The fall of 2018 when Kevin and Kersten were cleaning up their garage, I received a text. In essence, they needed to part with a few things. In the rafters of the garage was apparently a box containing an old Santa that had been used in the bank lobby in Fairfax and it had been discarded right into Kevin and Kersten’s laps. It was more than 50 years ago that Santa had made his first appearance in Fairfax. So the text went on to ask what I thought should be done with Santa. I suggested he be given a rest and perhaps be done away with. I recall that there was hesitation and perhaps a few “but” words. I could tell, that was not the response that Kevin was the happiest with. Dennis and I finally agreed we would come and take it home with us and store it in the back garage as Dennis thought it would be fun to put it in the patio door windows of the patio porch come the Christmas season.
When we arrived in Fairfax, neither Dennis or I was prepared for this coffin-sized box to be presented to us. It took up the entire length of the pickup bed. It was totally tied shut with twine and that was sure needed as the box was in horrible shape. Off to St. James we went with . . . we really had no idea what we were taking home with us.
Of course when we got home, the box did not go into the back garage. Dennis’ curiosity got the best of 
him and into the patio porch it went. He was like a kid at Christmas that just so happened to have Santa right there in his porch! Santa was to turn at the waist and wave to all the world. No go. Off came the old velvet suit and an investigation proceeded. After all was said and done, Santa did get some of his mobility back and he did get to rest in the back garage until Thanksgiving of the 2018 season when Dennis had him in the patio porch, right on target.
When Kevin and Kersten were here in the early part of January, it was agreed that Santa had to go back in the box until the 2019 Christmas season. I took a good look at the less than appealing suit that had weathered fifty plus years. Before Kevin returned the bulk of Santa to his box, I had the hat and jacket that I took down into the sewing studio. It was time for a new suit. The quest was on to gather materials. I was not going to start until I had everything at home.
When Dennis left on his month long road trip with nephew Brett the first of February, I began my project. A lot of quiet time was needed. It was frightening to make that first cut into the velvet yardage we had bought. One day at a time. The stitching went slow as velvet creeps and crawls away from being anything but friendly for nice even seams. When Dennis returned home the first of March, Santa needed to be relocated into my sewing studio for fittings. It was now getting serious. My goal was that as long as there was snow on the ground, I would work on the ole boy. Once the weather would be good, I had plans to be outside. Mother Nature took care of that! Today is the 28th of March and our backyard still has snow. The project was going to get done!
I took photos as I went of what had been so I would be able to take it step by step. I think every
attachment that I had on my sewing machine was used. I was frightened of the face and the beard and the mustache and the hat. When I looked at the old photo, I had no idea how I was going to work with the head. For one thing, the face was just as filthy as the old suit has been. I dug out my Tri-Chem oil paints that I have had since Carrie and Kevin were babies and thought about how to put a face on Santa as many of the features had come off with the grime.
What really had me bummed out was the beard and face hair. Videos were of some help. I knew that all
the holes on the head and face were because staples had been used mercilessly. Armed with material that I had ordered I began, head down and never doubted that it would work out the first time . . . no do-overs and most importantly . . . no staples. All in all, I like the look of the New Santa face. I can see an expression, where before it was a pile of fiberglass angel hair way in excess of what was needed.
From the tip of his hat to his patent leather boots that have been cleaned, I believe this Santa is going forward for a few more years. He is mobile. For my part if the motor does give out, he still looks like he could take center stage. About the second week into this project, I thought I had bit a fat
hog in the butt. It did help that I was home alone with my thoughts and pondering. I marvel at the manufacture’s skeleton. It is durable. I hope you all enjoy clicking on the photos for a larger image of The Santa Project. Dennis has checked on the photos several times and he believes from start to end, it was a hit out of the park. It is finished and this was the rest of the story.
The project is 80 plus towels for the skate club members to wipe their skates off when they come off of the ice. The towels would be a gift during the year end banquet. The file was handed off with the logo and it will be up to me to work my whiles on my computer program to add each of the girls’ name on each of the towels. The end result of my programming skills will allow name and logo to be loaded so it stitches out as one design. Hooping the towel for a second time for the name, getting it centered, would also eat up a duplicate amount of stabilizer. It was one thing to stitch it out on cotton fabric. 
I hunted high and low for a terry towel that I could do the demo on. Dennis is the ultimate judge but he can’t be unbiased. He thought the terry towel came out great. When I mail this demo to Carrie, she will share with those who are in on that aspect of the skate club. Time will tell. Carrie is in charge of finding the towels. 
