APPLIQUÉ PROJECT
A SENSE OF NOSTALGIA
“Traditional Christmas carols feature in many of my childhood memories. Even just a few notes can stir my emotions and leave me with a sense of longing and a feeling of home that few melodies can invoke. Included in these treasured memories is a German Christmas song that has always left me pondering the meaning of its unfamiliar phrase. Even as a young girl, I always wondered about the meaning of ‘O, Tannenbaum… how lovely are your branches’.
“Fast forward many years after making the big leap from America to my home now in Germany, there are more additions to my list of songs sung during the Christmas season. In the beginning, some of these songs were just new songs sung in a strange language, but others were oddly unexpected with their familiar melodies. One such song was finally able to still my childhood questioning: The word for Christmas Tree in German is “Tannenbaum” – Oh, Christmas Tree! To this day, the same song delights my children regardless of which language it is sung in and rekindles that same nostalgic feeling in me.” – Allison Richter
You will need
■ Background (BKG) fabric (Kona Cotton Snow) – 3yds■ Green solid fabric(s) (star points) – ½yd■ Green prints (centre stars and leaves) – ¼yd■ Grey fabric(s) (branches, birds, wings) – ¼yd■ Assorted reds, pinks, oranges (berries) – fat eighths/scraps■ Yellow/chartreuse fabric (appliqué stars and tree topper) – One (1) fat quarter■ Green fabric (tree stems) – ⅓yd■ Backing fabric – 3½yds■ Batting – 65in x 80in■ Binding fabric – ½yd■ Freezer paper – 4yds■ Templates:■ Allison also used: spray starch, mini iron, small paintbrush, appliqué glue, a small bowl, invisible thread, bias tape maker 18mm (¾in)
