Oh, popcorn for Christmas...it's not just for eating! I decorate with it every year. It has 3 attributes I love: It's cheap, it's easy, and it's light as a feather. Oh. And one more thing...I don't have to pack it up after Christmas!
The thing I like the best about it is the great contrast it makes no matter what I put it on! On the tree or on an evergreen wreath, the white just pops! When you buy your Christmas tree and they remove those spindly lower limbs, grab 'em and take 'em with you. Hose all the debris off the limbs and let them dry outside where it's cool. If you won't be decorating inside for a while, find a bucket, add water, and set the limbs up in it in a shady spot. They'll keep for a while!
Now, back to the popcorn.....
As I mentioned, I string yards and yards of popcorn to trim with every year, so here's a few tips for you if you want to add this great decorating feature....
1. Try to pop the corn with as little oil as possible. Even though the ultimate thing to use for popping corn is a hot air popper, don't give up! I've used a little oil in the bottom of a covered pot and just shook the pot over my stove burner until it was all popped. You might want to get someone to spell you on the shaking, but it works just fine.
2, Let the popcorn sit overnight before you begin stringing it. The white fluff will absorb just enough of the moisture in the air to make the stringing a lot easier!
3. Many people say to use dental floss for stringing because it's strong, but I have used simple thread and quilting thread and even embroidery floss (2 ply). You aren't stringing baseballs, you're stringing something that weighs nothing! And you won't be using the strings for jump rope, so don't worry about strength very much.
4. If you see those lovely strings combining popcorn and fresh cranberries, don't do it. By the time you're ready to decorate---and especially by the time you take the decos down----those berries are MUSH. Besides, when you string the two together, the strings are heavier.
5. You don't need any special needle. Pick the smallest needle you have that you can comfortably thread.
6. Work with lengths of thread only about a couple feet long. It's easier to handle. Why? Because the best way to do it is to grab a handful of popcorn---3-4 kernels---string and slip them onto the thread, and then grasp the 3-4 strung kernels and gently push them down to the end of the thread, leaving about 6 inches of thread loose. Repeat. Don't try to string a long bunch on and then push that long bunch down to the end. It will sprag and you'll wind up with popcorn crumbs! Push them down only a few at a time. When you have a couple down on the end, grasp the loose end of the thread, wrap it around and tie it gently to the last popcorn kernel as an anchor. Now continue to string and push the kernels down the thread a few at a time. From time to time you may want to reach down and gently push the kernels downward and together.
7. Another reason for working with shorter lengths of thread is that it makes it easier to decorate with. You can place a length at a time on your tree and tie on additions as you need them.
8. Now here's a little something that many instructions don't tell you: Insert your needle through the PUFFY part---not into the hard kernel part nor the narrow part BETWEEN the puffy and the shell. Your stringing will go soooooo much smoother.
9. If you have kids old enough to wield a needle safely, this is a great "gather round the whatever" and string and munch party! Put together a few medium large cardboard boxes, and as you string, let the strings fall into the box. I usually put a slit in the top edge of the box to put the thread end into so I'm not pawing through the strung popcorn for the other lengths.
A few ideas for decorating....
If you're having a Christmas party, surround your punchbowl (okay, SOME people still use them!) with the evergreens and sprinkle popcorn over them. Lovely! I also make merengue mushrooms every year. I add a few to the evergreens around my punchbowl and people can munch and sip!
If you have a mantle over your fireplace, there's nothing prettier than evergreens, a few white taper candles, and mounds of popcorn. But then, I love "simple."
If you can suspend anything from the ceiling, popcorn makes great "snow." String several varied lengths of popcorn onto fishing line and suspend the strings to hang in front of a window, or if you're REALLY daring, suspend them from the ceiling over your dining table for your Christmas dinner! What a conversation that would start!
Did you see that beautiful wreath at the top? That's from this website: http://www.hometalk.com/695721/popcorn-and-cranberry-wreath
I didn't check to see how it was made, but it sure is beautiful! Unless I was making this for birds, I probably wouldn't put any popcorn decos outside, but over a fireplace...oh yes! I think if I were to make it, I would purchase a white styrofoam wreath from Michael's and put the popcorn on with hot glue. It would be together in no time. I'd probably place the bow first then glue the popcorn on around it. You could cover the whole wreath or just the front and what showed. The Styrofoam is white anyhow.
And last but not least, there's lots and lots of things you can add to popcorn then set bowls all over the house for munching!
All righty then! I'm popcorned out!
Turning now to fabric.....
Just letting everyone know....the fabrics I sell on my BLOG are fabrics I get at my favorite fabric store. They have a section of fabrics that are $2.98/yd.(I call it $3.00 for simplicity) and much of it is good quality/good brand name fabrics. Occasionally, I see a particularly nice piece and I pick it up and put it on the blog AT MY COST (plus shipping of course) for anyone that wants it. I'm not making any $ on this, it's just a nice gesture I offer for fellow quilters. If no one is interested in what's here, in a few days I will list it somewhere else for a few dollars more to cover my travel expenses. I just like to offer it first, at cost, to those that read my blog. Many times, it helps people in remote parts of the country to get in on a few fabric deals that they can't get locally. That's the story, and I'm stickin' to it!
here are two new ones I picked up yesterday.....
This first one is a David Textiles...a gorgeous allover horses. Note: It's a directional fabric! If you know a little about David's fabric, you know it's lovely, smooth and buttery. I have 2 yards of this. It's $3.00/yd. (+ postage) If you want it, let me know. I'll leave it up on here a few days and then I'll be putting it on Quilters Virtual Yard Sale, Quilters Classified and my Etsy shop for a dollar more a yard....
The other one I found is also a David Textiles....a beautiful allover eagle heads....also a directional. Would be great for a Quilt of Valor! I picked up 2 yards of this. Again, it will only be here on the blog for a few days and then I'll let it go elsewhere.....
Well...that's all for today. Happy quilting, sewing and decorating! And for all my quilty friends who are in FMQ mode today.....remember to drop those shoulders! LOL!
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