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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Quick and Very Easy.....

I have been working on real sized Christmas gifts today, so I had to dig around for something to put up for the holidays that would be, as the title says, quick and very easy.

I looked in the fabric closet for hints and found the material in the first photo. Red velveteen and a piece of Christmas print that I bought especially for minis a couple of years ago.

Most people, even beginners, have made Christmas stockings to hang on the mini mantle. I just thought that I would throw these in for the one or two that haven't.
If you can locate some of the material, it is a real time saver. You simply cut out the sock, back it with another fabric and put on some trim.

If you don't, it is simple enough to draw a sock shape or even put "Christmas Stockings" in the images command of your favorite search engine and trace one. If you cut it out with the back of the sock on the fold of the material, all you have to do is run a line of glue around the front, toe and bottom of the sock and squeeze it together. Let it dry and then decorate. I didn't have any fake fur so I simply used white braid, lace or low loft, bonded fiber fill on mine. White felt would work also. If you leave the top open, you can put toys and candy in the top. Oh! and don't forget to put a loop of thread at the top of the back to hang on the fireplace mantle.

I finished the 7 that you see in less than a half hour. Just as I finished, Tessie came waltzing in. She settled on a pincushion with her cookies, candy cane and hot cocoa. The first thing I knew, she had drawn up all of the stockings around herself.
"What are these for?" she asked.

"People hang them up on the fireplace and Santa puts small gifts in them."

She thought a minute and then said, "So the person hanging the sock gets the presents?"

"Yes. That's the way it is usually done." I answered.

"OK. I'll take these. How many more can you make before Christmas? If you make all of the socks on that piece of fabric, I can really make a haul!!!".....Then she started counting the socks on the fabric. She turned around and looked at me....." There are 137 stockings on the fabric...... And make a few bigger ones while you are at it. Can you make one that Spiderwort Manor would fit in?"

I ignored the question and pretended not to hear.


She grabbed the six socks in the photo, put them under her arm and left. I have heard a lot of hammering coming from various room boxes and houses that have fireplaces. She is hanging them wherever she can find a bare spot on a mantle. Did I mention that she has added a tag to each one that says "PRESENTS FOR TESSIE GO IN HERE!"

Santa is going to be very busy collecting coal to put in Tessie's socks this year.....

See you tomorrow.

10 comments:

Debbie said...

Casey the more I look at Tessie's Hat the more I love it. You should have put a little bell on the tip, then at least you would have heard her coming and hidden the stockings. LOL..

Susan@minicrochetmad said...

The power struggle between you and Tessie brings hoots of laughter! Neat idea about the christmas stockings. I'd love to be there when you explain the meaning of coal in Tessies stockings ;)

Caseymini said...

Debbie and Susan, thanks for the ideas. I am going to sit Tessie down and tell her about the "nice" and "naughty" lists and then I shall bell the cat(Tessie)!LOL

Mercedes Spencer @ Liberty Biberty said...

Casey, you and Tessie have been very busy. Very cute little stockings.
I think Noah was about 6 when his school teacher told him that naughty children get coal for Christmas, he lived in fear for years, lol!
Mercedes

Norma Bennett said...

I'm a little worried that Tessie will use the coal to burn the house down - YOURS that is!

Julia and Hywel said...

You and Cassie have me in hoots of laughter, I find myself checking if there is new post from you before I check my emails these days!! I love the christmas stockings and the little image you created in my mind, of Tessie going from house to house putting them up :0)
Hugs Julia xx

Crafts From The Stash said...

These are great Casey. I love Tessie's hat too. LOL we still tell our tribe that if they play up they will get a dirty stone out of the garden and an apple and orange.
Debie x

Lize said...

Well if Santa is as easily convinced by Tessie as you are Casey (this can't be news to you!), Tessie,s going to be opening presents until long after New Year!

Caseymini said...

Not to worry, Norma. Tessie is wise enough to know that if she burns down my house, she will be burning all of her stuff too, including the box that she so dearly loves, that contains "Spiderwort Manor".

MiniKat said...

Casey I sent Santa a note telling him where he can find a coal mine that has a shaft of coal too small for the mining machines to go after easily. I'm certain he'll use some of his magic to zap it out of there and into Tessie's stockings if she doesn't start behaving. ;-)