Talented Twentysomething

Had a sewing date with my youngest daughter last night, and she finished her Xmas sewing project.  I'm a proud momma, so I want to brag.

The inspiration: circa 1978

This is a stocking from my childhood.  Lovingly hand-stitched by my mother, when my brother and I were teens.  We each had our own stockings, personalized with our initial, in one of two basic designs: partridge (see the pears?) or "Merry Christmas" with a tree and bells.  When we grew up, got married and had our own families, Mom made more stockings; every one of the spouses and grandchildren has their own.

I have grown less fond of my stocking over time.  However, my children absolutely love their stockings.  They are a part of their childhood, a loving gesture from their grandmother, a family heirloom.  And many of their friends--who don't perhaps have crafters or sewists among their relatives--are totally jealous and covetous of these marvelous handmade beauties.

So it came to pass that my youngest daughter decided to make matching stockings for her roommates.  What to put on the new stockings?  Apparently, "partridge in a pear tree" is not personalized enough.  So we cast about for design ideas.  Thank goodness for the Internet.

A rocking-horse for Rachel, who was on the equestrian team in high school.  And a train for Adam (because a race-car seemed too modern).  The design is made with counted cross-stitch on burlap, done with simple acrylic worsted yarn.  Could be only the second cross-stitch project the daughter has done.

The finished product.  I just think they are so cute.  Personalized with the initials of the recipients.

For comparison purposes, the older stocking joins its new cousins.  We did increase the width (but not the length) of the new stocking pattern, as that is one difficulty of trying to stuff our stockings with an obscene abundance of tiny trinkets each year.

And, lest I take all this mom-gushing too seriously, the Talented Twentysomething in question wanted to make it perfectly clear that she is still young and full of fun.

Thanks for letting me show off my kid!  She is pretty awesome.