My #IntrepidThreadChallenge Christmas Stocking

Way back at the end of September, The Intrepid Thread offered fabric in exchange for participating in a challenge:

"We will give you a mini charm pack of Modern Background Paper, a fat eighth of Arrow fabric from Lori Holt's Modern Minis, and a Fat Quarter of the Word Find fabric from Melody Miller. "


I was lucky enough to respond soon enough to receive the bundle of fabric.

And man, did I have a mental block!  I didn't know what to do with the stuff...  But it was getting down to the wire of either having to use it or pay for it (which I think is a fair parameter when someone is giving you free fabric to be creative with - either use it or pay for it).  And it was Christmas, so well, all I could think of was making a Christmas stocking.  

I cut strips of the pink and green, sewed them together, cut strips the other way, and sewed those together to come up with this:

I then used the mini charm pack to make the cuff.  I used a bright pink thread for all of the quilting, and used the rest of the pink fabric to make the binding.  I really wanted to put a binding on it instead of making an inside seam because a stocking my Grama made for me when I was little has a binding and I just really like the look.  I used fabric from my stash for the lining and the back, and some of the checkerboard that I had cut off of the stocking shape to make the hangy-loop.  

And finally, just in time for Santa, it was finished!

on the back of our property, facing North.

I wished I'd had enough fabric to put a binding on the bottom of the cuff also, but I was just a few inches short, and I wanted all the visible fabric to be what was sent to me for the challenge, even though she gave free reign to add other fabrics.

hanging on a small part of our wood pile; these logs are HUGE!

I really enjoyed the process, and was glad that I had the incentive to actually use this fabric.  I have other fabrics that have been sitting there for a much longer time, with projects in mind even, that I have not yet cut in to.  So it was very satisfying to finish this project, especially with the timing!  I know that my work is not perfect, and I'm okay with that, because I know that with more practice, I will improve.  And I know that I will never do perfect work, and I'm okay with that too, as long as I'm enjoying it.

Now go and give The Intrepid Thread some love!http://www.intrepidthread.com/shop.htm


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Too Cute Tuesday
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My Quilt Infatuation