make a stocking in a bag

  I'm a bit fiendishly obsessive about stocking stuffers. I used to  share the fiendishness with Easter baskets but I have since lost that addiction...er...habit.

Not having any kiddos to play Santa for I felt bereft until I learned of a common phenomenon amongst my mama friends. Most of my mama friends act as Santa's helpers and so on Christmas morning, when it is time to dive into the holiday socks, they are left with a limp stocking, partially filled with items they bought for themselves and a candy cane or two from Santa. Combine that with my tiny kidless casa and some lackluster holiday socks as well and hopefully, you can get the picture. A few years ago, Ms. Za and I started exchanging stockings. From using and reusing pretty stocking stockings to filling tiny suitcases and/or vintage tins, we've gotten our creative fiend out and filled up all sorts of happy. This year, I am adding a new mama to the mix and because she isn't really expecting it and probably already has her own stocking, I am sending her a bag filled with goodness. This is also a nifty way to send a series of tiny gifts to a friend far away who may already have a traditional sock to hang. I suppose we only really need one stocking, right? I still have and use the one my Mamos made for me when I was born. I even made one for the mister in the same style so we could match. Mine is bit more motheaten than his bu I love it all the same .

So. grab some burlap, felt or other fat quarter sized fabric you may have on hand and let's get to sewing, shall we?

Materials
*fat quarter sized (mine was actually larger) piece of felt, burlap or other fabric
*1 large rectangular doily, 1 medium round doily and 1 small round doily
*small patch of red fabric (I used a t-shirt scrap)
*sewing machine
*large button

Cut your fabric into a large rectangular shape using your non-happy fabric scissors if you are cutting burlap. My burlap piece is about 25"X15". Press with a hot iron to flatten it out. Fold over the edge of a short end about 1" and press to hold shape. Repeat for the other side. These will be your hemmed edges. Bring the fabric to the machine and stitch those hems down, trim threads.

About 5" down from one hemmed edge,  pin  a row of pins to mark where the other hemmed edge will come up to create the pouch. Think of it as a large envelope.

 Estimate where you want your rectangular doily and super pin into place (hemmed sides facing down). Doilies can be tricky to stitch on with a machine as they are wont to dance. You can do this by hand as well but the machine makes the stitching happen a wee bit faster, so make sure you get all pin-happy with that lace. Of course, you can use any shape doily you like.

Pin your medium sized doily over the top of one of your hemmed edges so that half is on the burlap and half hangs over the edge. Introduce this new bundle of happy to your machine and stitch the doilies to the burlap using a small zig-zig stitch. Take your time and unpin as you go if you find yer pins butting heads with the foot of your machine. Trim thread. when you stitch the round doily to the burlap, you will only be stitching half of it on, so yep, that's correct, the other half will hang over the edge.

Cut your small piece of red fabric (or other color) and pin to your almost-stocking. Pin the smaller doily on top and use your machine to anchor all that happy on.

Fold the bottom of your happy piece up towards the top edge leaving about 5" for a flap. Pin in place and use a running stitch on your machine to sew down either side thus closing your bag. Give yourself an inch or so on the side-seams so that you may fray those edges by gently tugging on the excess burlap.

Flip the doily top over and estimate where a good place for a button would be and hand-stitch your button on. If your doily has a loose lace you will not need to create a buttonhole. If you do need to create a button hole...have fun!

Fill your happy pouch with wrapped stocking stuffers (click here for suggestions on how to stuff a stocking for under $25), close the top and wrap with a contrasting yarn or rick-rack for added pizazz. Pop it in a box and mail it off to your very lucky friend.

 

Not up for stuffing a stocking or two but still want to give?  You can pick up a few new-in-box toys, games, or kits and donate them to your local toy drive such as Toys for Tots or perhaps pick up some canned goods for a local food drive, our local markets sell coupons for meals so that you may pick up a few and your  dollar donation will help feed those during the holiday season.  Happy giving!

make a retro tissue tree wtih scrumdilly-do!

Hop on over for the details! Happy glueing!

upcycled trees old & new

Last year I created a super nifty umbrella tree for CRAFT. Since everything we own is boxed up in the mama a-go-go's garage, we were unable to unleash it for this year's festivities. Serendipity struck when mr. a-go-go happened upon an unloved umbrella in the street and so, with a blob of mod podge, a thrifted pattern and a string of LED lights, he came up with this year's umbrella tree.

I wonder what next year will bring?

i love my silver paint pen

make a fancy-pants stocking

I didn't manage to get pics of all the steps and I don't have a pattern for you but if you can run a sewing machine and have some purdy linen on linen like fabric floating about you can do this too! But then again, if you have all of the above, you probably already know how to make a stocking. Either way, I am prouder than proud that these turned out exactly as I pictured them.

Materials
*linen or linen-like fabric
*scissors
*lace
*pins
*sewing machine
*sheet of paper 11 1/2 X 17"
*pencil

Sit down and sketch out a stocking shape on your paper. This will be your pattern.

Next, gather linen and a few pieces of vintage lace. Set up the iron and get the creases out of your fabric. Or do like I do and try. I don't know what is wrong with me but I cannot seem to iron anything well.

Cut one long length of fabric that will become both the back and front of your stocking. My piece folded from the bottom up to the top. Some people cut first then sew. I sew then cut so this may all seem weirdly backwards to some of you.

