November 2022 - Creative Christmas Stocking Challenge with Island Batik Ambassadors

 I love spreading JOY and sew I decided to make a stocking full of JOY for this month's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge - Creative Christmas Stockings. I haven't made a stocking in a long time so it was fun to stretch my creative muscles on this project.

I used my paper piecing alphabet blocks from my Love and Joy Word Play Quilt but changed up the colors and used more neutrals to frame and showcase the letters. I then added contrasting log cabin strips to each blocks. A few more strips on the block sides and the toe end of the stocking and the top was done. It was fun to use wintry greens with brighter rich pink fabrics instead of traditional red pairing.

I drew a rough sketch of a stocking on freezer paper and used it as a template for my design and played with color/fabric placement. I then refined the stocking shape to pleasing proportions of approximately 8 inches wide and 19 inches long. This improvisational piecing can lead to some make do challenges but I like the freeform piecing freedom. You can also simply adjust the stocking size to your piecework. Many different ways to make it work! 

Once I had the front done. I added Hobbs Premium  Bleached Cotton Batting and quilted with pink Aurifil thread (50 weight). 

STOCKING TUTORIAL:

Piece and quilt your stocking front. 

Trim to your chosen size. 

Use front as template to cut backing and 2 lining pieces. 

Join the front and backing, right sides together with hanger inside. 

Start at top edge of one side edge and sew around to the other side. 

Do NOT sew across the top edge. 

Join the 2 lining pieces in the same way.

*Hanging strip. 

2" x 6 1/2" folded in half twice and sewn closed along length.

Place inside, between the front and the back before sewing them together.

Make sure it is inside -not outside like in my photo or you'll end up resewing ;)

Turn the stocking (front and back) right sides out and press flat. 

Place stocking inside the lining (lining still right sides together). 

Pin the 2 units together along the top edge. 

Sew stocking and lining together. 

Start at one side of the backing, sew around the front, and to the back side. 

Leave 3" to 4" UNSEWN along top of backing to turn the stocking. 

Pull the stocking through the unsewn top edge. 

Tuck the lining inside. 

Fold the unsewn lining and backing edges together and top-stitch closed. 

Voila - a beautiful stocking for your mantle.

 STOCKING DETAILS: 

Christmas Joy!

8" x 19"

Original Design

Sandra Starley 2022

Foundation paper pieced blocks -fabrics by Island Batik: 

Lining:  IB Bubble Hole (Basics)

Batting: Hobbs Bleached Cotton Batting

Piecing Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Quilting Thread: Aurifil #50 weight

Needle: Schmetz Quilting Needles 

                             Pieced and quilted by Sandra Starley 

***Fabrics provided by Island Batik, batting by Hobbs, thread by Aurifil, and needles by Schmetz and pressing mat by Prairie Spirit Alpacas. ***

 

To see more Creative Stockings , visit my fellow 2022 Island Batik Brand Ambassadors:

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
Jennifer Thomas ~ Curlicue Creations
Suzy Webster ~ Websterquilt