09.06.07
Christmas Decorating with Small Quilts
Last year, I decided to display a miniature Christmas tree skirt, as well as a miniature fireplace quilt, as the focal points of a small room setting for the purpose of decoration. What looks to be bricks and flames are actually parts of a small quilt that was attached, with Velcro, to a wooden frame/mantel piece that Jim built. Those items are shown in the following photo.
Quilts made by Pat join with antique decorations to create this Christmas setting. photo by James Cummings, taken in 2006.
Directions for making the tree skirt were published in the last holiday issue of The Quilter magazine in 2006. The mini quilt under the tree is pieced, crazy quilt fashion, and includes some pieces of faux Redwork, print fabric. The Christmas ornaments are Crazy Quilt ones, and the top of the mini-tree is adorned by a pieced and stuffed star.
Some of the scene’s accessories are antique: the framed, cross-stitch silhouette of a woman spinning; the green vase that holds small pink, green and white silk flowers; some of the thimbles on the mantel; and the set of wax candle choir children.
Of course, the picture was taken in our 1821 home so the honey-color, wide floor boards, are also very old. In my opinion, they exude warmth and a quintessential essence of “home and hearth” that is not to be found in more modern dwellings.
Jim and I certainly had fun working together to create the Christmas scene above. We hope that you have enjoyed catching a glimpse of our collective world of creativity.
Patricia and James Cummings
http://www.quiltersmuse.com
