Pottering in the coal shed

Sunday afternoon the daughter and I were pottering in the coal shed.  I think I have created a monster as at one stage I was kicked out of my crafting shed as daughter wanted to use my sewing machine and really mother there just not enough room for the two of us in here. : said with 16 yr attitude:

Not enough room for two 

adults sized people here.

She was bugging me about wanting to make something so after some dicussion with me attempting to gain clarification about what she wanted to do and some ratting through my fabric stash she decided that we would make some Christmas stockings.   So after quickly drafting up a rough pattern on the back of a piece of handy card board (back of a note pad) we had a pattern.  We did not have enough of anyone piece of Christmas fabric to make a whole stocking out of it so it was time for creative extending.  Using some of the ubiqutious calico which I have miles of in the stash.  I always buy calico as it is my go to resource - makes toiles, school costumes that need to be dyed you can never not use calico in this household.

Crazy Patchwork

Crazy patchwork here we come if you want to do some. 

1. Cut out your shape in calico in our case it was the classic Christmas stocking shape.
2. Cut your fabirc into 2inch strips. Have about 5 different fabric selections.
3. Take one strip and cut a five sided shape out to start your patchwork this will be your centre. Pin to the stocking about the ankle location.
4. Work round your shape a strip at a time to set the next patch and this create a crazy patch effect.  When you have sewn along one edge. Iron or in mycase finger press the seam open and then trim to match the next edge shape.  Use the next strip to alternate the pattern.
5. If you  need to due to the shaping you can cut a new edge in if you find that you are starting to get stripes or arrows. 
6. To finish you can top sew  the seams by machine or hand with embrodiery stitches.
7. Sew your front to your back and trim 'n' grade the seams.  Dont forget to clip your curves and points and pull through and adjust into shape 

Don't you just love
the concentration

Ry is starting to become more confident with the sewing machine and there were only three times she called on me after kicking me out. Twice with loading a bobbin and rethreading it and once with threading the needle.  She had a minor tension problem thanks to top needle rethreading but she worked it out once she found out where the threading picture on the machine was located.  Her stocking is a little distorted but it will still be usable.