Sunday, December 17, 2006

Something besides Christmas

I am kind of tired of Christmas already. I just want it to get here. I think we spend far too long preparing for Christmas. It puts a lot of pressure on us all, I think. Probably in a world with less commercial investment in the holiday, we would start our Christmas preparations about now. No, this isn't an anti-Christmas rant. I love Christmas. I just think it would be a little more special if we didn't have to look at it all for so long. So tomorrow I am taking a little break. No Christmas music, no shopping, no wrapping. I'm changing the subject.

At our High Fiber Diet meeting last week we had a little fabric exchange. Everybody brought something from their stash that they were feeling tired of or didn't need. I got this great Kona Bay print. Just about a yard. I can understand why someone was finding it hard to use. The color seems a little raw to me, but I think I can see some good potential there.


The yellow doesn't have to stay yellow. I could overdye the whole thing, or I could paint it. Of course any color I put over it, unless I use a very opaque paint, which I don't think I'd do, will be affected by the yellow, so it will require a little planning. Just for fun, I played with a couple of ideas in Photoshop. I think both have possibilities.


There is something very satisfying about recoloring a commercial fabric. This one was almost like coloring in a coloring book.

Boy, that is a bold print, isn't it? Wonder what I'll do with it.

9 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you that Christmas is too long and too commercial. It is refreshing to read a blog that doesn't deal with CHristmas. The fabric has great potential. Once it's painted it almost looks done. Certainly no piecing required and lots of potential for interesting quilting. I will be waiting to see what you do with it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AMEN to the Christmas thing-so muchof the joy goes out of it. This fabric is very cool. I was thinking coloring book too. Can't wait to see it in something wonderful you're bound to make with it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree that the fabric has a lot of potential, especially in such capable hands as yours. Your colorations look great!

    ReplyDelete
  4. love your ideas for the fabric, the bottom colour scheme is stunning, very african looking and warm. I have thankfully managed to stay away from shops and Christmas hype so far, so I think a little Christmas spirit is finally creeping up on me, but only a VERY little! In past years I found my saturation point arrived way before the actual day!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Christmas is too long and too commercial because people give in to the commercialism and decorate too early because they are "led" by the stores.

    I enjoy the more traditional approach: Decorate just before Christmas and then keep the tree up through Jan. 6, the "12th day" of Christmas. Keep most of December for the Church season of Advent. Don't cave in to the stores, that's my approach.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I agree with everyone else. The Christmas holiday should be limited to closer to the day. We always put the decorations up the weekend before Christmas and took them down the weekend after New Years.

    This year? there are just the two of us and we have both already gotten our presents. I haven't even pulled out my tabletop tree. (yet). And I probably won't.

    That fabric? tough to get it play well with others isn't it? though your additionally painted pieces are gorgeous.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I usually run away at Christmas but this year have to stay put. I totally agree with your sentiments and would rather be sewing. Glad to hear I am not alone

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous8:31 AM

    I saw a bumper sticker with a quote by Ghandi. It says: I like your Christ. I don't like your Christmas. It is so unlike your Christ.

    I think that says it all. So far, I am not tired of the Christmas season - just tired! Having a birthday day for Mia yesterday was a nice interlude.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:34 AM

    I enjoy getting a fresh tree up early. I can smell the pine and enjoy sitting in the dark with the lights on. I try to avoid the shops and do not like the stores putting things out earlier and earlier. It is too commercial and hard to explain to my daughter that it is not about what you get (she's 9). As for the fabric, I like your colorations. I would also consider cutting the sections to use as borders or accents.

    ReplyDelete