Christmas 2009

For the past couple of years Christmas has been a bit different than our 15 year usual. This year it was even more different. Even though Stephanie came home for Thanksgiving and we bought a Christmas Tree and decorated it - it didn't feel like Christmas all month.

Probably because it was just me and Randy walking around the house doing our normal day to day activities, not really going out much - so we didn't see the decorations and the couple of Christmas parties we were invited to we couldn't attend because of other things going on in life.

At some point during the night of Tuesday the 22nd I got in my truck and started driving to Vallejo CA to pick up Stephanie - she changed her major so she had to empty out of the dorm room she was in - she's getting assigned to living space on board the Training Ship next semester. So I had to bring all her stuff back with her. I drove all night got there and packed up and turned around and drove back - the drive there was 7 hours and the drive back was horrible because of all the LA traffic it was 10 hours. Got home and straight to bed.

I wake up on Thursday Dec 24th feeling the spirit of Christmas - at that point I felt like Scourge - and Overwhelmed. So I made lists Gift list, Food list, Normal list, and off we went I dropped Stephanie and Randy off at one store with one list I went to another store with my other list - picked them up and then all conquered the 3rd list. And by 6 PM on Dec 24th we had a place we were going to wait till Midnight they had made Tamales I had made Posole and there were gifts for when we made our rounds on Christmas Day.

I sigh a sigh of relief I didn't ruin Christmas! It was actually a really good one considering all the other stuff going on in our lives right now.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

My New Christmas Stockings

You can pattern draft just about any shape in Garment Designer, so every time I need to do something new I open up my Garment Designer first.

Luckily Cochenille has a Holiday collection so the starting points were a lot better than if I would have had to try and manipulate a top into a sock, but I'm sure I could have done it if I needed to. I've drafted some really out of the ordinary shapes in Garment Designer.


So I sketched the shape that I wanted to end up with on a piece of paper so that I would have a visual reference as to where I was moving my points, and came up with this a stocking shape that I could live with. I also changed the cuff of the original design to a Pocket from my inspiration picture.


Click here for a PDF pattern, AND click here for instructions on how to print the pattern pieces in actual size and tape the pages together. if you would like the PDF pattern pieces. They are just the pattern pieces. You will have to refer to this Blog post as the sewing instructions.

Supplies: 3/4 yrd of Fabric, 3/4 yrd of Lining

Stocking Pattern: Cut 2 of Fabric and Cut 2 of Lining Fabric
Pocket Pattern: Cut 2 of Fabric
Tab pattern: Cut 1 of Fabric

When I lived in San Diego I worked at a Home Fabrics store so I have a small stash of Upholstery fabric. I loved the look of linen in the inspiration picture and I knew I had some in one of my boxes somewhere - so I looked and looked and emptied every container I own but it didn't show up - but then I ran across this fabric and liked the idea of the stockings in this fabric so I stopped looking and started cutting.


Sew Pocket:

If you are going to do embroidery you need to do that first.

Then with Right sides together sew the pocket leaving a 3 inch opening along the top. Clip the corners.

Turn Right side out. Iron. Stitch along the top to close the opening. Stitch the pocket to the front stocking piece.


Sew Stockings:

With Right Sides together sew the 2 lining pieces together leaving the top open. Do the same for the 2 fabric pieces. So you end up with to separate stockings. Clip the curves. Turn Right side out. Iron.


Sew Tab:
Iron tab in half lengthwise - Right side out. Iron in Seam Allowance on both sides. Iron flat with seam allowance to the inside. Stitch Lengthwise seam.


Bring the 3 pieces together:

Pin tab to the side of the stocking. I stager the tab putting on end on one side of the seam and the other end on the other side of the seam.


With right sides together slide outer stocking into the lining stocking.

Stitch top seam leaving a 3 inch opening.


Turn right side out. Iron. Top stitch along the top edge to close the opening.


And these are my last minute stockings - and they are last minute considering I still have tons of Christmas presents to finish sewing.

DVD Inspirations CD

Cochenille Design Studio has new product. Susan Lazear has created released a set of Inspiration DVD's.

Susan is a great photographer and she's been able to travel to do Fashion centered Destinations. She has compiled images from different trips that she has used in powerpoint presentations at different classes and lectures at Tradeshows all over the country and it was suggested and she decided to put them together as a product - and Voila - The best Inspiration DVD's I've seen.

The Europe Fall/Winter Windows 2008/2009 is collection of over 300 images of fashion windows from Verona and Venice Italy, and The Swarovski Museum in Austria. Sure to get your creative juices flowing!

This DVD contains two folders, one with graphic JPG images (large and small versions of the files) and one with slideshows. To view the slideshows you will need Quicktime 7 - which can be downloaded for free at Apple's website.
The images and slideshows are divided into three main areas:
VERONA: which includes images broken down into three categories; knit & crochet, sewn, and mixed media.
VENICE: which includes images together of garments, both sewn, knit and crochet.
SWAROVSKI: which features garments and related shot at the Swarovski Museum in Wattens, Triol, Austria.



The Europe Summer/Fall Windows 2008 DVD is a collection of over 350 images of fashion windows from Paris, Verona, Venice, Florence and parts of Tuscany, Italy.

This DVD contains two folders, one with graphic JPG images (large and small versions of the files) and one with slideshows. To view the slideshows you will need Quicktime 7 - which can be downloaded for free at Apple's website.
The images and slideshows are divided into areas as follows:
PARIS: which includes images broken down into three categories; knit & crochet, sewn, and the city.
VERONA: which includes images broken down into three categories; knit & crochet, sewn, and the city.
VENICE: which includes images broken down into three categories; knit & crochet, sewn, and the city.
FLORENCE: which focuses more on garments by designer.
TUSCANY: which features clothing from smaller cities and countryside markets.



They are $25 each but there is currently a special promo code on the website and you can buy them 2 for $40.

Christmas Stockings

I totally love Etsy. It has been such a source of inspiration. This year I've been on the look out for new Christmas stockings. I wanted something simple, The one's we have now are huge. I made them about 18 years ago, the family loved them as just about anything could fit in them.



Actually the first year I made them I put Stephanie in one of the Stockings. I wish I had taken a picture.

Any who - I think I just found the inspiration for our new family Christmas Stockings. From Pilosale on Etsy - I love everything in her shop - absolutely everything!



So this is the inspiration for our new family Christmas Stockings - so I guess I better get working on them - since my family keeps asking me when I'm going to put the stockings on the wall - at least now I have an answer - 'When I'm done sewing them!'