Olivia's Tailored and Slipcovered Stocking {Prudent Baby Top 10}

Well, a few of you may have already seen this post title, but when you clicked on it, you got my Friday post instead.  Yeah, that was a doozy on my part.  You see, I still have not mastered typing on my Mac, and some how, some way, the post was published . . . while I was working on it!  This shorthand crap bothers me sometimes.  So onto tha good stuff!  (yeah, that "a" was intentional)

I participated in Prudent Baby's Put a Serger in My Stocking contest for a chance to win a Project Runway serger.   A free serger for making a stocking??  Yes please.  Well, I didn't win the serger.  Boo! Now, it would be a total lie if I said that I was not bummed . . . or that I did not cry that night . . . or that I did not feel somewhat depressed the next day.  (Come on.  A freakin' $900 serger was at stake, and I don't own a serger nor the dough to buy one)  I am happy though that I did make the top 10, and I won fabric from Birch.  I love Birch fabrics, and I did a post on them here.

The stocking process was quite the experience.  I really thought this would be an easy project for me since I can figure things out and sew.  I mean, it's a stocking, right?!?  How hard could that be?  Well, it was difficult for me.  I have a new found respect for pattern designers.  I think I cut out four different designs done by me until I got the pattern I wanted.

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted a reversible stocking.  I also had the idea to make it baby's first Christmas on one side, and then a more grown up version on the other.  So the kid could have a stocking that "grows" with him or her.

Here's what I sketched up.  (Maybe Owen sketched this??)

I also knew I wanted to incorporate my screen printing skills.  I drew a deer with the help of a vector, and I filled it in with circles.  I love circles.  I have drawn this shape continuously for as long as I know.  I even filled an entire 8.5" x 11" piece of paper with tiny circles one day while working at a dental office.  Yes, I was bored.  At the office.  I just love the repetitive motion.  Anywho, I sketched up this deer, and I showed you guys a sneak peak of it here.  I used my printing skillz to apply the deer to my fabric.  Let's take a closer look at my masterpiece.

I thought it turned out well.  The deer side was going to be the "grown up" side, but as I progressed into the stocking, I realized this deer was too sophisticated for any tweenster.  I had to change gears.  Oh, I failed to mention that at this point I already went through two different designs for the baby side of the stocking.  I decided to stick with the deer because let's face it.  It was just awesome.  I had to get rid of the baby idea, so I was left with what I had on hand.  (Not gonna run another trip to Joann with a tot in tow) I picked up the perfect cotton ticking in red and white my last trip, so I was going to use that.

I wanted the deer to be the showstopper, and I didn't want my stocking to be sophisticated on both sides.  So I chose to make the other side a slipcovered style stocking.   I added Ric-Rac to the top to give it a little detail.

I didn't think of adding a zipper until three days prior to the deadline.  (I notoriously race against time.)  A zipper was a nice touch because I have many memories of stocking stuffers not fitting.  It had to be invisible on the sophisticated side.  Anything else would just conflict with its style.   Did I mention that this would be my FIRST installation of any kind of zipper?  What was I thinking??  It turned out fine in the end.  :)

The one requirement from the contest was the stocking had to have jersey or knit.  It could be as little as trim or as much as the whole stocking.  I cut up my homemade Moby wrap and made a poinsettia.  The jersey I owned was gray, so I had to dye it red.  I used satin buttons from my wedding dress for the pistillates. (yeah, I had to google the anatomy :)  I also made it detachable for more styling options.  I thought it turned out well. 

That is how my stocking came about.  Two weeks later, no sleep, and neglecting my family, I have this adorable stocking.  Oh and fabric from Birch.

Now let's look at the whole shebang.

If you are interested in seeing the rest of the top 9 stockings along with the winner at Prudent Baby, you can see them here, but I will give you a sneak peak at the winner. ;)

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A HUGE shout out to Amanda B. for letting me borrow her gorgeous home for some of the photos.  Thank you!!
I'm sharing my awesome-ness with:

I Heart Naptime, Making the World Cuter, Skip to my Lou, Sumos Sweet Stuff, CRAFT, Keeping It Simple, Embellishing Life, Dittle Dattle, The Creative Girl, CraftOManiac, All Things Fee, Life Made Lovely, Sew Can Do, Sew Stylish Boutique, Vintage Wanna Bee, Today's Creative Blog, Sugar Bee Crafts, Tip Junkie, Giggles, Glitz, and Glam, Not Just a Housewife, A Blonde's DIY Life,