Ghost of Christmas Present: detailed Benzie color guides – kits available!

Ghost of Christmas Present is the fourth pattern in my Ebenezer Ornament Series. Here are the detailed felt/floss/sequin/bead color guides for you so that you can easily make spirits that look like my Benzie felt samples!

Benzie Design has long been one of my favorite places to purchase wool-blend felts. They have stellar customer service, quick shipping, and their felt, floss, sequins and beads are an absolute joy to work with! They will be very happy to help you with what you need.

First, some handy links to get you started:

To buy the Ghost of Christmas Present pattern: mmmcrafts.etsy.com

To buy the Modern Pastel or Victorian felt palettes shown here:

Benzie Ebenezer felt palettes and notions kits

To shop their sparkle and shine:

Benzie sequins and beads and also their metallic felts

OK! Here are the color guides:

MODERN PASTEL GREEN GHOST

BENZIE FELT COLORS:*

Peach: body, urchin heads and hands

Ecru: robe/sleeve trim, urchin hair

Turquoise: robe, sleeves, and robe liners

Julep: skirt

Fern: holly leaves

Coral: urchin clothes
Gold Metallic Bellwether:** torch

Bronze Metallic Bellwether:** belt and scabbard

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

**Substitute wool felt if you do not have metallic felt

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS:*

Robe/sleeves: DMC 3851, D3852, Blanc. 5 mm red metallic sequins, Benzie 4 mm Red metallic sequins, Benzie 4 mm Rose Quartz sequins (layered on top of a few of the red), Benzie Red seed beads

Fur trim: DMC D3852. 5 mm translucent iridescent sequins, Benzie Moonstone seed beads, Benzie Red seed beads

Robe liners: DMC White, D3852

Skirt: DMC 937, 3705, D3852. 5 mm gold metallic sequin, Benzie Gold and Red seed beads.

Urchins: DMC 310, 3705

Belt: Benzie 4 mm Copper metallic sequins, Benzie Rose Gold and Teal seed beads, 5 mm apple green sequins, 8 mm Kelly green sequin, 5 mm aqua sequin. 

Scabbard: DMC D301, 5 mm kelly green sequin, Benzie Red seed beads.

Torch: DMC 3705. Benzie 4 mm Gold sequins, Benzie Gold seed beads.

Year on back: DMC 3705

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Ghost hair: DMC 918

Ghost beard: copper chenille stem

Ghost mustache: reverse side of Benzie Copper Brown glitter felt

Holly crown: olive green chenille stem, green metallic tinsel stem

Torch flame: clear iridescent chenille stem

Scabbard ornament: aged bronze 6 mm mini jingle bell

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

*****************************

MODERN PASTEL YELLOW GHOST

BENZIE FELT COLORS:*

Peach: body, urchin heads and hands

Ecru: robe/sleeve trim, urchin hair

Ochre: robe, sleeves, and robe liners

Pink: skirt

Turquoise: holly leaves

Julep: urchin clothes, torch

Bronze Metallic Bellwether:** belt and scabbard

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

**Substitute wool felt if you do not have metallic felt

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS:*

Robe/sleeves: DMC D301, 783. 5 mm pink sequins, Benzie 4 mm Copper sequins, Benzie Rose Gold and Rose Quartz seed beads

Fur trim: DMC D3852. 5 mm translucent iridescent sequins, Benzie Moonstone, Rose Quartz and Lilac seed beads

Robe liners: DMC 991, D301

Skirt: DMC 500, 3705, D301, D3852, Benzie Red seed beads, 5 mm gold metallic sequin, Benzie Gold seed bead

Urchins: DMC 301, 3705

Belt: Benzie 4 mm Copper metallic sequins, Benzie Rose Gold, Lilac, and Teal seed beads, 5 mm iridescent translucent sequins, 8 mm pink sequin, 6 mm teal sequin.

Scabbard: DMC D301, 6 mm teal sequin, Benzie Red seed beads.

