Dresden Plate Is Where It's At.....................

It seems that there are two (that I've found) Dresden Plate sew alongs

this year--Bee In My Bonnet has put her 'spin' on this

historic pattern.  Why was it so popular during the early 20th century, you may ask.

"The popular name for this quilt, Dresden Plate, reflects the romance of the Victorian Era with its love of elaborate decoration on household items and décor. Dresden, Germany was a center of 19th century romanticism movement in art, one that included the fine decoration of porcelain. The plates were embellished with elaborate design using flowers, fruits and foliage. The beautiful plates would surely have been admired by women of the early 20th century."  

Quilt Doodle Designs has added her touch to this pattern with what she calls

'a mystery'.  Each month she'll have a different take on the center--

Creepy!

Bet you never thought that spider webs were useful to the human race!

Well, guess again!  Some of these facts I already knew, but

didn't know about painting on cobweb canvases--

really interesting, huh?

To us weavers, we think that the spider is the first true weaver of fabric.

 A spider web, spiderweb, spider's web, or cobweb (from the archaic word coppe, meaning "spider") is a device created by a spider out of proteinaceous spider silk extruded from its spinnerets, generally meant to catch its prey.

Spider webs for humans

Uses of spider webs

Helpful spiders

Practice!

I hate knitting swatches for any pattern--but, these are great to practice for stranded knitting.

Yes, I know--just a little late for this year's Christmas tree--

there is always next year and you can begin now to create some interesting and colorful

ornaments.

The pattern is free from The House of Hogbuffer and of course, you can find it

on Ravelry--not a member yet?  It's easy and free to join!  

I think it's time to work these up through the year and be

ready for next year's Christmas tree or maybe even gifts to special friends!

Happy stitching!

Love Photography? This Is For You!

Okay, so I'm just a little late settling into this challenge, but this project can begin any week of the year.....................do you love to take photos but don't always have the perfect subject?

Soul Depiction Group on Facebook might be the answer to your dilemma.  There is 

other photography groups on Facebook as well that feed your soul, like

365 Days of Photos, which encourages you to take a photo and post each day--

this one will become your photo journal of your life.  I did this project several years ago

and thoroughly enjoyed my journey.

Here are some guidelines for photo junkies!

Silk Stitch Along

Since this seems to be the month to begin stitching, how about joining

with Laura Wasilowski as you learn these goals:

• Make an embroidered garden on silk. You can also use wool, cotton, or felt but silk is lovely to work with.
• Try new embroidery stitches and stitch combinations.
• Enjoy the challenge of free-form embroidery and improvise as we go.

And what better thread to use but SILK!  Gorgeous silk! 

She has listed three steps to organizing your work--to me, the best part of this stitch along is

to have fun! 

A Spinning We Go!

 ROC day is sometimes called “St. Distaff’s Day”. Of course, there is no such saint! It is celebrated on January 7th, the “first free day after Twelve-Eve Christmas”, which was a holiday of transition from Christmas revelries to the round of everyday work. It is also called “Rock” day, as the distaff was sometimes referred to as a rock. Traditionally, in old England, women did not spin during the twelve days of Christmas. ROC day or St. Distaff’s day, was their day to get back to work, and they certainly made the most of it! They were not without troubles during this time, because it was tradition that the plowmen thought it sport to set fire to the flax and tow.

The women kept buckets of water always ready to put out the fires. It was a game of sorts, with many young men being “drenched” to the bones! Also the spinners went back to work a day ahead of the weavers, so that they could have plenty of yarn for the weavers. It was their special day. THE SPINSTER In olden times, the fleece which was brought home in the summer was spun into clothing by the female part of each family during the winter.

It was a well known axiom that NO young woman was fit to be a wife until she had spun for herself a set of body, table, and bed linens. Hence the maiden was termed a spinner or spinster, and the married woman was referred to as a wife or as “one who has been a spinner” even though she carried on these traditions. Interestingly enough, is the term wife, which comes from the Anglo-Saxon word “wif” which is from the verb “wyfan” or “wefan” which means “to weave”!

