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Tuesday, December 3, 2024

A new tree skirt and an old tree skirt

Back in February I attended a 3 day quilt retreat, and making the Bargello tree skirt was my main project for those retreat days.  It was a Shabby Fabrics kit. 


I'm really pleased with how the tree skirt came out.  It wasn't as difficult as I had expected, as long as I kept the pieces organized.  It's a bit small under my big 8' tree, but it's so much prettier than my old tree skirt.


I'm nearly done decorating the tree.  There is a small box yet with some picks and other odds and ends.  The quilt hanging behind the tree is one I made about 25 years ago.  It's all hand appliqued and hand quilted - by me.  This tree has served our family well for many years, as I purchased it in 1980 with my Christmas bonus from work.  Dave hates real trees because they shed needles, so I used that $100 bonus to buy a very nice 8' tall artificial tree. He was horrified that I spent that much on it.  But hey - 44 years later it still looks good, although in those days they didn't come pre-lit so the lights have to be strung every year.  


  
I also pulled out the tree skirt that belonged to my mother.  She's been gone for 33 years, and the tree skirt has been folded up in a box all those years, completely forgotten until now.  It was embroidered (and sequined) by a dear friend of hers. It seems appropriate to be circling my Cardinal Tree in the dining room for the season.  I leave this pencil tree up all year with all of my cardinal ornaments.  It's a "remembrance" tree.  For Christmas I add a few bells - and now this tree skirt. 

3 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

fake trees add up to a bit but when you think of how much real trees cost and that you replace them every year it comes up to be a much better deal! We had bought a really good full tree years ago too and spent a bit on it - it last us a long time before it started to weaken and break in places - since then we have never had one for years and years they usually fail after a couple years or we no longer love it

Far Side of Fifty said...

Looks great and both of your tree skirts are very pretty!

Miss Merry said...

Lovely tree skirt.