Our Town Part 3 : Holiday Houses and Decorations

When we were children, our Dad read the beloved poem The Night Before Christmas to us each Christmas Eve, so this quilt by Sue Garman brings back many fond memories. The twelve blocks are each 14 inches square, and each block illustrates a line from the poem. 

Night before Christmas, 78 x 96, by Sue Garman, as seen at Quakertown Quilts

 

The blocks are done in bright reds, greens, and blues that are spotlighted by white setting blocks. This appliqued quilt is bursting with energy and activity ! When you look at the blocks close up, you can see the many thoughtfully placed details that add so much to the overall effect of each block. Check out the carefully tied sprightly bows on each of the packages, the garland and lights which grace the trees, the bright red harnesses of the reindeer, and the miniature accessories worn by the snowmen. The curves of the mountains are mirrored in the curved pathways to each house and the rounded sleigh runners. Some of the stars are even surrounded by halos.

Here's Block 8, with a lively cheerful Santa. Notice the precise detail of his costume and his dapper appearance.

And here is Block 2, complete with a plate of cookies, even a spool of thread, and a tiny Christmas mouse down in the wall.

You can read about the design, and each of the individual blocks, at Sue Garman's blog. The patterns and kits for "Night Before Christmas" are available at Quakertown Quilts.

Image credits and links: Images are shown with the generous permission of Sue Garman. For more quilts with houses, see our earlier posts: Our Town Part One and Our Town Part Two.  The latter post includes a quilt by Pat Dicker named "Pedestrian Friendly", which was based on Sue Garman's "All Around the Town" design.