When Dan and I began having children, I asked my Mom for some stockings she had made to use for our family. She was no longer using them and I liked the idea of keeping them in our family. They were lovely, crocheted ones that my Mom had made when I was in later elementary school or middle school. There are only 4 of them...and that was fine until I got pregnant with our 3rd child, Liam.
My plan was to knit or crochet one for him that would match sufficiently. His first Christmas I didn't worry about it and we just bought a small, simple one. This year though, I want him to have his own. First problem, I don't crochet...I've tried, but just haven't gotten good enough. Second, I couldn't find any good knit patterns that would match well enough to the ones my Mom made, and I am not a good enough knitter to adjust a pattern to work like she did(she took a pattern for crocheted slipper socks and just adjusted it). So, I started feeling frustrated! And then I remembered!!! When I was a very little girl(see above pic..I had just turned 4yrs old there), my Mom had made some other matching stockings for our family. You can see them behind me in the pic hanging on the wall.
Sewing I can do(even if still rather a novice)! So I asked my Mom what she did and she gave me the info as she remembered it and told me she'd just made her own pattern. I decided that this I could do and would do.
A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to Joann's while they were having a Midnight Madness sale and the holiday fabrics were 50% off! I told the girls to pick the fabric they would like for their individual stocking and then Liam picked his(sort of ;-). I picked mine and Dan's. You can see our selections below:
The red fabric will be used for the toes and heels on each stocking to bring them all together(much like my Mom did on hers..again see pic far above). For the girl stockings we will trim the top with lace and the men-folk's will be trimmed with one or two rows of red ric rac.
I made up my pattern today and I think it will do nicely. I look forward to beginning this new tradition for our little family(that continues to grow;-) I decided to wait to make the new wee one's stocking until after he/she is born! The girls thought this was a fine idea!
When I have completed the stockings, I will take pics and share them with you all. Hopefully this will happen soon...as I like to hang the stockings up early as decorations.
What family heirlooms or traditions have you tried to carry on with your family? Feel free to share!
Blessings,
Sommer
4 comments:
I can't wait to see and hear more about your stockings! We have the cheapy Wal Mart stockings right now but I *really* want to make some individualized ones for each of us this year. Your fabrics are so pretty!
What a wonderful tradition. I love traditions, they bind a family together in such a wonderful way!
Paris
Oh how cute Sommer! I make our stockings too...I made a matching set (for me and Joseph) and gave them to him our last Christmas un-married. Then when we had Jenny I was stuck on how to make them all go together, since I couldn't find more of the same flannels. So instead, I've decided that all of our kiddos get red flannel with a white flannel cuff and their name embroidered on the cuff. Jenny's is done of course, but I can't wait to make Anthony's! I figured I'd always be able to find red and white flannel, so it would be "safe". :) Oh, and that cute little red holy print you got? I'm using that very same fabric in the yo-yo tree garland I'm making! So my dear, when you see that fabric, know that I'm looking at the very same little print in my own Christmas decorations. :) I can't wait to see your finished pictures!
Much love,
Tilly
Sommer,
I love those fabrics! Your stockings will be wonderful! I am looking forward to seeing them.
Gina
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