Creative Christmas Stockings The Quirky B Way!

This November, as an Island Batik Ambassador, we were tasked to make unique Christmas Stockings. I chose to make three. They are non-traditional but I wanted to come up with something that was different, fun and quirky.

With these three stockings, I drew up a pattern that can be used for all three. I decided that the Island Batik Chickadee fabric line would be the perfect fit for my designs. I had a wonderful 2 1/2" strip precut pack that I used to make the stockings. It is a fun and bright line that includes an array of rainbow colors. Along with beautiful fabrics, I used coordinating Aurifil threads, Hobbs Cotton Batting and Schmetz Microtex needles.

I wanted to use 2 1/2" strips for two of stockings and the third I used them in a portion of the stocking. I thought this would be fun and challenging to create with strips. I designed a mermaid's tale, carrot(aka: pineapple, more on this later) and a gnome face. The mermaid's tale and carrot were primarily made from strips that were turned into half square triangles using a strip method

Forming Half Square Triangles From Strips:

1. Take two strips x the WOF (I used 2 1/2" strips.). I am using batiks so they traditionally do not have a right or wrong side.

2. Place strips rights side together.

3. Sew a 1/4" seam allowance along both long sides of the strips.

4. Using a cutting mat and ruler, cut a 45 degree angle close to the end of the strip and across the strip. Because I used 2 1/2" strips, I chose to use a 4 1/2" square up ruler to cut the half square triangles. Take the ruler and place one edge along the 45 degree angle cut. Angle the ruler on the diagonal where the point of the ruler sits on the edge of the fabric strip. This will form a triangle.

5. Cut the triangle.

6. Continue to cut triangles from the strip. I was able to get 16 triangles out of one strip.

7. Open the triangles and press to one side or open.

8. The squares will be about 3 1/4"x 3 1/4" square.

9. Trim the rectangles down to 3"x 3" by centering 1 1/2" out from the center and trimming each side.

This method can be done with any size strips to make various size half square triangles.

For the construction of the mermaid tale, I put the half square triangles together so that it looked like scales. I then used the pattern template to cut the shape.

I sewed each side, added a tale and waistband. I lined it and sewed it together.

I used this same method and template to form my carrot stocking. Okay, so I initially intended the carrot to be a pineapple with an Aloha theme but my sister and husband said it looks like a carrot, LOL!. So it is a carrot or pineapple. Who knows, but I had fun making it. I should have made the bottom larger than the top. That shipped has sailed so now it is a carrot with Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas, in Hawaiian) on it. I thought I was being clever but no, it looks like a weird carrot, Haha!

For the Carrot Stocking, I made Prairie Points for the leaves.

Prairie: Points

1. Take one square piece of fabric. Any size you choose. I used 2 1/2".

2. Press it and fold it in half from point to point.

3. Press it and fold it in half from the longest distance point to point again.

4. A prairie point is formed.

5. Using a pressing mat like Prairie Spirit Alpacas gives the fabric a nice crisp triangle.

And last but not least, I made a Gnome face stocking. I used the same pattern template that I designed to make the mermaid tale. I did not use strips for the face but a whole piece of fabric for the beard and some strips for the hat and nose section.

This pattern set will be available soon.

Products were provided by Island Batik fabrics, Schmetz Needles, Hobbs Batting and Aurifil thread.

Check out my fellow Island Batik Ambassador's projects. Their projects are fun and unique. Thank you for reading my blog and Happy Holidays.

Brenda Alburl ~ Songbird Designs Megan Best ~ Bestquilter Pamela Boatright ~ Pamelaquilts Elizabeth DeCroos ~ Epida Studio Jennifer Fulton ~ Inquiring Quilter

Preeti Harris ~ Sew Preeti Quilts Mania Hatziioannidi ~ Mania for quilts Jane Hauprich ~ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting Reed Johnson ~ Blue Bear Quilts Connie Kauffman ~ Kauffman Designs . Emily Leachman ~ The Darling Dogwood Denise Looney ~ For The Love Of Geese Leah Malasky ~ Quilted Delights Maryellen McAuliffe ~ Mary Mack Made Mine Anorina Morris – sameliasmum.com Lisa Pickering ~ Lisa’s Quilting Passion Claudia Porter ~ Create with Claudia Gail Renna ~ Quilt Haven Threads Brianna Roberts ~ Sew Cute And Quirky Michelle Roberts ~ Creative Blonde Gail Sheppard ~ Quilting Gail Andi Stanfield ~ True Blue Quilts Sandra Starley ~ Textile Time Travels Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt