The Santas

 
How many did I make this year?  I am not sure. I should keep records. The concept came from an old catalog. I thought this would be very different for me. I usually do a lot of embellishment with beads and threads. But this little guy had its challenges too. I wanted something to touch this year. I wanted something you could hold and it would make you feel warm on a cold day.

I ordered wool felt. The poly-felt just did not have the feel to it that I wanted. And the colors were not rich. Then I found this green. 

Of course the challenge is always in pattern making. I wanted each one to be different yet still cut from a pattern. I found that in stuffing them they grew differently. Each one had a personality well defined to itself.

But I could not  get them to stand well. So I created a disc of polished stones which I inserted in the base that you could even move around to give it a stance if you wanted.

And then there were the beards. I had been to the Sheep and Wool festival and bought some raw wool. Uncarded, which means it had not been pulled and cleaned. I stitched it on in tiny clumps and then trimmed it a bit. Not too much. Santa has spent all year resting up for the "Big Day". I don't believe he spent much time fussing over the hair. And when you look closely at it, you will still see little bits of hay. I tell people that it is from the barn where he goes to be with the reindeer.....