Day 7 of the Twelve Days of Christmas Celebration

Hello!  Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy day to visit my blog.  I'm so glad you did.  It's a blessing to me to have you here.

I hope that I can help to make your days a bit brighter during these difficult times.  Numbers for Covid are spiking all over, and it is scary.  I am hoping these little projects and recipes will help your holidays to be a bit brighter.

Today's Tutorial is for a Santa ornie!  This is my own pattern, created last year.  When I pulled him out of the box the other day, I thought it would be fun to share him.

For your Santa, you will need the following:

muslin

cream colored thread

black perle cotton or black embroidery floss

barn red paint

sticks

a small bit of wool for beard (you could also use cotton batting, flax or yarn, if that is what you have)  I used wool.

hot glue gun or tacky glue

twine

coffee stain mixture*

*recipe at the end of the tutorial.

Using the pattern piece provided below, trace the body onto a doubled piece of muslin.  Use your tracing line as your sew line.  If you choose to cut out the pattern first, please add at least a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Right click to save to your computer for printing.

 Start at the bottom, sew along the solid line until you reach the hand, leave open and start sewing again, until you reach the other side and leave that hand space open as well.  Continue to the bottom, leaving at least 1 1/2 inches unsewn, so that you can turn Santa right side out.  Once he is sewn, turn him right side out and stuff.  Hand sew opening closed.

Next, take your thread and, referring to the pattern, make the nose, by stitching back and forth under the fabric, and creating a raised nose area.  Knot your thread and bury the end in the head.

Take a pencil and lightly draw your face outline as a painting guide.  Using your barn red paint, paint the entire santa, except for the face. DO NOT WATER DOWN THE PAINT.  Let dry completely, then using a bit of sandpaper, lightly sand the body.  

Mix up your coffee stain mixture* and apply to the entire body, including the face.  Let dry.  Once dry, you can add your eyes using your perle cotton or floss.  Knot end of thread and bury in body, then make french knots for each eye, and once again, knot and bury your thread end.

Cut your sticks to the desired length.  Poke small holes in the bottom of santa where you would like the legs to be.  Test the sticks for fit, then add some hot or tacky glue, and quickly place the sticks in.  Repeat for the arm holes, and once the sticks are glued in place, tie a piece of twine around each wrist.  Tie another piece of twine around santa's waist.  

Now you are ready to add a beard.  Take a small amount of wool and needle-felt it in place...first the beard, and then a long mustache.  If you don't have a needle-felting tool, you can also sew it in place or use a little hot glue. 

Once you are happy with the beard, you are nearly done.  Just had a perle cotton loop on the top to hang and he is ready to add to your Christmas decor.  I have mine tucked into a prim bowl rack.  Tuck him anywhere you wish...could even use him for a package decoration/gift.

*coffee mixture - 1 cup hot water, 1 T instant coffee and 1/4 t vanilla extract.

I would ask that you please do not freely share my pattern.  It is just for those who visit my blog.  Thanks so much.

 My recipe for today is another family favorite.  Christmas couldn't be Christmas here without my Mom's...

Snowball Cookies

 

1 c butter

1/4 c granulated sugar

1/2 c confectioner sugar, save for later

1/2 t salt

1 t almond extract

2 c flour

1/2 c finely chopped walnuts or pecan

Mix all ingredients together, except the confectioner's sugar, mixing well.  Batter will be slightly crumbly, but form it into a ball and then chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a teaspoon or less of the dough, roll it into small ball and place on parchment paper.  Continue to roll all of the dough into balls.  Bake for 12-15 minutes. Cooking time will depend on the size of your cookies, but don't let them over cook.  While still warm, roll the baked cookies in the confectioners sugar, and place on rack to cool.  Enjoy with a glass of cold milk, but be sure to save some for Santa. 

My Mom also passed away two years ago, so all of these holiday recipes passed down from our Mothers hold extra special meaning now....

Is there a special recipe that your family has passed down through the ages?

See you tomorrow friends!