Summer is the perfect time to sew for the holidays. No pressure, no rush and it is fun to visit those holiday fabrics away from the demand of seasonal deadlines.
One of the items on my 2022 sewing/quilting list is using my Cindi Edgerton Christmas Stocking paper piecing patterns. A word of warning! Cindi is no longer producing these patterns so they are now difficult to find.
I was in the middle of making my third Secret Garden square when I got a sudden urge to look at the stocking pattern. I generally like to finish up one thing before moving onto another, but the next thing I knew, I was elbow deep in holiday fabric bits and pieces. On my list are new stockings for my hubby and myself (new home=new stockings!), stockings for two grand daughters and stockings for an upcoming pipe show in October.
What do holiday stockings and a pipe show have in common?? Really, not much unless you happen to involved in the tobacco pipe hobby with your hubby as well as being a quilter or fabric artist. Sometimes, my hobbies collide! Due to the pandemic, we haven’t traveled to a pipe show since Nov 2019 (much like sewing expos and quilt shows). In the interim, many pipe shows have been cancelled. Shows generally hold a raffle and silent auction to help support the show and the October show is the only West Coast show in the country and I wanted to help. Bingo! The light goes on and I decide to make pipe-themed holiday stockings to donate to the raffle/auction.
So here they are… 8 pipe-themed stockings (we liked them so much that we are keeping two for ourselves)! One of the things I really love about my sewing/quilting obsession is that my super power is to think it/make it! Of course, the pipes must look realistic for the serious hobbyists. I printed out some pipe photos, sized them and turned them into applique templates.
Each stocking front is backed with a layer of bamboo batting and walking foot quilted using deco stitches. I used a wide variety of high gloss threads and metallic threads for the quilting. Each stocking is lined and backed with a coordinated fabric.
And I also made two smaller sized stockings for my granddaughters. I will fill them with goodies before sending.
I also made three secret Santa stockings, but they are secret…
So, 14 stockings in all! that should hold me until October or so!
Happy sewing!
Lennea
Handmade by Lennea 
Hi you amaze me with your projects . Spot on again all are brilliant and fun. Hope they raise lots in raffle and your family enjoy their ‘s .
I am nowhere near Christmas yet in my head . But yours are fabulous x
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as usual, seeing you have a new post always makes me happy! what is the advantage of bamboo batting? when would you use it? i’m of two minds about sewing or the season we’re in or sewing ahead. one one hand, you’re right about lack of pressure and being able to just enjoy, but on the other hand, colors of summer seem to go along with that balmy weather outside, and then the fall colors even smell like fresh new starts!! whatever, it’s all good.
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I agree! Sew in whatever colors and themes strike a cord! I love 100% bamboo and use it for 90% of my quilting. It is lighter weight than cotton or 80/20, but just as warm. It has superb drape, it is non allergenic (a plus in my family!), can be quilted densely without losing softness, but can also be quilted loosely. It doesn’t bunch, which cotton can do over time and bamboo does not beard. I get good texture with the basic 4 oz weight. You can also get it in 6 oz for more loft. I buy it by the roll (which I like because you don’t have those folds when it comes out of a square package) and I sometimes double it for a wall hanging. I buy it from Winline Textiles online or at the local sew expo. Quilter’s Dream also makes a bamboo blend. Winline produces the only 100% that I have found.
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thank you, learn so much from you ! thank you for being so free and sharing with all your knowledge
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