December Color Your World - Red

 

December means RED to me.  I know, I know - for many it holds other colors in mind - green for fir trees, white for snow, etc.  However, my house turns RED.  My whole Christmas decor is red and white and I love it so much.  In the book, The Secret Lives of Color by Kassia St. Clair, I found this statement:  ". . . the human affinity for the color red.  Most anthropologists and archaeologists believe that, as the color of blood, red is associated with lie - celebration, sex, joy - danger, and death."  I don't know about all of that and, as a redhead, it wasn't a color I loved or wore EVER - but I do enjoy it so much around the holidays.  I guess one can never truly understand oneself.  With that, let's move into red and all that it does indeed have to offer.  Further down the post is the monthly project AND your BINGO card for December.  It is the VERY LAST one for the year and some time to come.  Don't forget that cuppa.

Red is the color of passion and energy.  It draws attention like no other color and radiates a strong and powerful energy that motivates us to take action.  It is also linked to sexuality and stimulates deep and intimate passion.  Red is ubiquitously used to warn and signal caution an danger.  Bold words:  Action, Strength, Energy, Passion, Anger, Danger, Revenge, and Aggression are all associated with it.  Additionally, it can motivate and instill desire and confidence.  All in all --- a VERY powerful color.

Companies, too, have embraced red.  You try and decide which emotion these are playing on:  CNN, LEGO, Ace Hardware, Target, Canon, KFC, DQ, Coca-Cola, Lays, Netflix, and many gas providers.  There are way more logos associated with red than any other color.  Just look around when driving - it's crazy how it gets our attention.

In the previously mentioned book, we learn that humans "began dyeing cloth sometime between the sixth and fourth millennia B.C."  Incans, Aztecs, Romans - all have historical associations with the color as does religion and sex.  Think The Scarlet Letter.  Women and red have also historically been tied together - Little Red Riding Hood, The Bride Wore Red, and Gone With the Wind.  Red lipstick, fingernail polish, and clothing are all used to become a focal point.  In nature, we see the same thing.  What draws your attention faster than red sticking out from a see of orange, brown, gold, white, and green.  Red, of course.

From our foods - both spicy and sweet -

to wildlife

jewels

and the wonders of nature -- beautiful and awe-inspiring, both tranquil and dangerous.

Well, that brings us to this month's table runner.  It is the Nordic Star and I LOVE IT!  Here is your LINK to the pattern.  First things first --- pull some fabrics.  I found the middle fabric while in Missouri and think it is just so fun.  The other two came from Marshall's.  I'm ready.

Cutting, cutting, cutting.  I have it all ready to go.  I DID use the Easy Angle Ruler for my HST's.  Everything is ready, including the batting and backing.  

Let's start with the HST's.  Even though I used the Easy Angle Ruler, I did it with 3 1/2" strips so I had to trim down too.  It is what it is.

Start in on those corner units.

And then I just got so excited that I kept on sewing without pictures.  Four beautiful blocks later.

All four blocks sewn together with sashing and borders.  It's sandwiched and ready for quilting.

I followed the lead of the designer and did straight line quilting, then added the binding on.  Now for some hand-stitching.

BINGO card -