How time flies!

I had hoped to post some things I’ve been working on for the holidays but the postal service tripped me up.  I had made some little houses for Advent to share with my grandchildren and didn’t want to ruin the surprise by posting before they had arrived.  Alas, somehow the set traveling to Hawaii was sent parcel post.  And even though the inexpensive shipping price seemed incredulous, the postal clerk assured me that was because they didn’t weigh very much.  What she didn’t mention was that it wasn’t first class, which would have arrived in a week.  Even though I had allowed 2 weeks for them to arrive, it took three and arrived the same day as the replacement set I sent since I feared they were in postal limbo and might not turn up until Spring.

Yes, it is true that I made three sets, one each for the two grands and one for the window at the shop where I volunteer.  Needless to say, they aren’t hanging in the shop window and it’s a good thing I had that extra set.  They look so simple but were amazingly time consuming, mostly because there are 24 of them in each set, each one requiring two roofs, a front and back, a piece of interfacing, and a pocket.  Then there are the windows and doors, all different and sewn on individually.  One set had small squares with the numbers written on them and hand embroidered on the back.  The other numbers were stenciled on each pocket before assembly.  Then they were sewn together, turned and finished by hand.  Phew!

Anyway, since they have all arrived and then some, here is set #3, the only ones I remembered to photograph.  The pattern and directions were published in Quilting Arts Gifts magazine.  I chose to put the Christmas story in the pockets.  Each day has a short passage from the Bible so that by the time Christmas Day arrives, the whole story has been told.  After all, that’s what Christmas is all about – the coming of the Christ child.

Wishing you joy as you look forward to His coming.

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