Rumplestiltskin Is My Name...

Remember that fairytale? It's pretty creepy actually. Well, I'm not exactly spinning straw into gold (if I could...oh never mind, no use in torturing myself with the possibilities...), but I have been doing some sewing. I've shocked myself by how much I've loved it! I've found a new love of textiles and there's nothing better than seeing an idea become a finished product.

For my first real sewing project, I tackled Christmas stockings. I figured I should start out with something pretty basic so I wouldn't become frustrated and call it quits. I've been wanting new stockings to hang, and was really having a difficult time finding something that was A) simple and modern, and B) in my price range. So, I did a bit of online research, and narrowed down a few designs that really fit the style I was going for. I decided I was going for modern meets retro...or something like that.

I chose to work with felt because it's a sturdy fabric and fairly forgiving as far as mistakes go (and believe me, I made a LOT!). My seam ripper became my best friend during this project.

I sketched out a basic stocking pattern and a few details to attach to each stocking for a little flair. I used the patterns to trace onto the felt, then cut everything out, pinned it together, and straight stitched everything.(Sorry guys, I had some great photos of the whole process, but somehow they were deleted...) I decided to do a raw hem (I think that's what it's called) to give it that homemade feel.

And here is the finished product...

The only one left is Stella. She's been a bit naughty, but, even naughty dogs get a treat on Christmas. She'll have a stocking decked out with a bone...

This was a super-fun starter project, and I learned through the mistakes. Hopefully, I'll tackle other sewing projects and post about them along the way...