Starting Christmas

I mentioned a few posts back that I'm trying to get a head start on Christmas as much as possible.  I have 2 markets in November and 2 in December PLUS an indoor craft/art holiday show in St. Petersburg that I'm really excited about, as it will be my first Vegetable Free Event (more on this as it gets closer!.)  So I figure I need to get as much done now as I can, especially since the orchestra season starts back up in 2 weeks.  As usual, the Long Hot Summer has passed in the blink of an eye.

The question that I'm struggling with is, "how much stuff do I need?" for this holiday season.  I wish I knew how to answer that, but there's simply no way to predict weather, customer turnout and demographics, if people will like my things, even what the stock market and economy in general are like-- these all affect sales, of course.  My goal is to be OVER prepared.  Unlike, say, milk and the latest fashions, any leftovers will be just as fresh for Holiday 2012 if necessary!

    First, some fabrics.  Sometimes icy blue is refreshing in a season inundated by red and green.

Those cherubs.  I know.  I'm still debating whether that fabric is Ugly Beyond Comprehension, or whether it's fun and kitschy.  I do kind of love it paired with that polka dot and the pink solid.  I'm going to Embrace The Kitsch and see what happens.

   Here's my first stocking (ever!).  I made it out of scraps since it's the first one and I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but I really like it!  It's lined with white fabric, and has quilt batting in between the layers.  It still needs a piece of ribbon or rick rack at the top for hanging.

You'll recall that I took the time to make cardboard templates out of tissue paper sewing patterns.  That was well worth the time for patterns that are going to be used over and over again.

Of course, I had to do a selvage stocking!  This item is such a natural fit with my other merchandise, I've put it  in my Etsy store as well.  It's a little smaller than the above stocking, and it doesn't have any batting.  It holds its shape pretty well though, since there's so much stitching with the selvages.  The selvages are sewn to white fabric, which also serves as the lining of the stocking.
Note the little jingle bell on the toe!









Warning:  once you get started on these they're a little addicting!  And they're a great way to eat up all those fat quarters of Christmas fabric that have been hanging around forever.