A Stocking is Born

The stockings were hung 
by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
soon would be there.
     ~Clement Clarke Moore







While I continue to work on my UFOs,  Santa's Elf in Texas has been busy at her machines making a stocking for the newest addition to her sweet family, Miss Molly.  I asked Kathy how she did  her stockings and she was kind enough to send pictures.

Kathy's first step is to quilt her fabric.  I know that most of us would choose a quilted Christmas print, but this little girl is getting a stocking that matches her sister's, with a beautifully quilted fabric.  On this project, though, since it is going to be lined separately, Kathy quilted just two layers, her print and Warm and White batting.  I am sure she used the guide on her machine to evenly quilt the diagonals onto her fabric.





  Next she cut out the cotton from a pattern that she had drawn, then sew them right sides together.  She did the same with her white cotton lining, then tucked it inside her stocking, wrong sides together.

While the next task would appear to be easy, for me it can take some DEEP THINKING.  She used her pretty read dot, figured WHICH SIDE and WHERE to stitch the name, and added Molly's name to the cuff.  I am sure she used 2 layers of medium wight cut away, since the back of the embroidery will not be seen.  Nice and neat and no puckers!

Once again some figuring out is required.  Her cuff was neatly pressed, stitched into a circle much like she does her pillowcases, and stitched around the top of the stocking and lining. Before stitching she inserted a pretty piece of ribbon, so that Molly can hang her stocking by the chimney with care. This method used to scare me, but careful measuring is all that is required.

This stocking will hang proudly next to her sister's, and I am sure that it is already on a UPS truck somewhere near Chicago.