars I made for Professor and Chatterbox, all have to come out every year, and they all have their own places where they must hang.  I think the kids would be most annoyed with me if I tried to change any of it!

I nearly forgot to mention the quilt on my sidebar, called Sister's Christmas Braids.  I make my sister a quilt almost every year for Christmas, and this was made a couple of years ago, when Jelly Rolls first appeared, but was only quilted and finished this year.  I have just today posted this to her, so she will get it in a couple of days.

One of our "traditions" is to go out for lunch on Christmas Day with as many of the family as can be around.  There are usually 4 generations, and up to 11 of us.  The hotel we go to every year has a lovely lounge area with a big open fire, and Professor loves that we sit in one corner, near the fire, and all chat together before and after the meal.  I think it's great that a kid of 11 thinks that is the best part of the meal.

I hope you like this quilt, and that you will go and look at all the other fantastic quilts people are showing.