Cedar Hill Farmhouse

updated COUNTRY FRENCH

Homespun Christmas – Handmade Holidays

By 52 Comments

I consider myself craft-challenged, and you regular readers know where I’m headed here.  Yes, it’s time for this week’s installment of…

Anita’s clumsy craft.

 

I’ve been thinking for a long time about making some little stockings (like the ones Ann On Sutton Place makes) so I thought why not make them for our party?  I have made lots of things from grain sacks, so I had lots of fabric bits left over, just begging to be used.


As I was planning the wee little stockings, I began to look at Ann’s stockings on Etsy.  I read about her regular-sized stockings and how they are lined, and how she uses the drawstring from vintage grain sacks for the hanging loop.  I began to compare my work to hers.  I NOW know that is a dangerous thing.

I began to think that my stockings would not be good enough.  I am a home seamstress; I sew A LOT, but I don’t usually line things that I sew.  Sure I make window covering, slipcovers, pillows, and bedding and such,  but they are usually UN-lined.  (You can see more of my sewing projects, here.)

 

I wanted my stockings to be perfect for you, so I decided I would line my mini stockings.  I also looked at the loop on Ann’s stockings and how she uses the drawstring from vintage grain sacks.  Although I also used vintage grain sack fabric, they were all scraps from previous projects, and I had long ago discarded the drawstring from them.  For this project, I would have to use something less exciting, like new satin ribbon.

In rifling through my sewing cabinet, I discovered some leftover muslin fabric to use for the lining.  I cut out all of my stocking pieces so I had a stack for the stockings, and a stack for the liners. I began to sew my first stocking. Soon it was time to add the liner, but the little bugger was so tiny that it became almost impossible to attach the lining using my machine. I soldiered on.  After man-handling the first stocking pretty roughly, I was finished with my first one.

I stepped back to survey my work.  It looked funny.  Maybe it was the way I was looking at it, so tilted my head like Nipper the Victrola dog.  (Remember him?  Oh, NVM.) No, it still looked… well… weird… wonky. It wasn’t the viewing angle, it was the stocking; in a word, it looked AWFUL.  It didn’t lay flat.  Now I wanted to say a bad word, but I didn’t because I used to be a Sunday School teacher.  One might have slipped out.  Now what was I going to do, about the stockings, I mean?

I knew you were coming and you would be expecting something gorgeous; you would be excited and have your party hats on (not literally of course) and you would open up my page, and your smile would disappear, with the sound of a ‘hmmmm’.  In it’s place, a puzzled look would form.  You would think “Oh.., that’s weird.”  And then I could see hundreds of people simultaneously tilting their heads to the right when they saw my stockings, wondering if maybe a different angle would improve the view.  Oh, no that would be dreadful.

I began to feel pretty silly for cutting out all of those little liners for my stockings.  I began to wonder if the whole thing had been a big mistake. But then I remembered my little friend… one of my best friends… my seam ripper.  Yes, I ripped that puppy out of my perfectly good (or good enough) little stocking.  I then realized that there was no way anyone lines these little guys.  (Ann is probably laughing as she reads about my fiasco.  I now realize she probably does not line her LITTLE stockings.)

 

And that’s when I re-learned one of life’s little lessons…

BE YOURSELF.

After I removed the bogus lining, the bunchy stocking morphed into what I had imagined.  It looked well… pretty cute to me.  And when I realized I couldn’t use the liners for the stockings, honestly I was relieved.  I didn’t want to do all of that extra work any way.  It’s not that I don’t love you, it’s just that my family wanted to eat dinner that night.  I went back to the sewing machine and made the rest of my stockings, after I made dinner.

So I was pleased with my stockings now, but there was still the little matter of a ginormous pile of muslin pieces already cut and ready to be sewn. Right then and there, I decided I was not going to be defeated by a pile of fabric.  Soooo, do you know what the latest thing is at my house?  Homemade muslin gift bags!  That’s right, I predict they will be all the rage this year.  (Sorry no pictures today, but I’ll have some later.)

When I make mistakes, which is more often than I care to admit here, I try to figure out how to make lemonade from lemons.  That’s where I’m the most creative probably from years of practice.  So if you get a gift from me in a muslin stocking gift bag, just forget you ever heard this story.

