Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Advent Calendar Blog Hop - Day 24

I was gifted by both Jo & Sharon with Day 24 of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop this year.  Thank you both again sweet friends ... a gift I will always treasure   : )

Jo has asked each of us participating in the Hop to share a bit of our Christmas stitching.  The ornament I'm sharing below is not something I've stitched, but it is one of my very favorite ornaments which I received in an exchange with Lisa last year ... O Night Divine, a design by The Sampler Girl which appeared in the 2013 Just Cross Stitch Ornaments issue.  Tonight is indeed a very special & holy night ... the night that Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of our dear Savior.

I suppose I should share a bit of stitching I've done myself as well ... lol!  There is a lot to choose from, but I've picked these three designs I stitched for my own tree over the past two years, & they were finished to the utmost perfection by my friend Myra.    
Good Tidings to You
The Sampler Girl
Peace on Earth
The Primitive Hare
His Gift
My Big Toe Designs

In addition to a bit of Christmas stitching, Jo wants each of us to tell about the best Christmas present we've ever received.  Well, like most of the other ladies it is difficult for me to decide which one present to tell you about, but for the purpose of an interesting story, it's got to be my 1914 Singer treadle sewing machine.  When I was in junior high school (1965-66), I had a friend, Anna Marie, who was given her grandmother's old treadle sewing machine.  I thought this sewing machine was the coolest thing I had ever seen, & throughout the coming years I always remembered it & always hoped to have one of my own one day.  Flash forward to the late 1980s.  My husband's job made it necessary for him to do a lot of traveling throughout the state of Tennessee where we lived at that time, & during one of these excursions he went into an antique store & spied a Singer treadle sewing machine.  He immediately asked the store owner if he could pay for the machine that day & pick it up before Christmas.  The owner said yes.  John left early Christmas Eve morning to make the 2-hour drive to the antique store to pick up the sewing machine & bring it back home.  We knew some rain & storms were possible, but little did either of us know that a tornado was going to occur!  It came close to the route where he was driving & he experienced quite a downpour with high winds accompanying it, but thankfully neither he nor our vehicle were in any way hurt or damaged.  Others that day were not as fortunate.  Anyway, John made it to the antique store & he & the owner carried the treadle out to our Toyota Corolla only to discover that it was going to take a small miracle to fit it into the back seat!  After some lengthy negotiating, they were able to wedge it in there & then John made the drive back home.  He was unable to remove it from the back seat himself, so rather than me finding it waiting for me next to the tree on Christmas morning, he had me come out to the car when he arrived home to help him pry it from the back seat & carry it in.  I have enjoyed sewing on this treadle machine ever since. It always mystifies people who have the fancy Berninas, Husqvarnas, & other high end machines when I tell them that I prefer sewing on a treadle. I think of the woman or women who owned that machine before me.  What were they sewing? What were their thoughts as they pumped the treadle up & down?  Did they ever for a moment think that a woman 75+ years in the future was going to be loving their machine as much as they had?  It takes me back to a simpler time.  I like that.

Thank you for visiting my blog today.  I wish you & your family a most happy & blessed Christmas!

30 comments:

The Bear's Blog said...

Christmas Blessings to both of you.

Merry Christmas

Angela Tucker said...

What a lovely story. I collect old mixing bowls and feel the same way...I wonder how many cookies and bread were mixed in these bowls. How much love was shared in the kitchen while mothers shared their special recipes with their children? Have a wonderful Christmas!

Hazel said...

Beautiful ornaments! Merry Christmas to you. X

AnaCristina said...

Merry Christmas!

Vicki said...

What a great present, Merry Christmas Shirlee!

Frances said...

Your ornaments are so lovely and stitched and finished perfectly!
I love the sewing machine story--very sweet!
Merry Christmas and a Blessed Holiday to you and yours!

http://thankfullga447 said...

Merry Christmas, love the ornaments I am all done for Christmas can relax and get back to stitching and sewing.

Kevin said...

I love seeing your ornaments and the story of the treadle sewing machine was wonderful. Believe it or not, my grandmother had not one but TWO of those antique sewing machines in her home. As children, we were only allowed to touch one of them and we loved sitting at it and pumping the pedal (treadle?) but we weren't sewing, just more or less pretending we were.
Wishing you and your husband a blessed and beautiful Christmas

Robin in Virginia said...

I enjoyed reading about the how behind your sewing machine, Shirlee! I really like the ornaments you created as well.

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas Eve Day!

Robin in Virginia

Marilyn said...

What a great story.
Have a Blessed Cristmas, Shirlee.
Marilyn

Carol said...

Lovely ornaments and story, Shirlee--wishing you and John a blessed Christmas Day together :)

Karen said...

Merry Christmas!

Pam in IL said...

I enjoyed hearing about your sewing machine. I have my grandma's treadle sewing machine.

Merry Christmas to you!

Purple Pixie Dust said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR HUGS LYNDA RUTH

Melody said...

That's a lovely Christmas memory. Merry Christmas!

sew.darn.quilt said...

Lovely ornaments and stitching!
Merry Christmas*

Angie said...

Merry Christmas!

Vickie said...

What a great story Shirlee. How dear of John to do that. I cannot figure out how the sewing machine fit into a Corolla. We have had a Corolla. And I have my Auntie Ethel's White treadle sewing machine.

Justine said...

Thank you for sharing such a lovely story, and your Christmas stitching. They are all beautiful. Oh night divine is my favourite Christmas carol, it sends shivers down my spine!
Your parcel has arrived - just in time for Christmas! I've emailed you.
Hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas Shirlee xx

Julie said...

Wonderful Christmas post, have a Merry Christmas. x

Chris said...

Merry Christmas my friend!

cheryl said...

Lovely ornaments and sweet story. Merry Christmas!

Sarah in Stitches said...

That's such a lovely story! Thanks for sharing it with us. Beautiful stitching too! :D

Margaret said...

Good evening from New Zealand. Christmas Day is just finishing here and I have been reading your last posts about the only reason for the season. May Jesus joy fill your Christmas Day and indeed all your days to come.

Shebafudge said...

I love the story behind your sewing machine, so romantic.

All your stitching looks beautiful but I really love the cross at the bottom, such pretty colours.

Merry Christmas to you and John and here's to a happy and healthy 2015 :)

Sheryl said...

What lovely ornaments beautifully stitched.

La Petite Gallery said...

Have a lovely Christmas. I used to needlepoint,'
so I know the time it takes to make those pillows.
yvonne

Kaisievic said...

Such a lovely story about John and Singer - he is such a blessing! Gorgeous ornaments, Shirlee.
Have you opened my parcel to you, yet?
hugs, Kaye

jocondine said...

I love your ornaments and the story about your sewing machine specially the link between the ladies using it. Merry Christmas.

Maggee said...

Hello! Happy After Christmas! How wonderful that you got to do the Christmas Eve Blog Hop post again! And of course, I loved it! Great story about the Singer treadle machine's trip to your home! John was determined! Hope your Christmas was lovely--even if it did not snow yet! Hugs!