A Tale of Christmas Stockings!

Christmas Stockings....not just Any Sock!!

I want to share our family stockings with you today because they are so special to me.   In 1981, the year Jeff and I were married, I wanted to start a tradition with stockings that I hoped would last through the years with our family.  I found a crochet pattern in Women's Day and went to work on our "socks".  I pretty much followed the pattern with Jeff's.  I love the Santa though he has lost some of his "felt belt" over the years of use.

For mine I used a variegated yarn.  That snapped it up a little.  Then I designed the snowman which I must say is my favorite!!

Jenny was born in 1983.  I had lost the pattern and just "winged it" by trying to dupicate ours.  It is fatter and shorter but so cute.
I designed the tree and sewed sequins (which we big on holiday decor in the 80's) to decorate it.

Kristy was born in Jan 1986 and I had a whole year to make her stocking.....but.....I had two children ages 2 and under and life was busy.  So no stocking till Christmas of 1988.  We were living in Wheeling, WV and a good friend of mine found this stocking at the Catholic Church bazaar.  She bought it and gave it to me for Kris.  I put her name on it and the trim on the cuff and pom-pom.  As the French would say....Viola....it looked just like ours!!!

Fast forward to Christmas 2006 when we had the next addition to our family.  Jenny married Jon on Dec 17, 2006.  I could not find a pattern to match our stockings and set out with an entirely different one.  I don't know why...it was never well received.
Anyway this is the stocking Jon has used for the past 6 years.

It's cute and it did have his name on it but.......we all laughed at the size compared to ours.  Life moved on...Jeff's cancer returned .....we fought the good fight but lost in 2012.  Life changed.  That first year was almost unbearable.  Christmas 2013 we were all in Minneapolis with Jenny and Jon and we were all sick with a terrible Upper Respiratory Infection that Ell had shared with us.  Stockings were not an issue.

So this year I wanted to surprise Jon with a stocking like ours and make one for Ella who was born in 2012.  Women's Day in 2011 had reprinted an updated version of the original stocking patter and I had saved it to use when I was up to the task.

Recognize the stocking with the Santa on it???  Notice my stockings turn to the left....I am left handed and somethings I do are just subliminal and I can't change the way I see things.....but remember I am in my RIGHT mind!!
I went to work last week .....why start early when doing it at the last minute gives you so much accomplishment?
The stocking was much larger at the base than our original ones so instead of removing the stitches and starting over I revised the pattern and here is Jon's stocking:

It matches Jenny's more than ours but is perfect with the family set.
He was surprised.  I bought him a very large OU stocking and tucked this one inside.  Now Jon has a matching stocking!!
Miss Ella will have a red one for next year.  I am working on it now.  And while I am at it I will make one for TJ who is arriving in our family the end of March 2014.  I will be ahead of the game....won't that be a change.??!!

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama