Simply Christmas Goes Sweetly Shabby!

G’day to everyone from the Meares’ Madhouse in QLD, Australia, home of “Tag Along Teddies” patterns – where the bears just want to ‘tag-along’ home with you!

 

 

Having been a guest for Kerryanne’s “Simply Christmas” event a few years ago, I’m ‘beary’ excited to have been invited to come and play again this year as we all try to put a little more of the “hand-made, home-baked” back into Christmas. Thanks for inviting me to come and play in your ‘sandbox’, Kerryanne! :0)

Life gets so darn busy and clogged up with the ‘have-to-do’ tasks that busy women world-wide juggle … family, friends, work, home, cooking, cleaning, hobbies, SLEEP!! … that it’s nice to plan to take a bit of time in the lead up to Christmas to take a breath, simplify a little and indulge in some hand-made and home-baked projects. Not only do most people appreciate the time and effort that goes into something we’ve created/cooked, we can enjoy the process as a bit of ‘time-out’. Or maybe that’s just one of MY peculiar quirky ways of looking at it?!

Since the gorgeous Kerryanne is also the “Crown-Princess of Shabby Chic”, I thought I’d share a quick, simple, FUN sewing project with you all that is a bit Christmassy and a bit shabby chic.

It’s one of several projects I designed for one of my patterns called “Sweetly Shabby Christmas” and even if you don’t consider yourself to be a patchworker/stitcher/sewing-machine operator, I’d encourage you to ‘have a go’ at this pretty project. It’s a ‘sweetly shabby’ Christmas stocking that would be lovely by itself, or you can fill it with special treats. And if you follow my lead and make it out of non-Christmassy fabrics … you might just end up leaving it hanging up all year round!

 

 

I hope you have fun creating some sweetly shabby Christmas stockings … I’d love to see some photos of finished projects! And I would like to beat the rush and get in early by wishing you all a very safe, happy, restful hand-made, home-baked Christmas … and remember the Reason for the Season!

BIG SQUOOSHY CHRISTMASSY BEAR HUGS!!
CHEERS!
KRIS

 

Sweetly Shabby Christmas Stocking Instructions

Finished size: 9”longx7 1/4” across toe (23cmx18.5cm)

Requirements

· 10”x20” iron-on pellon

· Fabric 1 – 10”x15” piece

· Fabric 2 – 10”x10” piece

· Fabric 3 – 10”x10” piece

· Fabric 4 – 20”x3” for frill

· Fabric 5 – 15”x3” piece for binding

· 10”x20” Lining fabric

· 8” length of matching ribbon to hang stocking

· Contrasting stranded embroidery thread

· Two contrasting ¾” diameter buttons (rosette flower centres)

· Dental floss or extra strong thread

Download the template from HERE

 

 

1. From iron-on pellon cut 2×9”x10” (23cmx25.5cm) rectangles.

2. (cutting for fabrics listed in placement order)

For the FRONT panel: from fabric 1 cut 1×9”x3” (23cmx7.5cm); from fabric 2 cut 1×9”x5” (23cmx12.5cm); from fabric 3 cut 1×9”x3” (23cmx7.5cm).

For the BACK panel: from fabric 1 cut 1×9”x2” (23cmx5cm); from fabric 3 cut 1×9”x6” (23cmx15cm); from fabric 2 cut 1×9”x3” (23cmx7.5cm).

3. For each panel, lay the top strip on the iron-on side of the pellon (bumpy glue side) along the top edge. Lay second strip right side down on first strip & stitch through all three layers (pellon, first strip, second strip). Fold second strip out flat so it lays along the pellon & carefully press … don’t let the iron touch the glue on the pellon or your iron will end up sticky! Repeat this process for the third strip. ( see below)

 

 

4. On the BACK of front panel, trace stocking outline. Place back & front panels right sides together, matching bottom strip seams, & stitch around the stocking shape leaving the top open.

5. Trim around stocking 1/4” from stitching, but ON the line across the top of the stocking. Clip rounded sections & turn right side out.

6. Fold lining fabric in half right sides together & trace the stocking outline on the wrong side – be sure to REVERSE the shape for the lining. Stitch on the line & cut out as per steps 4 & 5, but don’t turn through … Leave the lining inside out.

7. Slip the lining inside the pieced stocking, matching front & back seams & ensuring the toe is pushed right down inside the stocking. Secure with a pin on the front & back seams … Which need to be opened out flat.

8. From fabric 4 cut 1×11 1/2”x2 1/4 (29cmx6.5cm) for top binding; cut length of ribbon 8” (20cm) for hanging loop. (you could also use a strip of ripped fabric for your loop)

9. Bring short ends of ribbon together & pin on the back seam of the stocking so the ends are even with the raw edges & the loop hangs down the back seam of the stocking.

10. Bring short ends of binding strip together, right sides facing & sew to join. You now have a binding loop. With the seam flat, fold the loop in half lengthways (around) with the wrong sides facing & press.

 

 

11. Matching the binding seam to the back seam of the stocking, slip the binding loop over the stocking, matching raw edges & pin in place. Sew around to attach binding using a scant 1/4” seam. Take folded edge of binding to the inside of the stocking & slip stitch in place as you would for quilt binding.

12. From fabric 5 RIP 1×20”x1” (51cmx2.5cm) strip. Join short ends to form a loop. Finger press seam out flat.

13. Run a gathering thread around the middle of the strip lengthways. Slip it over the stocking & gently gather to fit. Pin in place.

14. Using 4 strands of a contrasting embroidery thread, attach the frill to the stocking using large decorative running stitch, starting & finishing at the centre front of the stocking. Make sure your thread is long enough to tie the start & end of the thread together in a double knot to secure, then a double bow to decorate. Trim thread ends to tidy up.

15. From two contrasting fabrics rip 1×10”x1 1/2” (25.5cmx4cm) strip.

16. Fold each strip to bring short edges together, right sides facing & sew together. Finger-press seams flat.

17. Using dental floss or other strong thread, hand stitch large running stitches along one edge of each flower ‘loop’, 1/8” from edge. (if one of your strip edges is neat from being cut, gather this edge as it will be hidden under the centre button.) Draw gathering in tight & knot securely.

18. Attach rosette flowers to stocking by placing a contrasting button 3/4” in diameter in the centre of rosette & stitching through button, rosette flower & stocking.

Your Sweetly Shabby Stocking is FINISHED! It is now ready for Santa to fill with sweet shabby chic gifties … or it could hang in your shabby chic lounge room all year round to remind you to keep Christmas alive in your heart all year! :0)

 

If you liked my shabby Christmas stocking, I’d love for you to come over to my blog and enter the giveaway to win the collection of designs that make up my Sweetly Shabby Christmas.

Click HERE to Visit Tag Along Teddies blog and to enter the giveaway.

 

At Tag Along Teddies you’ll find easy-to-follow patterns for sale to help you make bears of all shapes and sizes, country cloth dolls, stitchery projects, applique projects, wall hangings, bags, quilts and more in our ever-growing pattern range – many of which are now DOWNLOADABLE for your convenience.

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