January 7

St. Distaff’s Day

By Robert Herrick (1591–1674)

PARTLY work and partly play   You must on St. Distaff’s Day: From the plough soon free your team;   Then come home and fother them; If the maids a-spinning go,            Burn the flax and fire the tow. Bring in pails of water then,   Let the maids bewash the men. Give St. Distaff all the right;   Then bid Christmas sport good night,          And next morrow every one   To his own vocation.

Bring On THe King Cake!

Epiphany, the Feast of The Three Kings 

The Adoration of the Magi by Giotto [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Epiphany is celebrated 12 days after Christmas on 6th January (or January 19th for some Orthodox Church who have Christmas on 7th January) and is the time when Christians remember the Wise Men (also sometimes called the Three Kings) who visited Jesus.

Epiphany is also when some Churches remember when Jesus was Baptised, when he was about 30, and started to teach people about God. Epiphany means 'revelation' and both the visit of the Wise Men and his Baptism are important times when Jesus was 'revealed' to be very important.

Some Churches celebrate use Epiphany to celebrate and remember both the visit of the Wise Men and Jesus's Baptism!

Epiphany is mainly celebrated by Catholics and Orthodox Christians. It's a big and important festival in Spain, where it's also known as 'The festival of the three Magic Kings' - 'Fiesta de Los tres Reyes Mages', and is when Spanish and some other Catholic children receive their presents - as they are delivered by the Three Kings!

In Spain on Epiphany morning you might go to the local bakers and buy a special cake/pastry called a 'Roscón' (meaning a ring shaped roll). They are normally filled with cream or chocolate and is decorated with a paper crown. These are normally a figure of a king (if you find that you can wear the crown) and a dried bean (if you find that you're meant to pay for the cake!). In Catalonia it's known as a Tortell or Gâteau des Rois and is stuffed with marzipan.

In France you might eat a 'Galette des Rois', a type of flat almond cake. It has a toy crown cooked inside it and is decorated on top with a gold paper crown.

There are similar traditions in Mexico where Epiphany is known as 'El Dia de los Reyes' (the day of The Three Kings). It's traditional to eat a special cake called 'Rosca de Reyes' (Three Kings Cake). A figure of Baby Jesus is hidden inside the cake. Whoever has the baby Jesus in their piece of cake is the 'Godparent' of Jesus for that year.

In Italy, some children also get their presents on Epiphany. But they believe that an old lady called 'Befana' brings them. Children put stockings up by the fireplace for Befana to fill.

In Austria, at Epiphany, some people write a special sign in chalk over their front door. It's a reminder of the Wise Men that visited the baby Jesus. It's made from the year split in two with initials of the names that are sometimes given to 'the three wise men', Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar, in the middle. So 2014 would be: 20*C*M*B*14. The sign is meant to protect the house for the coming year. Some parts of Germany also have the tradition of marking over doors. The 'Four Hills' Ski Jumping Tournament also finishes on 6th January in Bischofshofen, Austria.

At Epiphany in Belgium, children dress up as the three wise men and go from door to door to sing songs and people give them money or sweets, kind of like Trick or Treating on Halloween. Children in Poland also go out sining on Epiphany.

In Ireland, Epiphany is also called 'Nollaig na mBean' or Women's Christmas. Traditionally the women get the day off and men do the housework and cooking! It is becoming more popular and many Irish women now get together on the Sunday nearest Epiphany and have tea and cakes!

In the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (which celebrates Christmas on 7th January), twelve days after Christmas, on 19th January, the three day celebration of Ethiopians Timkat starts. This celebrates Jesus's baptism.

Epiphany Eve (also known as Twelfth Night) marks the end of the traditional Christmas celebrations and is the time when you were meant to take Christmas decorations down - although some people leave them up until Candlemas.