Variation on Santa Portrait Trio

When I work on a quilt, I very rarely make it like the picture on the pattern. I like to give things my own spin.   I feel like I'm comfortable enough in my stitching now to do the same thing with an embroidery design. We are doing a show in Phoenix this fall that has a holiday theme. So I've been working on stockings and ornaments. Now I'm working on my version of Santa Portrait Trio. I'm still doing it in red because that is definitely a great Santa color. However instead of making it as one long panel suitable for framing as shown on the pattern, I decided to make three individual blocks. Here's what the pattern looks like.

Once I get all of my blocks stitched out, then I'll figure out how I want to set them. I'm planning to turn it into a wallhanging rather than a picture to frame. It is a way to take one thing. Think outside the box a little bit to turn it into something a little different. Here's my first block in progress.

Check back for progress reports. I started this the block at the International Quilt Festival in Long Beach last weekend. There wasn't a lot of down time to work on it. However, I will have time next week in our travels to Paradise, CA.