Torch: DMC D3852, Benzie 4 mm Jade Green sequins, Benzie Teal seed beads

Year on back: DMC 991

*All sequins/beads sewn with gold sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Ghost hair: DMC 434

Ghost beard: brown chenille stem

Ghost mustache: Benzie Nutmeg

Holly crown: white iridescent chenille stem, pink metallic tinsel stem

Torch flame: clear iridescent chenille stem, pink metallic tinsel stem 

Scabbard ornament: aged bronze 6 mm mini jingle bell

Hanging Loop: DMC 5282 Metallic Pearl

*****************************

VICTORIAN BLUE GHOST

BENZIE FELT COLORS:*

Peach: body, urchin heads and hands

Swan: robe/sleeve trim, urchin hair

Peacock: robe, sleeves, and robe liners

Burgundy: skirt

Copper: holly leaves, urchin clothes

Bronze Metallic Bellwether:** belt and scabbard

Silver Metallic Bellwether:** torch

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

**Substitute wool felt if you do not have metallic felt

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS:*

Robe/sleeves: DMC D168, Blanc. 5 mm pink sequins, Benzie 4 mm Magenta and Lilac sequins, Benzie Magenta, Lilac, and Amethyst seed beads

Fur trim: DMC D301. 5 mm translucent iridescent sequins, Benzie Moonstone, Lilac, and White seed beads

Robe liners: DMC D301, Blanc

Skirt: DMC 761, 3846, D301, Blanc. 5 mm iridescent translucent sequin, Benzie 4 mm Copper sequin, Benzie Rose Gold seed bead and Aquamarine seed beads

Urchins: DMC 310, 3705

Belt: Benzie 4 mm Copper and Silver metallic sequins, Benzie Rose Gold and Silver seed beads, 8 mm pink sequin, 6 mm silver sequin.

Scabbard: DMC D301, 6 mm teal sequin, Benzie Lilac seed beads.

Torch: DMC 154. Benzie 4 mm Copper sequins, Benzie Rose Gold seed beads

Year on back: DMC 761

*All sequins/beads sewn with silver sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Ghost hair: DMC 898

Ghost beard: brown chenille stem

Ghost mustache: reverse side of Benzie Bronze metallic felt

Holly crown: silver metallic tinsel stem, pink metallic tinsel stem

Torch flame: clear iridescent chenille stem, pink metallic tinsel stem 

Scabbard ornament: silver 6 mm mini jingle bell

Hanging Loop: DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

*****************************

VICTORIAN PINK GHOST

BENZIE FELT COLORS:*

Peach: body, urchin heads and hands

Copper: robe/sleeve trim

Blush: robe, sleeves, and robe liners

Bronze: skirt

Turquoise: holly leaves, urchin clothes

Bronze Metallic Bellwether:** scabbard

Silver Metallic Bellwether:** belt and torch

*Note: You will need matching floss or thread colors

**Substitute wool felt if you do not have metallic felt

FLOSS/SEQUIN/BEAD COLORS:*

Robe/sleeves: DMC 734, 831, D168. 5 mm iridescent navy/green sequins, 5 mm teal sequins, Benzie 4 mm Marine sequins, Benzie Marine and Teal seed beads

Fur trim: DMC D168. Benzie 4 mm Rose Quartz sequins, Benzie Teal and Marine seed beads.

Robe liners: DMC 3750, D301

Skirt: DMC 3750, 3708, 919, D168. 5 mm iridescent translucent sequin, Benzie 4 mm Copper sequin, Benzie Rose Gold bead and Lilac seed beads

Urchins: DMC 310, 3705

Belt: Benzie 4 mm Copper and Teal sequins, Benzie Rose Gold and Teal seed beads, 8 mm brass sequin, 5 mm iridescent navy/green sequin.

Scabbard: DMC D301, 6 mm teal sequin, Benzie Lilac seed beads.

Torch: DMC 3708. Benzie 4 mm Copper sequins, Benzie Rose Gold seed beads

Year on back: DMC 919

*All sequins/beads sewn with silver sewing thread

OTHER NOTIONS:

Ghost hair: DMC 645

Ghost beard: gray chenille stem

Ghost mustache: matching gray card stock

Holly crown: clear iridescent chenille stem, olive green chenille stem

Torch flame: clear iridescent chenille stem, pink metallic tinsel stem 

Scabbard ornament: silver 6 mm mini jingle bell

Hanging Loop: DMC 5283 Metallic Pearl

*****************************

I hope this was helpful! These color guides can be followed exactly, but feel free to vary the choices to match your tastes and make your own unique combos. The way I've combined the Benzie Victorian and Modern Pastel felt colors are just a few of the possibilities! I'd love to see what you make. :-) #ebenezerornamentseries

happy 2023!

