Father Christmas Tradition

You have all seen this rug of mine “Father Christmas” either on exhibit somewhere or in my photo gallery. I designed it during a wonderful workshop with Pris Butler in 2007. My rug is modeled after a porcelain doll my mother made. This is her hand-painted, hand-made, prize winning doll.

My mother created the doll, I think in 1995, to enter in the Wisconsin Doll Show in Milwaukee. The wise old face, wrinkled hands and winter boots are realistically hand-painted porcelain. The chubby body, arms and legs are sewn from fabric then firmly stuffed. Wool clothing has rabbit fur to trim the cuffs and jacket edges. The long white beard is wavy mohair wool from a well fed Angora goat. Father Christmas is wearing snowshoes hand-made by my dad to help wade through the deep snow drifts and is carrying a lantern to light the way. A sack full of toys is slung over his back to fulfill the wish list from good girls and boys.   He stands on a two inch thick slab of wood cut from a tree on the family farm. Her hard work paid off with the “Best of Show” prize. The award ribbon hangs proudly off the copper lantern. Father Christmas doll and Father Christmas rug are displayed next to each other each Christmas season.