Christmas stocking

Several years ago (like around 13 years ago) my sister Kysa made me a Christmas stocking as my Christmas gift. I LOVED the stocking! So much, in fact, that I had to make one for Scott so we both had one. The name across the top is cross-stitched, and thankfully she still had the book that this pattern was in, so I was able to make Scott's just like mine.

How cute is this stocking? Thanks Kysa!

Here is a close up of the detail that she added to the cat.

Scott's stocking turned out pretty cute and I decided that one day I would make these stockings for my kids.

Apparently I didn't know how to do the blanket stitch when I did this stocking (or else I just figured this stitch would be easier). I believe when I made this stocking, I also cross-stitched Dustin's name, so he too, could have a stocking. I think I may have even cross-stitched Kysa's and Ted's names as well. I remember we had quite an assembly line of stockings being made. Did I cross-stitch all of those for you Kysa, or did you do it?

About 4 years later, Gage was born, and 9 months after that, Colton was born. They too, had to have stockings. I cross-stitched both Gage and Colton's names, as well as my other niece and nephew, Janey and Noah's names to make more stockings. Kysa and I again had an assembly line of stockings going. At this point, I decided that I should get several more ready, with the applique design fused on, so that I would be "ready" when I had another baby.

We made a few snowmen and a few Teddy Bears sitting in front of a Christmas tree, and I made a couple of angels as well.

Five years ago, when Emma was born, I decided I needed to get her stocking ready for her first Christmas. Well, several years had passed and I was no longer "in to cross-stitching", so it took ALOT of effort to get it started. I think I maybe had the "E" done, and that was as far as I had gotten. It's quite possible that I didn't get it started at all. It's amazing me at how much I am not remembering here! I do remember using a nylon stocking for Emma's first Christmas stocking. Nice. It sure fit alot of stuff in it though!

Another year passed and I was still needing to make Emma's stocking. Again, I did not get her name cross-stitched as I had planned. After that Christmas, it came up in casual conversation, with my friend Sherry, that I did not yet have Emma's stocking cross-stitched, and I also had not completed her birth announcement cross-stitch. I had made a big mistake when Colton was born, and had already "pre-made" a cross-stitch to have when I had another baby, but decided I should give it to Colton, since I had made cross-stitches for all of my other nieces and nephews (minus Ryan and Sara, as I was too young for that when they were born). I thought at the time, that I would have plenty of time to make another one. I didn't count on the fact that I was going to be burned out on cross-stitching and that when a baby is around, things like that don't get accomplished.

Anyway, I somehow talked Sherry in to seeing if her mother-in-law would finish Emma's birth announcement for me, and also finish her stocking letters. You don't know how excited I was when she said "Yes" and how much more excited I was when they were finished!! I am so grateful for her completing them, because they would still not be finished if she hadn't done them for me.

Okay, so that is 2 years ago. After about 1 year, I did finally get the cross-stitch framed and is hanging in Emma's room; however, I did not get the stocking finished. I decided that all of the "extras" that I made were too boyish, and I didn't like the fabric I used to make the angel's dress, so I wanted to make a new one. That year I ended up safety pinning Emma's name over my name on my stocking so she would have one. I refused to buy one, because I knew that if I did, I would never get the project completed.

Well, another year goes by, and Emma's name ended up safety pinned to my stocking again. Last year I was determined to get it done before Christmas, but all I had accomplished was buying the supplies to do it.

Last week, when we were putting up all of the Christmas decorations, I was reminded that Emma still has no Christmas stocking. This is going to be her 6th Christmas for Pete's sake! I decided the other day that I have no more excuses. Now that the kids are in school all day, I would use my free time to get this darned stocking made, especially now that Emma is old enough to know that she needs a stocking like the rest of us!

Yesterday I searched the internet for free applique patterns. I was excited with what I was finding, and I finally stumbled upon a very cute angel that I decided I was going to use for Emma's stocking. Yesterday afternoon I worked on getting the templates made and dug out a container of fabric to get the pattern cut out. I have such a hard time making decisions, it irritates me to death. Finally, today I finished picking out the fabric I wanted to use, and then cut out the front panel of the stocking. I wasn't sure I liked it, so I thought I would post it on my blog and ask your opinion.

I'm not sure I like the green fabric for the front panel of the stocking. What do you think? Is it too busy? I ended up ironing the pieces onto the stocking, because I just need to get the dumb thing finished, but now I'm wondering if I should go find some nice blue, Christmasy-type fabric, and cut out another angel. What do you think I should do? Keep this one, or find something different?

Here's a close-up of the angel pattern. Now, what I need to do is the blanket stitch around the different pieces, but I don't remember how to do that. Does anyone know how to do the blanket stitch? If so, can you give me some instructions? I plan to put a button right in the middle of the heart since all of the other stockings have buttons on them. I need to do something to the halo to make it actually look like a halo and not just wild, yellow hair! Maybe I could blanket stitch that in a metallic gold DMC floss to make it more halo-ey? I think black seed beads for the eyes would look cute too. Do you have any other ideas for embellishing? (Nothing too difficult, or it will end up not getting done AGAIN!)

Today when Emma came home from school, I had her stocking finished to this point and she is SO EXCITED! Out of the blue tonight she said, "Mom, thank you for making my angel stocking!" That made it all worth it! I just have to keep going on it and get it done before Christmas.

Maybe someday, when I am bored stiff, looking for something to do, when the kids are grown and out of the house, I will finish up the rest of those stockings for grandchildren? LOL!

Who would think I could make a post this long about a Christmas stocking? I'm quite sure my audience is snoring!