Happy new year! I'm ringing in 2023 with my first case of covid! It finally got me. I've been exposed so many times over the last two years I was starting to wonder if I had some kind of weird super-immunity. NOPE. 🥵 Blurg. But this must mean the new year can only get better from here! Right? Yay! Let's toast to all the possibilities! *hoists mug, slurps herbal tea loudly*

Image above: The top nine most-liked posts from my Instagram account for 2022. I was going to write a detailed, reflective review of the past year with nicely articulated thoughts but NOPE I will go downstairs and take more cough medicine.

#mmmcrafts #topnine #happy2023 #stupidvirus #ebenezerornamentseries #twasthenightornaments #twelvedaysornaments

merry Christmas!

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.

Merry Christmas!

Ghost of Christmas Present pattern now available!

I'm so happy to say that Ghost of Christmas Present is now in my Etsy shop. This pattern is the fourth in my Ebenezer Ornament Series, which is inspired by my love for Charles Dickens' spooky Victorian novella, A Christmas Carol. 

You'll find the difficulty level to be intermediate – not for beginners. If you've completed my Twelve Days Ornament Series, you are likely ready to step into the Ebenezer series! (Twelve Days is a great primer as it builds your skills when you do the patterns in order.)

Skills needed for this particular pattern are backstitch, whipstitch, French knot, drawing on the face, precision cutting/sewing/glueing of very small pieces, and working with chenille stems, beads, and sequins. This one is more complex because of the many small details, not to mention the hidden figures of Ignorance and Want inside the robe! 

As with the rest of my ornament patterns, Ghost of Christmas Present is organized into detailed step by step instructions with scads of diagrams and tips.

The pattern includes 17 years to trace and embroider on the back, if you like.

This short lived spirit is the favorite of many Dickens devotees because of his cheerful demeanor and the fact that he represents the joy, peace, and plenty of Christmas day itself. He is written as a jolly giant, wearing a long, fur-trimmed green robe and holding a magical horn-of-plenty shaped torch with which he sprinkles Christmas joy. He is wearing a holly crown and a jeweled belt, from which hangs an empty, rusty scabbard which represents the absence of war and brotherhood of man. And the best part for Dickens fans: Inside his robe are hidden the pitiable figures of Ignorance and Want, which make their startling appearance toward the end of Scrooge's time with this spirit.

Because of the many pieces, it takes about three crafternoons to make a Ghost of Christmas Present. Put on a good movie or podcast, make a hot cuppa, and enjoy the journey. All 101 steps. :-) 

Don't forget the Victorian gleam! Choosing metallic embroidery threads, tinsel/iridescent chenille stems, and metallic wool felt accents will add even more holiday sparkle to the already glittery sequins and beads.

This ornament is best constructed using Sulky Stick 'n Stitch, which makes the process much faster, easier, and more accurate. If you already have the materials on hand to make Scrooge, Marley, or the Ghost of Christmas Past, you might just need a few more things like metallic wool felt, tinsel and regular chenille stems, and an optional mini jingle bell. There's a full materials list on the first page of the pattern shown below. Click to zoom:

The sparkle of spirits you see above were all made with the same two Benzie Ebenezer color palettes I curated for the rest of the series. I exercised a bit of artistic license in the color of the robes and crowns #becausecolors. I wanted to show you some possibilities with different hair colors too. (Did you know the spirit's hair is initially brown but turns gray with age by the time he disappears?) I also wanted to show the option to make the mustache from card stock (zoom in on the gray haired spirit) if you don't want to purchase a sheet of wool felt just for that tiny mustache. 

Pro tip: If you are buying it anyway or have some already on hand, check out the wool sides of Benzie's metallic and glitter felts for possible mustache colors. The back of the Bellwether bronze metallic felt is a nice warm brown and made excellent mustaches for both of my brunette samples, and the mustache on my redhead is the back of the Bellwether copper glitter felt. As a bonus, the backing makes the tiny tiny pieces less likely to fray apart.

Because chenille stems come in limited colors, I recommend buying the chenille stem for the beard first and then choose matching DMC floss hair and felt (or card stock) for the beard to match. 

I will be publishing detailed color guides for these samples soon. Ish. Those will coordinate directly with the amazing felt/floss/notions kits put together for your buying convenience at Benzie Design! 

