diy: ten minute stocking

Hi there! Like I said in my last post I misplaced our stockings and decided to whip up some new ones until I could uncover the missing stockings. My plan was to use some of this awesome grey fabric I thrifted from an old sheet and decorate them with doilies and pom-poms. I did not account for my allergies or the fact that the awesome grey fabric is probably hiding out with the stockings.

After undoing all the nice box piling I had done last week in the scary pink room, I was at my wit's end and ready to bag the whole idea. It's Christmas eve, I have a lot of wrapping to do still, a pound cake to bake, a gas tank to fill up not to mention the exploding ginger ale incident. I was ready to walk out and use lunch sacks like Grandma used to use but then I spied a pile of linens my dear friend Amy passed along to me and in that lovely pile was a lovely lace-trimmed pillowcase. Instantly I could see it as a stocking. How easy and pretty it would be and I believe I have another pillowcase in the linen cabinet that would work as well. The hemmed edges of the pillowcases would make a great top part of a stocking. Luckily I had my template from last year's denim stocking and so without much thought to the eggs on the counter I grabbed my scissors and some pins and hopped to it!

 

 

 

Turn pillowcase inside out and position stocking template on top, utilizing as much of the print as you can. My template was shorter than  what would allow for the fun part of the fabric so I pinned it where I wanted it and envisioned the rest of the template to the top hemmed edge. Pin in place and cut excess pillowcase away. Note: Some people will cut out here stocking shape right then and there but I prefer to work from a rectangle, stitch, then cut. This allows for more wiggle room for less-seasoned sewers.

 

Bring to machine and position foot at top edged hem pointing down towards your template (unless you drew a longer stocking shape to fill up your pillowcase) and begin to sew using the needle-foot as a seam allowance guide. I eyeballed my template and attempted to stitch two-three inches away so that my stocking would be wider than what I had drawn out. Another tip is to use a darker bobbin thread so that you can easily see where to trim your fabric away. All white thread might make is more difficult for the myopically challenged like myself.  Don't forget to backstitch!

Trim around stitched edges and snip a few vertical slits into each curve if your template had curves. This will keep it from puckering when turned right-side out...though mine still seems to pucker...grab up a bit of scrap fabric about six inches long. Fold it into thirds width-wise. This will be your hanger. Use a zig-zag stitch to hold all layers together, fold in half and stitch to the top of your stocking along the back seam. To do this, you will need to remove the arm cover of your machine so that you can insert your stocking over the arm to stitch the hanger on without stitching through all sides of your stocking. You can also use ribbon for this part or you can hammer in a grommet or hand-stitch your hanger on.

Turn right-side out and Ta-Da! A nifty, pretty stocking in about ten minutes! Can you guess which one is mine? Merry Christmas!

make a denim stocking

If you have a pair of jeans lying around waiting for a new life you have one or two holiday stockings n the naking. The size of your stocking is determined by the width of your pants leg. If the pair of jeans you have are skinny jeans then I guess you stocking-to-be might be quite wee. This project is best suited for a straight , wide or boot cut. 

Materals

*1 pair of denim jeans

*large sheet of scratch paper

*pencil

*scissors

*sewing machine

*small to medium fabric doily

*tacky or fabric glue

Begin by liberating one of your pants legs from the rest of the jeans with a pair of scissors. Simply cut, cut, cut across the width until you have a free pant leg. Set aside. Draw a stocking shape of choice, eyeballing the size as indicated by your pants leg, onto your scratch paper and cut out with scissors. Position atop your pants leg so that the top of the stocking is at the very edge of the bottom hem. If your pattern is too large, trim until it fits. If you prefer to not have to trim you can measure your pant leg and go from their. I suppose I should do more measuring but the pisces in me just goes for it. 

Turn the pants leg inside out and pin your pattern in place making sure the top is once again lined up with the bottom hem of the leg. Bring to your sewing machine and stitch all the way around leaving the hemmed part (the top of the stocking) open.

Use a pair of scissors to trim around the pattern leaving about a quarter inch of fabric outside the stitches and add a few vertical snips at the curves. Turn the whole shebang rigth-side out. Ta-da! You now have a stocking.

From the remaining part of the leg, cut the double stitched ridge that runs up and down the entire leg if their is one. You will want a length of six to eight inches. This will be the loop that hans your stocking. Stitch to your stocking using your sewing machine. Go slow and be careful of placement so that you do not break a needle.

Next up, grab a small or medium sized doily and place wherever you fancy atop your stocking. Use fabric or tacky glue to affix the doily to the stocking and use a handful of clothespins to hold it all in place.

When dry, stuff with all sorts of goodies and gift ot a friend. Merry Christmas! 

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 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!