Friday, December 2, 2011

Handmade Christmas: Stockings

Stocking are one of my favourite Christmas projects. And since it is Little Miss S's first Christmas, I worked hard last week to make her one before December 1st.


Inspired by Camille's stockings, I dug out a 12 Days of Christmas charm pack from my stash (there may be more, wink, wink), and added some Bliss, Amy Butler and Cosmo Cricket, and started cutting hexes. I used the same template as for this little quilt, and pieced the hexagons with the machine. Then for the shape, I traced around the stocking I made for my son three years ago.


Here's all of the stockings hung up on the mantle. (Note to self: Decorate mantle for Christmas). These four stockings really show my progression as a quilter. I made the first one for my husband 9 years ago back when I thought that fabric only came in country colours. I also followed the pattern exactly as I was terrified and lacking the skills to just wing it like I did with this last one.



As I look at this group of stockings, part of me is so tempted to remake the first three in more modern colours and patterns. I know that as a group they don't 'go.' But the reality is that none of my house 'goes' together. I'm a terrible interior designer because a) I'm a terrible planner and fly by the seat of my pants b) I'm a procrastinating perfectionist and I always feel like there is something better out there and c) I'm cheap.


But when we hung up the stockings yesterday, my oldest two kids were so, so, so excited to see their stockings with their names on them again. The kids don't care if the stockings coordinate. To them, they are special because their mommy made them, and of course, I'm not kidding myself, because Santa fills them with lovely toys.



So I'm resisting to modernize the stockings. We'll just have to go with an eclectic theme for Christmas this year. And every year from now on.

What about you? Do all of your decorations match or are you eclectic like me?

7 comments:

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

Yay Barb! I'm completely all over the place when it comes to decorating. I decorate with what I like, and I like a lot of different things. Your stockings all look great hung by the chimney with care!

~Michelle~ said...

I actually like the mismatch! It's like a little time capsule for not only your skills, but also for what fabric you were into at the time!

Holly said...

What a great stocking for baby Susanna! Am I missing something - where's your stocking? I love the mismatched look, that's life, isn't it?

Susan said...

I love them the way they are! Dont change it! Let it tell its stories.... Good job!

Debbie said...

growing up my stocking had a cabbage patch girl on it and my brothers had a cabbage patch boy. I cant remember what my younger 2 sisters had- they maybe have been just plain.

In my house here I have 5? stocking that all match for when we have guests over to hang one for them as there are only 3 of us :)

Poppyprint said...

Yeah, where is yours?? I love your mismatched stockings. My decorations are all over the map, but tend to the non-sparkly, more folky type. I like eclectic Christmas and definitely shy away from the matchy-matchy everything perfect look.

Nanette Merrill said...

Love the stockings. Really sweet.