Skagway really does it up for Christmas. It's a month long affair, with a winter ball, craft bazaars, the annual quilt show, open houses at local businesses, a gingerbread house contest, movies (this is a big one for us, since we don't have a movie theater)...
...and the Santa Train.
The Santa Train is where it's at for holiday fun. The railroad where I work puts this event on every year, and hundreds of people come from Skagway, Juneau and the Yukon to see Santa arrive on his special "sleigh" and then go for a ride up the snowy pass. The depot is decked out in twinkly lights and fun holiday vignettes, there's cookies and hazelnut hot chocolate, and festive carols that kick around in your head all afternoon. It's my favorite weekend in December.
This year, I went up with the crew in a couple engines the day before as they cleared the tracks of snow and ice. It was a clear morning with frigid temps that stole all thoughts right out of my head. It was a fun adventure, for sure.
The next morning, we decorated the train so Santa could arrive in style.
We got a little sidetracked with the garland...
Santa arrived at the depot to visit the kids (big and small) and passed out goodies and then everyone piled into the cars for the hour ride up the pass. Of course, Santa came along to spread holiday cheer on the train ride. He's such a busy man, but always finds time for us here in Skagway and we're so grateful.
I also got some sewing in. I'm burning the midnight oil trying to finish up some projects before I leave this weekend. Remember that pile of blue and browns I pulled out? Well it's now 252 half-square triangles, which I am sewing into rows to make a zig-zag quilt.
I have ten of the eighteen rows assembled. I guess I should have laid them all out to see them together, but Clifton takes that as an invitation to search and destroy and I hate to encourage the beast. I'll have the brown rows done tonight and then I'll put them all together and load it on the machine and quilt it. Speedy fast! This is the second of three quilts I'm trying to finish before I leave. The red and white star one is ready to be quilted, this zig-zag one is just about there also, and then the third one is just a pile of partially finished blocks right now. It should just take a day to get that one ready to quilt also. That'll be my job Wednesday afternoon. Then I'll quilt them Thursday, attach the binding Thursday night, and hand stitch it down while I'm on the ferry to Juneau. It's a seven hour ride, so I should be able to get some good binding time in. I'm cutting it close, I know. It's been a busy month and I may or may not have bitten off more than I can chew.
You and Allison look great! I can't wait to see all of your finished quilts.I love the white you have pieced with the blue it almost looks metallic in the photos.
Posted by: Erin | 12/09/2013 at 10:37 PM
Every year I promise myself I won't make any quilts as presents for Christmas - yet I always seem to be sewing like a madwoman on christmas Eve - lol
Posted by: Patty E | 12/11/2013 at 05:22 AM