Christmas in January

The first Christmas vintage pattern. I hope to bring one new pattern each month….that will be a total of 12 new patterns in the year, free to download with suggestions and/or photos of how I have used them through the years.

The original patterns were used to cut and paint balsa wood ornaments. I immediately fell in love with these Mexican themed ornaments. They were included in the McCall’s Christmas Make-it Ideas magazine, Volume X, 1967.

I chose to embroider and bead them on muslin, back them with a piece of bright red felt then fringe the edges beyond the seam. When I embroider on muslin I back the pieces with flannelette which gives them dimension when finished as well as hiding any back stitching. I then do not have to use a hoop, but can embroider them simply by holding them.

Hand work is my favourite technique, giving me the chance to unwind and design as I go. Usually I’m not sure what I will do with a piece until I’ve actually started it.

You can find all the patterns in this 590kb pdf document:McCall’s Christmas Balsa Wood Ornaments