Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Joy

I was just looking through photos to see if I could find some which had the Christmas decorations that my Mom made in the 1970s (or probably even earlier). We had a countdown to Christmas felt wallhanging with an empty Christmas tree at the top and numbered pockets that held the ornaments which my brother and I took turns pulling out and decorating the tree with (and sometimes there was even a piece of candy - woohoo).

We had lime green felt stockings with pom-pom animals on them that I remember vividly. They were so incredibly hideous, but now would be so retro. Wish we (or I) still had them, but they got tossed when my Mom knitted new stockings in classy white and red. I love the new ones, of course, but miss the old ones of my childhood.

Here's a wallhanging my Mom made which I still have and display every year. When I moved away from home, I took it with me (with permission of course).

I told you ages ago about how my Mom learned to hand piece (with templates of course) and hand quilt in the mid 70s. Well this is one of her projects from back then. It's made in bright green and red in about the only 100% cotton available. The large green pieces are actually from a fabric that had Holly Hobby all over it (kind of like a Sunbonnet Sue). The only bit of fabric that is Christmasy is the corner squares which have holly and berries. The quilt is very thin - I think she used flannel as the batting. And the binding is piping.

I can't even describe how much I love this little wallhanging: my Mom made it.

7 comments:

Finn said...

I think you were leaning towards letters all the way back then, even as a child..*S* It's a wonderful little quilt Ton, I really love it..*S*

I actually HAVE that same Holly and berries fabric, and used it in my Yuletide blossoms..LOL.

Christmas fabric was alot harder to find then than it is now...LOL..wonder why? Then it was barely an interest group, now we quilters are an INDUSTRY.

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh this is too cute Tonya! And all your memories of stockings and such!

We had a bare tree on felt also we hung ornaments on. I think at the time it was a LeWards kit - remember LeeWards?

And we had felt stocking also - but my mom still has those! They were and still are SO CUTE! They had little girls and boys, and drum soldiers and snowmen - each person had something different!

Wish I had some pictures of them.

Catherine said...

Word quilts run in the family!! Anything handmade by a loved one is special....especially mom.

Darcie said...

So glad for you that you have this quilt of your Mom's, Tonya. How very special!

I love your story about all of the felt things...and Holly Hobby, too!

Thanks for sharing...that's what it's all about!

Darcie

Anonymous said...

Such a cool thing to have! I have some stuff my grandma made, and I feel the same way! Thanks for sharing.

Nines said...

You can't beat sentiment for the season. I think the Joy quilt is a real gem- I love it and she wasn't even my mom. Gives me an idea. I have a Joy in the family, so I don't think I'd choose that word in particular... but what about Rejoice... That would be fast. Gotta go and see what I can find. Thanks for sharing!

Tonya Ricucci said...

Dawn, if your Mom still has those stockings, get her to take a photo of them. And make sure she knows not to toss them.