The Stockings Were Hung...

...on the Shaker peg rack in the kitchen, because I don't have a mantel. :)

This is the sum total of my sewing since my last post over 2 weeks ago.

DD#1 reached out a couple of weeks ago to see if I would have time to make stockings for her 3 family members. How hard could that be, I wondered? Even the fact that she wanted each one a different patchwork design made out of recycled men's shirts didn't deter me. And in order to make sure she would receive them before Christmas Eve, I had two weeks to complete them.

She was kind enough to link me to the excellent tutorial at Cluck, Cluck, Sew, which gives great instructions for the method, but has no pattern. I used a shape from a pattern my other daughter still had from a class she had taken with her sister many years ago. The tutorial also tells you how to adapt the double hourglass block in another of her tutorials to make a small block for the stocking. My daughter loved that design, so of course, I had to make one. Keep in mind that I only had 2 weeks in which to finish all three stockings. That double hourglass stocking took every spare minute of that first week! I had to simplify!

The next design I attempted was the chevron design created with HSTs. This went much faster. From cutting to having the stocking front and back sewn together, it was finished in one day. I didn't attach the cuff, hanging loop, and lining until I had  the name and holly stitched on the cuff.

The final stocking was the alternating pinwheel design. It took two days of my sewing time to create. Without a pattern that specifies the stocking shape and how many blocks on each row--or even what size blocks, I would just make blocks and lay them out, place the pattern over it and see if everything was covered. I would try to take into account the shrinkage that would happen when it was all sewn together. But sometimes I missed my guess and had to add a row, or add blocks to the ends of rows as things came together. After 1 1/2 weeks the three stockings were created, but the cuffs needed finishing.

I spent whatever sewing time I could scrounge over the next couple of days getting names and holly stitched on the cuffs and assembling all the parts to complete the stocking. I made it within the two weeks, but just barely. 

I never would have made it without my new best friend in my sewing room, an Accuquilt Go!Big cutter. This was gifted to me early in the year (THANK YOU--you know who you are!). With Mom's needs, and then her passing, and my husband's retirement and our "retirement trip", it took a few months before I was really able to play with it and get a feel for what it can do for me. I am using it on several projects that are in the works, and on these stocking I used it to cut all the 1 1/4" strips for the double hourglass stocking. The 2" finished HST die cut every triangle for the Chevron pattern, and I didn't have to square up a single block. Using the 2" finished square die and the 1" finished HST die, the final stocking went together so smoothly and, again, I didn't have to square up a single pinwheel block. 

If you want to attempt making patchwork stockings, I highly recommend the links above--but maybe give yourself a little more time to get them finished--like next Christmas! :)

In the midst of all this stocking mayhem, we held meeting #2 of the Tiny Club at Village Dry Goods. Lynn has outdone himself in coming up with creative ways to make a 3x3 grid out of 2" finished blocks. Look at what he shared with us this time.

Some of you have already contacted Village Dry Goods about getting Lynn's rulers and patterns. They are trying to accommodate those who want to purchase them, so check the link above and get in touch with them, if you would like to join this mini madness!

Lynn had very concise "storyboard" samples of each of this month's four new blocks. Though I haven't had a chance to try making any of them yet, I am really anxious to see what I can do.

 

Recently I heard a more succinct version of the old familiar saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." This one is simply, "If you can't be kind, be quiet." We could use a whole lot more of both--kindness and quiet!

My prayers and thoughts are with those whose lives were devastated by the tornadoes. 

Until next time, 

Janet O.

Leaving you with another recent sunset, captured on a brief, chilly walk a few evenings ago.