Heirloom Christmas Stockings

 I finally managed to actually do a project

 that has been in my head for about 8 years.

I always put my "want to's" on the back burner.

Do you do that too?

Sometimes I even forget all about them.

After all, they come in lowest on the

totem pole when it comes to priorities.

When we cleaned out the farm I found several quilts my Dad had been using in the shop to cover engines, tools.....you know the important things (to him).

These quilts were made by my Grandmother, his Mother,

which he ended up with when

we cleaned out her farm many years ago.

I have no idea what shape they came to him in but it broke my heart to see them being used in such a way. They were filthy and smelly.

I wanted to "do" something with them, but they had to be washed first. The fabric was pretty rotten on most, but they were useless the way they were.

So I washed them on the delicate cycle. One shredded, one came through better than imagined. You know us crafters, we use everything! Even scraps :-)

You can see what I did with those here and here.

But the project I really wanted to accomplish was to make Christmas Stockings for my kids. I had the idea to use the quilt from their paternal Great Grandmother.

My Grandmother did beautiful crochet work. I thought I could use some of her smaller works to cover any bare or stained spots and embellish the front of the stockings. I even ended up using some lace she crocheted for the cuffs.

Thus the stockings would be made from both of their

 talented Great Grandmothers.

I had just enough of the better quilt to make the 4 stockings I needed. But I needed to make one for Izzy.

In my stash I found a small pink rag quilt,

so I used that for hers.

 

I found a stocking template online,

 printed it out and used it as a guide to cut out all the stockings.

Now I don't have a sewing machine, wish I did!

So I just did a blanket stitch all the way around.

I found silver initials at the Walmart for 99 cents,

which I added to the stockings.

I thought the white bells would look cute on the toes,

now I'm not so sure.

What do you think?

Keep them or cut them off?

I just hope they like them and keep them after I'm gone.

Getting nostalgic in my old age ;) 

Update: I've had another Grandbaby!

A little boy this time.

I managed to find more old quilt fabric to make one for Izzy and one for baby Brandon.

Even enough to make one extra!

No more Grandbabies coming this way, 

so I guess it will make it into my shop :)