Today's Quilter - UK (2019-11)

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HOME TOURl ‘twas the month before christmas

MammaMia,StarWarsorScrooge.It’s
backhomeafterthatforbowlsofchilli,
lastminutewrappingandtheannual
lotteryofwhois goingtosleepwhere.
ChristmasDayandBoxingDayare
veryrelaxedandwinterpyjamasarede
rigueur. There’smoredancing,present
opening,cardgames,longwalksbythe
seaandfamilytime.WhenMandy’snot
inherstudio,shelovestocookandcan
befoundintheheartofthehousein
thekitchensurroundedbyfamilyand
friends.Christmasbreakfastconsists
ofpancakes,raspberriesandGreek
yoghurt,whichkeepseveryonegoing
untilthetraditionalChristmasmeal
mid-afternoon,followedbyplentiful
supplies of Christmas cake and pudding.

Thegiftofgiving
Onetraditionthatthefamilyhave
adoptedthatreallyresonatedwithme
is theirideaofhavinga familykittyto
buygifts.Membersofthefamilyput
anagreedamountinthekittyandpick
onegiftthatthey’dlikeforChristmas.
If someonehasa specialrequestthat’s
overbudget,theycantopthisup.
Mandy’sinchargeofsourcingallthe
requests,whicharelovinglywrappedup
andpiledupundertheChristmastree.
“Wewantedtomoveawayfrombuying
unwantedgifts”,saidMandy,“this
way,weallreceivea specialgiftthatwe
reallyvalue”.Lastyear,Mandyreceived
a wormeryforhercompost,theyear
beforethat,a gorgeousleatherpurse,
andtheyearbeforethat,a silverbracelet
withbuttoncharms.Notsurprisingly,
handmadegiftsarealsopartofMandy’s
tradition,bothtogiveandreceive.
“HandmadeChristmasdecorationsare
easytostitchandlookstunning”,says
Mandy,wholovestocreatedesigns
inspired by her vintage collections.

Mandy’sFestiveTips

InvestinthebestChristmastreethatyoucanaord

that will last through the holidays. And shop local!

Sprinklethetreewithsprigsofgypsophila(baby’s

breath).Thelittlewhiteflowerswillfillinthespaces

betweenyourlightsanddecorations,creatingthe

illusionthata freshfallofsnow has miraculously

settled in your living room.

Whendecoratingyourtree,alwaysaddyourlightsfirst

andcheckthembeforeyoudrapethetree,soyou can

replace any bulbs, then add your decorations.

Makeyourowncuratedcollections.Fillthetopof

a sideboardwithangels,a shelfwithheartsora side

tablewithSantas. Theme dierent rooms from vintage

to Victorian.

Makea batchofhand-stitchedChristmasdecorations

whichyoucantakeasgiftstofriendsandfamily

overthefestiveholidays.Seepage 20 for Mandy’s

Nutcracker-inspired tree ornaments.

Rememberthatmoreis more!Youcannever have too

many decorations throughout the house.

ForMandy,Christmasis a magical

interludewhereeverythingthatshe

lovesis celebrated– familytraditions,

community,nostalgia,vintagedesign

and all that is handmade. In the joyful

wordsofAndyWilliams,it is quite

simply,“themost wonderful time

of the year.”

http://www.dandeliondesigns.co.uk