Friday, December 14, 2018

Christmas stocking 2018

Last year I made new Christmas stockings for mom and dad, but there were no takers for new ones in my own household.  The kids were adamant about keeping the ones they have always had.

This year I caved and retired the 40-some year old stocking my grandmother knit for me.  The yarn is starting to look a little worn in places, and I feared one of these days it would break and the stocking would unravel and there would be tears at Christmas.  This very special stocking will still hang on the mantle, but Santa will stuff the new one.

The stocking Memere knit for me next to my new one
For the focus block I used the snowflake ornament I designed for the December 2018 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.  For the rest of the stocking I used the method I described in my Twice-Turned Stocking tutorial last year.

Now my son has suggested that perhaps he could use a new stocking as well, provided the old one can still hang on the mantle.  His stocking dates from before I sewed.  It's a thin felt one from the dollar store to which I added his name in cross stitch, as well as tiny jingle bells. Lesson learned, by the way: don't add jingle bells to a kid's stocking unless the kid's bedroom is well away from where Santa will try to to stealthily fill the stocking!

Anyhow, it was not made to last 20 years, even with the sturdy lining I added a few years ago, but I hope it can last one more Christmas.  I'm not sure I have time to make another stocking, as quick as they are to make, because I am desperately trying to finish the hand quilting on the Chic Country quilt so I can surprise my daughter with it under the tree at Christmas. I have so consistently missed my self-imposed  deadlines on this one that at this point she doesn't expect to see it finished until she moves into university dorms next August, if then.

Chic Country (pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful) in progress

I don't think she knows how close I am to finishing.  I've made progress since I last colored in the plan.  I have 6 blocks and the rest of the border to finish by next Friday if I plan to have time to bind it before tucking it under the tree.  I might just make it.