This is the most Renaissance-y out of my favorites. 

Another "jazzed up" version off of one of my favorites. 

I included Peter Hollen's version because I like what he did to the song, and all the voices. I love the words to the song too. 

Heehee, what is Christmas without a song from these three? (#I'msonota90skid)

Because my maternal grandmother's family is from Scotland (Isle of Skye, actually), I grew up listening to Scottish Highlands bagpipes. We found this album several years ago, and it's one of our favorite albums to listen to on Christmas. 

This is actually a paraody of the original song (so please don't be alarmed). This group is a men's a cappella group originally formed at a university in Indiana. This was their breakout song. The original (which I think is a lot funnier than the studio one they did later) was the version that aired on the radio, where my family first heard it. We loved it, and have been fans of this group ever since. 

This song is so pretty!!!!!

I've never seen The Polar Express, but I've heard this song on the radio around Christmas time, and I really really liked it. (Lia - I had no idea that it was Josh Groban that did this song. Now I know why he sounded so familiar....).

I really really like this version of this song by Celtic Woman. It is so light and joyful!!! 

I've heard this song being performed by a couple of church choirs, and I really like Anúna's version here. I was struggling to whether to include this one or "Ecce Quod Natura"...both are good. This one won, narrowly. 

Well, that's enough for this post!! 

Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine

I must admit that I stared at this cloth for several minutes racking my brains to try and find how in the world I was going to match that end. Because it looked like I was going to have to cut it three times and I had to take the embroidery into consideration. 

In the end, I did the only thing I could do.....

Call my mother over. 

(She helped teach me to sew, so she knows about these things.) 

In our consultation, we decided to forego the interior seam that would have required the extra cutting for the much more noticeable task of matching the embroidery. 

Thus, my cutting was reduced from 3 to 1, a much more manageable number. 

(I think Someone guided the scissors, because by some miracle, it was straight...*phew*)

Pinning took a bit of time, especially around the embroidery. 

I'm a speed demon on the sewing machine, normally. This time, I was a snail. Last thing I needed was to make a mistake and redo anything. 

My machine had a little difficulty with the embroidery - so it turned into a hand workout as I cranked the needle in and out of the fabric, moving the presser foot as evenly as possible. Once I got out of the embroidered section, it was much easier.  

For kicks and giggles, I took a comparison photo. The original hem is on the left, and mine is on the right. 

My hems DID end up 1/2" longer than the original (because of that interior seam), which is only noticeable if  you folded the cloths. If someone was to examine closely, they would also notice that there is an extra scallop in my hem than the original, and that the embroidery is much closer to the edge in the original. I sincerely doubt that Father is going to mind these trifling details. It was more important the cloth is divided (and he doesn't have to spend hours and hours ironing one cloth that he only uses half of anyway). 

After I finished sewing up the hems, I did repair a tiny tear on one of the halves that I had noticed when working with it. 

So, now to give them a final ironing - as you can see from the pictures they wrinkled in the short time that I worked with them - and bring them to church this weekend! 

I am so grateful that this job was given to me (even if I did grumble a little about that interior seam). I do hope that Father is satisfied with it...

Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine

P.S. An additional note on that tip I shared in Part 2: Be careful if you're ironing wet linen - sometimes the iron can stick and that can cause mild scorching. Have found out from previous experience... 

Bonus points if you can figure out which movie you've heard this song from!!

(Need a hint? Here's another version): 

(a traditional Irish song)

 (This song is the same as the one covered by Celtic Thunder, just a lot faster)

(Gregorian Chant hymm) 

(This is arranged like a slow march, it's really awesome to listen to)

No, I haven't broken out my Christmas music yet....that will start to happen next week after Gaudete Sunday this week. I don't like to listen to Christmas music beforehand. Though I did finally finish my Advent and Christmas playlists on Spotify! 

And that's all for this post!! 

 Old-fashionably yours, 

Catherine