The Winter Solstice is one of my family’s most treasured days of the year. The turning of the dark to the light is a day that we spend together, quiet, and reverent. Waking up to the rising sun, and not returning to slumber until the following sun rise is a yearly tradition that my husband and I share. Spending hours writing in journals, opening the family art table and joining together in shared creativity, decorating a tree with edible ornaments for the animals of our area, creating a warm meal to eat by candlelight, and the bonfire of the previous years Advent wreath. These are just some of the traditions that we hold dear.
The family dinner on the Winter Solstice is set special in white and creams, with lots of candles and warm food to enjoy. It is a time for us to simply come together, and share with each other the things that we are grateful for, and the things that we hope to accomplish in the coming year. Poems are read, songs are sung, and the evening ends with our boys begin tucked into bed, with the promise of the return of the sun the next morning.
To mark the occasion, I try and make a special centerpiece for our table every year. This year I found a vintage white table runner, and picked up crocheted lace dollies in coordinating colors to go with it. Sewing each doily on, the table runner transformed into a special piece for my family to enjoy. This is an incredibly easy project with endless possibilities, and it makes me happy to know that it will grace our table this year.
Materials:
Vintage table runner in color of your choice
A variety of lace doilies
Matching thread for each doily
Embroidery thread (optional)
Hand needle
Iron your table runner and lay flat on a hard work surface. Lay your doilies out in the design of your choosing. Starting from your top design, use a large embroidery hoop to sew your doily to your table runner.
If you choose, you can also embroider French knots around each doily to give it a different look.
This easy project will create a treasured family heirloom for years to come.
Heather Fontenot lives with her family on the Front Range of Northern Colorado. She has a passion for natural and creative living, and spends as much of her time outdoors as possible. She loves to knit, sew, garden, photograph, read and home school her two sweet little ones. She writes the blog, Shivaya Naturals, where she chronicles her life as a mother, artist, and gluten free baker.