As many makers, designers and crafters already know, if you want to make handmade gifts for Xmas, the best time to start is in July. Supplies usually cost less, there is much more planning time. and time if your handmade gifts turns out to be less than perfect – to try it again…

One of my 2020 Covid projects was making five stockings out of heirloom baby clothing for a clients grandchildren.

All of the clothing was absolutely beautiful, handmade, and hand embellished. I had a lot of trouble cutting these treasures.

First thing I did was color group the best I could.

Next was to figure out how I wanted to quilt the stockings. For a pattern I traced around an existing stocking I made years ago. I did a lot of prep work for the two insides, cotton batting, and a backing for the stockings. I also cut all my 3″x3″ squares and put those in color groups.

Once this was together I made a pretend stocking. They wound up needing many more squares once they were sewn together.

I sewed them piece by piece and then row by row. That was the fun part. Next was to baste all of the outsides to the batting. This is where it can easily get messed up. You want all of your stocking orientations to go the same way, but then the backs need to be mirrored. It is the same with insides. Even I did not pay attention and had to rip one apart. It happens…

Once each one of these steps was finished they came together really easily. That being said, this was still a five day project with more thought than anything else going into the finished project.

I love to send the client photos along the way. This helps make sure we are both on the same page and there no surprises.

I was glad I made sure I matched backings before each one was finished. I needed to make those backings match the part of the stocking that would fold down.

Here was the little preview.

The final part was to make little hanging loops for each stocking. I wanted those to match as well.

I absolutely love to make handmade gifts and even though this was not for anyone I know personally it was made with so much love that I am sure these stockings will be passed down forever.

Behind the scenes~

I made my besties little sister a baby blanket for the twins she’s expecting. She was kind enough to send me a photo.

 

Thank you for reading,

Tracy McElfresh

Dream it! Sew it!

 

Tracy McElfresh
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