The 12 Days of Christmas - A Treasure

Large, fluffy flakes are drifting to the ground, making the world outside a snowy winter wonderland, a welcome change from the wild weather that much of North America experienced just before Christmas. A calm has descended. These days between Christmas and Little Christmas (January 6), also known as the 12 Days of Christmas, are one of my favourite times of the year, with much of the hustle and bustle behind us. And I feel that they will hold a special place for Betty in the years to come as she has just finished up a beautiful appliquéd throw by the same name. It's been in the works for a number of years, since before Mom passed away, so it's been a while, but so worth the wait.

As far as we can remember, Mom had been commissioned by a friend to make a Christmas quilt inspired by this Twelve Days Treasury designed by Jodi Warner. All of the elements of the song are in it, from the partridge in a pear tree to maids a milking and lords a leaping. 

Betty opted to design her own rendition of the elements, creating rows for each one in the shape of a Christmas tree, and that's what Mom made, on a green background.

Then they decided to make a second version for Mom on a cream background. If you look closely, it is appliquéd overtop a bare deciduous tree, though my photo doesn't do that justice.

There's five gold rings interspersed with a few little blue birds...

ten lords a leaping...

and eight pairs ballet slippers for the ladies dancing. You get the picture.

The partridge in a pear tree anchors it all rather than sitting atop the tree.

Beautiful beads, trims and silk ribbon embroidery embellish the elements throughout, as in these pipes for the pipers.

She hand quilted around each of the elements with red and then the balance of the background is randomly stippled in a soft gold...

resulting in a spectacular overall texture. It's backed with a piece of cream wool and she's mitred the corners.

The wool is wrapped around to the front to create a wide binding and finished off with a blanket stitch. She's going to commission a young local gal who has her own knitting and crochet business (Dame With a Hook!) to make four large tassels for the corners.

So much love and attention has been incorporated into each and every step of the process, resulting in a beautiful, sentimental work of art. Betty is thrilled and Mom would be too. 

I hope that you enjoy these next 12 days of Christmas too....M