The stockings were hung...on the rail with care...

Pin It             

 We don't have a fireplace, hence we don't have a mantle. And I always wanted one. A fireplace was one of the criteria when we shopped for a house 4 years ago. Well, it was a choice between that or an extra bedroom...the bedroom won.

   But one of the reasons why I always wanted a mantle was stockings. Somehow the tradition of stockings makes Christmas decorating a little more homey...It is almost like a family picture on the wall. Well, not exactly but you understand, right? :)

   Last year we put our mismatched, " got them in a $ store/clearance" stockings on a dresser in the living room, and my then 1-year old had a blast pulling them down all the time...

   So this year I decided on two things:

a) I need new stockings
b) I need a new place for them

   First things first: I needed to either buy new stockings or make them. Very soon I realized that the ones I like cost $20+ each. No way it was happening! I wasn't about spending more than $80 for stockings alone. Which left me with only one option - make it!

   You already know that I have very limited sewing skills, so I was very pleased with how they turned out. I started with this:

   It's a very fun patterned burlap. It's usually $19.99/yard at Joannes but I got it with a 60% coupon, so I paid about $9 with tax. One yard was plenty enough for 4 stockings and I have enough fabric for one more in case our family grows one day :). I got it a couple of months ago - you might've recognized it from this blog header too :) That's exactly what I used. I just love the letter pattern on it.

   Then I used this:

   This linen fabric was only $1 per yard (!!!!) on clearance at Hancocks. You all already know about my love for this store... That's why! And the red ribbon was from Walmart ($1.97). Because burlap is fairly thin,I needed something for the inside of the stocking. You might remember my white sheets that got destroyed because somebody put a crayon in the dryer...Call me frugal or cheap but I saved them for some rags or other random projects. And I decided to use the sheet for the inside of the stockings (nobody cares what they look like inside, right? RIGHT?!!).

   I also got two of these candle holders in the Dollar store because I wanted to re-use the poinsettia flowers from them:

   This is not a tutorial on how to make a stocking. There are just too many different tutorials on the web already :) And I just wanted to show you the result :) TA-DA:

   I have to say I'm pleased with the result...considering how much I struggle with curved lines :) I added a little bow on the top with a poinsettia flower (from a $ store candle holder):

   And here are all four stockings:

   The cost for all four stockings: less than $12 which makes each stocking about $3. I'm very pleased with the price too :) And a new place? Well, as you can see, this year it's our rail decor.

   And now I'm officially done with holiday decorating. Now baking is on the list...

I shared this post with these great parties:

Pin It Wednesday
Uncommon designs
Flaunt it Friday Chic on a Shoestring Budget 
Centsational Girl 
Thrifty Decor Chick