Edited to add: As of Twelfth Night (6 January 2010) this chart is no longer available as a freebie. It may return at some point as a chart for sale to raise money for the MS Trust
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat ... Goose was the traditional Christmas dinner in times gone by. Geese would be driven in flocks to the nearest market, where they would be sold live. I'm not sure I'd want to have been a goose girl, geese are quite stubborn. They make very good guardians to a property too.Nottingham (UK) still has an annual Goose Fair, although I'm not sure you could pick up your Christmas dinner there any longer!
Holly is traditionally used in Christmas wreaths. My mum used to work for a florist and rose grower at peak seasons - midsummer and Christmas - and would make these, binding dried bracken to a cricular or cross shaped form, and then inserting sprigs of holly which had been wired up, before adding flowers and ribbon bows. Sometimes, the holly didn't have 'enough' berries, so fake ones were added. One year, I was with my mum as she worked one Saturday, and I started to wire up some berries. I did so many that they were still using these ones five years later (and still pulling my leg about it!)
If you would like copies of the charts, please comment below with your email address and I'll get them sent out to you. If you do stitch either of these designs, I'd love to see a picture - and there will be a prize for each one I show on my blog!
Edited to add: If you feel so inclined, a donation to the MS Trust for this chart would be appreciated. Pennies will do - and you can make payment via the link in my sidebar or by clicking here.
This pattern is offered for personal, non-commercial use only. Items made from this pattern may be sold on a small scale basis such as on Etsy or at craft sales. Sales for charity are positively encouraged! This pattern and the text and photos contained within, may not be copied or reproduced for any purpose other than personal use. Please direct people to this blog rather than forwarding the pattern, thank you! Copyright 2009 N M Wray
9 comments:
What a lovely memory for you of when you worked that day with your mom. Thanks for sharing it with your readers.
I really love the holly H today, looking forward to stitching it.
BarbM
I am really enjoying reading your Christmas memories. So sweet. :o) I had another idea for these patterns last night - how about an advent calendar? I think the ABC's would be fun for an advent calendar, now to put my thinking cap on and figure out how to do it!
myrast@embarqmail.com
of course I want G and H! I can't wait to stitch all of these. hahn.danielle@gmail.com
Our last name starts with an H. I'm thinking the holly-wrapped H would make some lovely gift tags or ornaments!
Thanks again for the charts!
~Katrina
KatMomXstitches@hot.rr.com
Hi Nic, me again. I'd love G and H too.stedman.margaret@gmail.com
Another pair of cuties !
xshappy@telus.net
I'm a day late, but of course I would like to get G & H. Thanks Nic
ladybug8@bellsouth.net
We had a holly "bush" that was at least 20 feet tall at the house we lived in in the mid-90s. It had no berries at all, though. Someone told me that there are male and female holly plants, and you need both to produce berries. There was only one in the neighborhood, so... I used to cut sprigs and make sprays, using ornaments and ribbons for color to make up for it. :)
Please send the G and H charts. Thank you!
I hope you don't mind that I have been away for a few days and missed some comments.. I don't want to miss the alphabet letters as I want them all. pjstitcher@mchsi.com
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