Happy Christmas!

Santa has arrived!

This hankie from my collection is another by Tammis Keefe.

Tammis was born in 1913 and her real name was Margaret Thomas Keefe. In her lifetime she designed over 400 hankies and 100 tea towels as well as fabrics. Lord and Taylor even had a 'meet the artist' event for her. Ms. Keefe died in 1960, but her colourful and witty designs live on and are much sought after.

Capricorn

This month is the star sign Capricorn.

Pentagon Star Ornament

In response to a request on the SAGA Facebook age for the pattern of the star ornaments posted on the Blog a few days ago I am publishing the pattern and directions.

Pentagon Star Ornament     

       

Draw a pentagon (mine had sides of 8 cm) onto heavy card stock to make your pattern.

Cut two pentagons in fabric and one in light weight iron-on interfacing.

Press the interfacing to the wrong side of one of the pentagons.

With right sides of the fabric together, stitch four of the five sides together with a ¼ inch seam.

Trim the seams to 1/8 inch.

Turn to right side, making sure the corners are out.

Turn the un-finished edge in and press in place.

Top stitch around the pentagon, closing the open seam.

Fold the points of the pentagon into the centre and stitch in place (you could sew a bead here by hand, but I machine stitched them as I was making 25!).

Add a ribbon loop to one point.

Enjoy!

Santa's Reindeer

This is a hankie from my collection.

It was designed by well known designer Tammis Keefe.

It seems Santa is trying to 'tame' his reindeer!

I think it is funny that they are all wearing sweaters!

This hankie is known as Rowdy Reindeer.

Christmas is Coming!

Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Okay, maybe it is too soon to ask that question!

What about your Christmas sewing? Too soon to ask that too?

What are you making this year for Christmas? I know many of you make dresses for the girls in your family and of course, there is always a new baby to make a First Christmas dress for.

This year I made some simple star ornaments for table favours at a holiday luncheon. They were stash fabric busters as well as being easy to make! 

A Piece of History

I picked up these four cocktail napkins at a tag sale. They are unique in many ways. They were hand embroidered and the statement dates the work having been done between 1920 and 1933 when the 18th Amendment was still in place.

 

The 18th Amendment established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States by declaring the production, transportation and sale of alcohol illegal. The Amendment did not ban the consumption or private possession of alcohol.

A separate act, the Volstead Act set down the methods for the enforcement of the 18th Amendment and defined which intoxicating liqueurs were prohibited and which were excluded (for religious or medical reasons).

The 18th Amendment was repealed on December 5 1933 by ratification of the 21st Amendment and the only time in United States history that a constitutional amendment was repealed in its entirety.

The napkins I purchased came from the home of a prominent local family. I guess they were still drinking throughout prohibition and making a statement while doing so!