Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Ellie's Stocking

I thought about lumping this in with yesterday's Christmas prep post, but decided it needed its own day. One other thing I did to prepare for Christmas amidst the moving madness was finish Ellie's stocking.

I am a girl who loves to cross-stitch, and I had planned to make Ellie a birth record when she was born. Well, who has time for such things with a brand new baby, am I right? But as the months wore on towards Christmas, I decided to make her a stocking instead of a birth record. I had started looking for a stocking to buy, but decided a homemade one would be that much more special and something she would use for years and years and years. I found a pattern I fell in love with and got right to work.

It took me probably about six weeks of dedicated work to do all the cross-stitching. That time included our six days of no electricity in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, so during Ellie's naps I literally had nothing else to do besides cross-stitch. That was quite helpful.

I managed to get all the stitching done before we moved, thank heavens. All that was left then was to actually assemble it, which my mom was kind enough to help with. We also used some of her fabric scraps to complete the assembly, which makes it all the more special, because, for instance, the stocking is lined with fabric that was first used to make a homecoming dress for my sister. I just love that kind of stuff.

So, without further ado, this is Ellie's Christmas stocking:


(I realize I should have taken a picture with our good camera and not just the iPhone picture above, but hey, I can't be expected to think of everything, can I?)

I'm so pleased with how it came out, and I hope Ellie loves it as she grows up. I hope one day I get all sad when she has moved out and started her own family and asks to take it with her. I hope she hangs it next to her own childrens' stockings someday. I hope she knows it was made with love and excitement for her first Christmas.

That girl is just the greatest and I am so happy to have been able to make a Christmas keepsake for her.

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