Christmas Cracker Gifts

XmasCrackers
Originally uploaded by lasassone

WARNING: If you are one of the Delta Crazy Tuesday Ladies, please stop reading this right now! You will spoil your Christmas Luncheon Surprise!

I believe I've mentioned before that I belong to a little stitching group that meets once a week. We split off from our large monthly group that is still very active. It started during one summer when someone was on vacation from her school job and wanted to devote a morning to stitching so she could use her time off efficiently and get something accomplished during her time off.

Along the way we picked up another member and we are now 5! This year is the first time we will have our own little Christmas luncheon/party. We are going to the local golf course restaurant and then back to one of the members homes for dessert.

We discussed doing a baggie swap for each member and I asked if I could be a little different and try something I read about on the CQI list. I didn't join in the CQI swap, but I thought this might be fun to do for this group since I'd only have to make 4 and not so many as I would for the large monthly group.

I'm assuming here that you know about the Christmas Cracker tradition. You can still buy pre-made ones at Costco World Market last time I looked. They are a lot smaller than my version and usually contain a bit of candy or a toy like Cracker Jack boxes do. When I was a small girl we had these on the table for Christmas dinner and they made a loud pop when you opened them! I think my Canadian Father might have grown up with them and that's why we had them.

For each of these special Crackers I cut a 7 inch length of a paper towel cardboard tube. Then I pieced an 8" block for each of my friends. I handpieced a simple block similar to what I did for the Take It Further Challenge that Sharon Boggen had last year. Just 5 pieces and the center piece of each block was chosen according to the interest of the person it is for.

Then I pulled embellishments appropriate for each block, put them in a 3" by 5" ziplock bag and stuffed it in the tube. After that I rolled the block around the tube and tucked the ends in.

Then I cut a piece of a faux crazyquilt Christmas print about 8" x 13" and just hemmed it with machine basting and applied lace to the short sies. That way, if they want, they can salvage the fabric to use for another project.

For the tags I printed off some gift card packets, put them together with double stick tape and inserted an angel faux cigarette silk that I printed for each of them.

I sure hope they like what I've done. A couple of the blocks may very well be a real color challenge for the new owner, but we're always talking about expanding our color horizons, so I hope they are not disappointed.

Come this Tuesday I'll surely find out! Stay Tuned!