Putting Up The Christmas Tree Already?

Sorry, I know many people don’t think we should mention Christmas before December, but I am going to anyway! Back in August, on my return from holiday, I was contacted by a friend at another local church, they are planning their first ever Christmas Tree Festival, [in less than 8 weeks from now] and wondered if United Church Ferndown would contribute a decorated tree? Ok! I said, then started writing down some questions

• do we buy just buy a tree and decorations? [quickest, easiest]
• if so, should I ask our lovely Treasurer for a cheque? [probably not – it hasn’t been put into the annual budget plans]
• so should I ask people for donations? [but that doesn’t really involve people, I want them to feel part of the project]

So – if not buying, then we need to make them

• sew, knit, crochet, cross stitch? [lots of talent at UCF]
• what theme will we choose? [it must be about JESUS!]
• when should we start making? [SOON to give people time]

I found an idea for a sewn ornament on the internet, and then realised we could add something embroidered on evenweave canvas to the other side. And then I put the idea to some of my friends. I cannot get over the enthusiasm that was shown. I prepared instruction sheets, and found the fabric and threads in the Great Stash, other people donated some evenweave Aida.

Half a dozen of us spent one afternoon assembling packets of materials + instructions. The following Sunday I took them to church and people took packs. Some took ‘fronts’, others ‘backs’ and some took both components.

Most of these have come back now, so last Monday the small group met again to assemble things and sew on hanging ribbons. Above is the table before people arrived – I laid out all the finished parts. And here are some of the finished ornaments. Sue brought down a tree so we could get an idea of the finished effect.

Each ornament has a star on one side, of folded and stitched fabric, and one of the names of Jesus embroidered on the other. We had prepared 40 ornaments [with 40 different names – Prince of Peace, Good Shepherd, Light of The World…] and over 30 people have been involved in making them – from teenage to octogenarians!

They look very effective- but they really are surprisingly easy to make. Next week I will write up an easy tutorial in case any of you wants to use the idea. Huge thanks to my team here at UCF who have got involved in this one.