 

 

Thanks for coming by for a visit, and not judging.  Want more Christmas, try these posts…

 

Christmas on the Back Porch

 

 

Homemade Linen Stocking

 

Homemade Snow Globes

Want even more???
Come back later, and I will have even more Christmas decorating, simple and natural, cause that’s how I roll.

Comments

  5. Ann from On Sutton Place says

    Oh Anita I am cracking up!! I adore this whole post. Your little stockings are just perfect…and you are right. I don’t line the mini ones. I just put a little facing on the top to finish them off. Your pictures are crystal clear and beautiful. Well done. I’ve loved doing this link party with you!

    Reply

  13. thepaintedapron.com says

    That’s hilarious, but now I’m nervous…I have to finish a needlepoint stocking for my grendson…I decided to do it myself because I don’t want to pay $100+ to have it professionally done. I thought, well, how hard can it be to line it? Thanks for SAVING ME from that waste of time, this year it goes unlined and maybe by next year I’ll figure it out! Thanks for a fun party!
    Jenna

    Reply

  16. Leslie Harris says

    Anita I love these. But I have to say that your version of a clumsy craft would be my dream one. I wish I could sew these little guys, even the lumpy ones would make me proud. Too cute!
    Leslie (aka Gwen Moss)

    Reply

  17. Lizy says

    Anita, there’re many things I can’t do and sewing is a the top of my list!!! but your stockings are super cute! I love them! Thanks for hosting this great party! Be Proud of your Cuties!

    Reply

  19. At The Picket Fence says

    Oh no! If you think you are craft challenged Anita then I must be a craft disaster. LOL! Those little stockings are soooo adorable and I think you are incredibly talented. I’m so happy to be linking up my homemade vanilla extract and re-purposed gift packaging! 🙂
    Thanks so much for hosting,
    Vanessa

    Reply

  20. Jann Olson says

    Loving your sweet little stockings Anita. Lining those babies would be a tough job. I am still drooling over that French rack! You are an amazing seamstress. I can’t even imagine recovering your furniture like you did. Thanks for this fun party.
    Hugs,
    Jann

    Reply

  27. Patty says

    Your stockings are adorable…I am linking up for the first time at your party and am now a follower of your lovely blog….. 🙂

    Reply

  28. On Crooked Creek says

    Anita,
    What adorable little mini~Christmas Stockings!!!

    FIRST. . .Thanks for hosting this informative and crative Homespun Christmas Link Party!!!

    SECOND. . .Thank you for posting your entry on making Christmas Stockings!!! I am in the planning stage of making four handmade Christmas Stockings for our Christmas On Crooked Creek!!! Need all the HELP I can get!!!

    THIRD. . .Thank you for sharing with us that sometimes, things just don’tgo as planned!!!

    Wish me luck!!!
    Fondly,
    Pat

    Reply

  31. Melissa says

    I love your stockings, they are so pretty! You did a wonderful job.

    All of your photos / and rooms are gorgeous!
    Thanks for hosting this party!

    Reply

  36. Anne says

    Your stockings are so pretty Anita even with that fiasco.I envy those that can sew because I cannot! Thank you so much for hosting!
    xx
    Anne

    Reply

  38. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    What a darling little group of Christmas stocking! I somehow feel so much better about my sewing exploits (sorry) after reading your post! Something always seems to go astray!!!!
    Your stocking and the way you displayed them… and everything else you have done is so so beautiful!!!!
    Thanks for sharing and being such a darling hostess!

    Reply

  39. Sweet Cottage Dreams says

    I love your stockings! You had me at wonky! 🙂 They turned out so cute and how you displayed them is just fabulous! Thanks for hosting the party! I joined up, too. I’ll be back for more visits when I get home today.

    Merry Christmas from California to Texas!

    Becky

    Reply

  40. Gail says

    These little stockings are so lovable and sweet. Thanks so much for hosting. I just discovered your wonderful blog through StoneGable!

    Reply

  48. Betsy@ coastal-colors says

    I think your tiny stockings are gorgeous! They are so much better than what I could make! I would have to glue them! 🙂 You know me and sewing! I love them on the French drying rack! Your Christmas looks wonderful!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Copyright Notice

All the photos and text this site are copyright protected. Email requests to anita(at)cedarhillfarmhouse(dot)com

Disclosure and Privacy Policy

For my Full Disclosure, click HERE
For the Privacy Policy, click HERE

Disclaimer

Perform any project shown at your own risk. The author assumes no liability for loss or damage that result from these projects. If unsure, seek professional advice before attempting any project.