We currently have four mismatched stockings that I am not particularly fond of. Every November I say I'm going to make new ones and every year it doesn't happen. Two years ago I swore I'd get to it before the holidays to avoid the rush, but somehow it didn't happen. This past January I VOWED to get them done. I made them in August and embroidered the names in October. Whew - deadline finally met!
I think there are lots of ugly or wonky stocking shapes out there - toes too long, sock part too droopy, too fat, etc. When I saw a pattern with a shape I liked last year, I bought it. They were impractically gigantic so I had to scale it down but that wasn't too tough. I am pleased with the overall shape and pleased that they are all the exact same shape (our current ones are not and it drives me batty to see them hanging up there mismatched every year).
The cuff was nicely shaped in the pattern and with a little under-stitching (horray for knowledge gained at the costume shop) they stay nicely crisp and straight.
The embroidery is by hand using a font I like on the computer as a template.
I had a really hard time settling on a fabric/design. Should they be pieced and quilty looking? Classic linen with hand embroidery? What kind of embroidery? (Way too many secular and/or ugly embroidery patterns out there - will someone please design some simple, clean lined, nativity based patterns?!) In the end, I went with simple but pretty Christmas fabric. Hopefully they'll stand the test of time and not look cheesy in a few years. I plan to make a table topper for a nearby end table with the fabric scraps and that should make for a nice coordinated living room.
So... I can finally cross that job off my 2014 To Sew List. And while I'm at it I might as well cross it off the list for 2013 and 2012 too! :)
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