Finnished!!

It only took 3 years and 4 Pride and Prejudice viewings to get Lylah's Christmas stocking done. Poor baby has been promised ( in my mind ) a Christmas stocking since before she was born. This will be her third Christmas and she, at last, has a stocking! I got my niece's stocking done a week or two ago and then started work on Lylah's. I totally intended to have stockings on my ETSY shop this Christmas, but it did not happen. I will get myself together to get them done for next year. I was in a funk all of last year. I had a stressful new job ( in good and bad ways) and I was dealing with the loss of our precious baby, Anna. I was just barely hanging in there. But right now, praise Jesus, I am feeling pretty good. I am feeling well, I one year of job under my belt and a fantastic assistant to help me this year. I have been given hope even through the loss of our long anticipated third baby. I have been given peace, and faith, and been loved by my sweet husband and friends. All of this, plus the inspiration given to me by my bundle of crazy two-year-old bliss and a plethora of bloggy goodness, has given me the push I needed to get my chapped hands in motion.

So, without further adieu.... Lylah's long awaited "boot"
The stocking base is my favorite old kakki pants.  I have made all my stockings this way.  Who knew it was "upcycling".  It just looks more cozy.  I used a lot of my favorite ribbons and tried out the stripes pattern with varied widths of wool felt and ric rac and ribbon. I embroidered the snowflakes on top after I machine sewed all the stripes down. I hand sewed the pocket design and toe and heel patches. I used all my favorite designs from other family stockings and made Lylah's into my favorite yet. Glen's was the first I made in remotely this style ( made a whole set for my fam when I was in high school not in the same way as these). I made mine second and next a set for Chris and Susan and their kids my mom and dad, and Matthew and Sarah and Lilly ( and now Celie too). They have gotten progressively better. Now mine and Glen's will look very shabby next to Lylah's. Maybe I will do new ones for us next. Glen does not want a new one for sentimental reasons...so maybe I can chop his up and up-cycle it. We will see I guess.

Used Grammy Logan's sequins and beads, my favorite ribbons and felt, and Grandmother Blazer's seed beads for Mouse eyes and fun ric rac for embellishments. I am so thankful to have so many people give me their crafting things. It adds history and family to my projects. Makes me love the finished product more and more.
I made a little plush mouse to go inside the pocket of the stocking. i was inspired to do this by the overalls my mom sent her from Gymboree. They had a little Panda that was attached to the pocket and she loved it. Took care of it and kissed it a lot. I made up the pattern myself and even made him have movable and bendable legs and arms. I will have to make more mini plushies. It was quite fun and I loved the result.
Here she is trying on her "Boot". She knows she will find a present inside it on Christmas morning, but she has not quite got the idea that it is not really a boot. She said she now needs "anovee one for the other foot, please" Love the tongue out. She is both working hard and being silly.

Here is a link to the stockings I made for my sister and her family. I love to see them all together. Makes me need to get new ones done for me and Glen!!