myschyf | (no subject)

I was so pleased with myself yesterday. I've been making stockings (Hey, I believe in Santa. Besides. I love doing stockings. I find the best stuff for them.) as I do every other year or so for the past...fifteenish years. I remember working on a stocking while waiting for a family member in the airport, but I can't remember *which* family member, just that we were in California at the time.

granniechuckie, any clue?

Anyway. My biggest problem has always been making them too narrow. One year, I was tempted to give Jeff nothing but pencils and candy canes, as they were the only things that would really fit. This year I plotted out the pattern on two pieces of construction paper. I got the width right, but wasn't quite pleased with the bottom. I put one together and though it's okay, the toe-curve is much too narrow and even clipping the seam didn't help it lay correctly. I'll cover that up with decoration, but I'm still not thrilled.

So, last night I scrapped the bottom pattern and tried to figure out what I'd been doing wrong. I tried drawing another foot pattern, but it came out much like the last one.

Then I realized that I didn't have to keep the paper 8x10". There's absolutely no rule keeping me from turning it so that I'm drawing on 10x8". And this solved everything, because I hadn't had room to make a proper curve that would go with the wider opening/leg of the stocking.

It's such a small thing, but it's a problem solved. And I did it *all* myself. That makes me feel so very good.

Two and a half stockings down. Several and a half to go.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Woot! Go you!

buy bigger paper.
I do my patterns on tissue paper sheets. that gives you something like 16x24" of paper to work with.

That is excessively cute.
Go, you!

Love you. :)

making stockings

I bow to you, O domestic goddess! ;)

I just love those kinds forehead slapping moments. (giggle) as well as strutting around after saying, "I'm sssssooooooo smart to have thought of that".

BTW - I haven't a clue for whom you were waiting at the airport while making a stocking. Was I there, too? Could it have been one of those times Mike flew up to San Francisco for the job interview? That was right before Christmas and he always took the late plane home so I don't think I went downtown to get him alone.

Oh wait - Auntie Ellen & Uncle Jerry came for Christmas one time. . .did you go to the airport with Nan & Boomps to meet them? We were living on Clairemont Drive then.

love ya ~ Mum

Y'know, it must have been Auntie Ellen & Uncle Jerry, 'cause I seem to remember Jerry being there and that's pretty much the only explanation for his presence. :) Thanks! It was kind of bugging me.

I've only Mikeo's stocking left to do...yours came out beautifully.:) And then, I'm on to hats! I need to find my directions for those though, 'cause I'm horrible at sizing. I made one last night that I thought would fit me, but it barely fits Sammy. Ah well...at least she'll have a lot of hats. *Grin*

Love you.

Gessi

We wants pictures and directions and patterns... oh yes we do!

*taps foot impatiently*

What, you haven't posted them YET?!?

*grin*

Actually, I've got pictures of both stockings and pattern pieces, but my camera and my computer refuse to communicate.

It's dead easy though. Draw a stocking, making sure the opening is at least five inches wide. Cut out pattern, then pin it to two layers of fleece (two layers of any fabric will do) and cut out your pieces. Making sure the right sides are together, sew a 1/4" seam all the way around, taking care with the curves. Clip curves if necessary and turn stocking right side out. Turn down opening about half an inch all the way around and sew. Decide what you want to do about trimmings. Turn down stocking top to whatever will fit the trimmings, sew a few stitches on the inside of the seam on each side to keep it turned down and decorate, or not, as you like. Take a medium sized ribbon (no more than an inch wide, but no less than half an inch), cut about three or four inches, double and sew to the inside and outside of the stocking to form a hanging loop (I do this on the side of the opening above the heel). Ta-da. A stocking. :)

Gessi