To purchase the instantly downloadable PDF pattern, visit my Etsy shop. :-) 

Thank you!

Many thanks to you for making my annual pattern sale so successful! Y'all got some cozy gift sewing to do! Off you go! Queue up a good movie and make some fresh coffee! Don't be naughty like Larissa and leave the sewing to the last minute. Every year. *sighs*

As you dive in to mmmaking the patterns, don't forget this blog is a great resource for helpful tips, color guides, and links to materials kits! Have a look around the sidebars and nav bar.

OK, now back to the pattern making sweatshop for me so I can clear this Ghost of Christmas Present pattern off my desk, for ever lovin' pity's sake! LOL

Shown: Boy Elf from my Little Elves pattern, made with the Retro 'Twas The Night color palette from @benziedesign. Buy the pattern here.

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! My annual sale is now on!

Thanksgiving is a good time to count my blessings, and among the many other wonderful things in my life, I thank God that I have not only the opportunity to design and sell my detailed felt imaginings, but also that I have such a wonderful group of mmmakers who enjoy putting them together as much as I do, and who continue to support my designs. Thank you! 

If you've been waiting to snag that pattern you like from my Etsy shop during the annual sale, now's the time! Get 20% off your pattern purchase through Monday with no code necessary. Please note: the sale is keyed to my time zone, Eastern Standard, so please factor that in if you are in a different part of our lovely world.

Please accept my wish for you, wherever you are on this beautiful planet, that you have the best, chattiest, and most delicious day ever, whether you celebrate with an unlucky turkey or not. We can all pause to give thanks. May God richly bless you with happiness, health, and special times with those you love.

Update on Mr Christmas Present

UPDATE: For those of you waiting patiently on the Ghost of Christmas Present pattern, I thought I’d jump in here to say that despite having high hopes of adding it to the shop in time for my Thanksgiving sale, that just ain’t happening. I must accept. Hopes dashed. 

It’s just physically impossible with the samples I need to make and the photos which need to be taken. So I will let myself enjoy some turkey and my girls being home from college and I’ll shoot for releasing just as soon after Thanksgiving as I can possibly make it. That will hopefully be plenty of time for your Dickensian Christmas crafting.

In the meantime here are some supplies you might need to gather: 

All the usual items needed for my people ornaments (wool felts, wood beads, floss, cotton pipe cleaners, Sulky Stick N Stitch (2 sheets), fabric markers/pencils for faces, Tacky Glue, stuffing) but here are some others for this ornament:

1) One or two chenille stems for his twisted holly crown (I like two different colors or finishes, like one regular and one metallic)

2) Metallic or iridescent chenille stem scraps in one or two colors for the torch flame

3) Metallic wool felt for his belt and scabbard and possibly his torch

4) A tiny jingle bell (4-6 mm) as an optional decoration on the scabbard

5) A chenille stem for his beard in any shade of medium brown or red, plus a skein of matching DMC floss for his hair, plus a tiny tiny scrap of coordinating wool felt for the mustache. In the photo, you can see the reverse side of the bronze metallic felt does well for a mustache, but you can also source a brown felt from your felt stash. Another option is to cut his mustache from matching sturdy card stock if you don’t want to buy a sheet of felt just for that. In that case I recommend adding a coat of Mod Podge to make it more durable.

 
6) Metallic sewing thread for attaching sequins/beads, plus the usual seed beads and sequin array needed for the Ebenezer series. In this case you will need an 8 mm one for the belt buckle and it’s good to have both 4 and 5 mm to alternate for the holly berries if you like. Using one or the other is also an option if you don’t have both.

7) Metallic DMC Diamant is such a nice option for some of the embroidery — it just adds Victorian glam.

 
Alright! I hope that is helpful for your planning. 

(Shown above: Ghost of Christmas Present redhead in progress featuring a side part and an unfiled thumbnail in serious need of a manicure)

a host of ghosts smiling at me

I'm certainly in cheerful company over here as I work to get this Ghost of Christmas Present ornament pattern in the shop in time for Christmas makings. Besides the smiling host of ghosts, a lot of espresso, chai tea, and old episodes of NewsRadio are helping me along. I'm still deep in edits and sample makin'.

More info on the Ebenezer series and where to buy