Place fabric in front of you and pop pattern onto top portion. Pin around pattern to mark your sewing space. Do not pin pattern to fabric yet.

Add fun embellishments keeping within your pinned space. One stocking I made had a single long "ruffle", while the other had a series of squares stitched on in a line. To make the ruffle, gather and fold your scrap piece and pin with folds facing down so that it is easier to gather under your sewing machine foot. Use a neutral colored thread and stitch straight down making sure to backstitch at both the beginning and end of your stitch-fest.

Remove pins, turn fabric upside down and then flip over so that the side you just stitched on is facing up. You won't see your embellishment as that will be tucked inside. Pin pattern to both pieces of fabric keeping sure to have your embellisment within the boundary of your pattern.

Grab you length of lace and sandwich it between the two layers at the top of your stocking. This will become your cuff. Pin into place and bring the whole party to your sewing machine.

Use a smallish stitch to sew your pieces together. Make sure to NOT stitch across the top. I've done it before and it bites. Heehee. Begin at the top of one side and stitch all the way around ending at the top of the other side. Snip thread and unpin.

Cut out your stocking and sneak in a few extra vertical snips on the insides of any curves. Turn Stocking right side out making sure to bring the lace part out onto the front of the stocking. I forgot this part on one of the stockings and my cuff ended up on the back. Aack!

Fold top of stocking inside and press with a hot iron then stitch all around perimeter to seal the deal. Give your stocking a quick press with the iron to flatten out seams.

For the loops, grab a couple of long scraps and fold them in half lengthwise ironing them into place. With a sewing machine, stitch all the way down from top to bottom and trim excess wonk. The stitches will show as will the frayed edges but that is what makes the stocking so fun, ahem.

Stuff with treasures and have a happy holiday!

put them yo-yos to use and make a happy advent

you can find the How To over at craftzine. and i have to tell ya, i am so tickled with how this project came out! so click on the link, take a gander and spread the word! i could use yer help, thank you.

sneaky peek...

before i got sick i had been feverishly working on something great and grand for you all for the up-and-coming holidays...i'm still working on it (well, not NOW NOW but you knopw what i mean) and will reveal it all the first week in december. Tara & I have another fun week planned for you, this one will be a mad and merry craft frolic and we cannot wait to share it all. for now, i'll give you a little peek...here's a glimpse of my Christmas palette...don't stray too far...we've got inspiration galore and tips and tricks for crafting up a fabulous handmade holiday!

holiday countdown: stitch a wee tree

my mother passed away ten years ago this month (this weekend marks the anniversary) and she loved christmas more than rolos and she really liked them rolos. cleaning out her home was heartbreaking and trying and simply difficult for many reasons. too many to write about now. somehow, during all that cleaning and the going through of her things, her holiday goodies; handmade, vintage and thrifted all vanished somewhat. the ornaments have flown the coop, and her santas probably fled to the local Goodwill. i do have the felt christmas tree skirt she stitched up in 1959 for her first christmas as a married woman and my brother has her wind up toy sleigh but here is and was much more that we no longer have and while it breaks my heart when i think about it i have decide to recreate and channel her crafty powers to capture christmas once again for me, myself & i (and mr. a-go-go).

family traditions tend to hold tight in our hearts, so even if i no longer have the handmade items from my childhood i can recreate them with a twist and tickle. here is my take on the crazy felt christmas tree adorned with sequined ornaments and tucked into its very own wooden frame (sis, do you have this?). this project will hopefully use what you may already have on hand and if you don't it gives you an excellent excuse to go thrifting.

you will need:
*large embroidery hoop
*fat quarter of a happy print
*felted sweater
*small piece of felt
*needle & thread
*sewing machine
*scissors
*buttons and/or beads

i seem to be a magnet for embroidery hoops of all sizes and luckily enough i had an excellent vintage hoop about the size of a 77 LP just itching to be all holidazed-up. so the first thing you need to do is get yerself a fat quarter of yer favorite print. a small print works best. iron it out as best as you can and lay it out on your workspace.

cut out a rectangle of felted sweater, you will want it to fit in your hoop space but not fill it. fold it in half and pin in place.draw a half tree shape (or a triangle if you wanna make it super simple) outward from the fold and cut along your drawn line.remove pins an open. ta-da! you have your tree! trim it a bit for your desired shape.
place hoop over your fabric and center your tree on top of fabric within the hoop.pin into place (use a lot of pins, the felty goodness moves a lot when you stitch it) and stitch onto your fabric with your machine. you can do this by hand if you're already too comfy on yer sofa.fit your happy tree/fabric combo into your hoop. pull taught and admire. gather your buttons and play around until you find a color combo you like. get comfy and stitch them on. you can stitch them on with one long thread that zig-zags all over the back. no one should be looking at the back and i won't tell. trim excess fabric around hoop or glue it in place out of sight. you can also glue the fabric to the hoop if you like.cut out a stem from a piece of felt and tack that on as well. finish your tea and find a happy place to hang, that's it! yer done! now go pick up some more hoops and make yourself an entire forest! oh and you can always paint the hoop as well. happy crafting and happy december!

holiday countdown: upcycled christmas tree on Craftzine.com

i have always wanted to make a Christmas tree from an umbrella and now I finally have. twirl on over to Craftzine.com to see how I did it and to make your own! happy december!