Felt Pretty

I am sitting at my computer at 1. 50 in the morning. It's not something I would normally be doing, you comprehend. But for quite a bit of pain in the bits and pieces, I would be snoring my head off along with my husband and dog.

It's not conducive to sleep. Neither is their snoring..but I digress.

In my post Thrifty Thinking I showed you the few small decorative boxes I had made for friends for Christmas, to contain bath bombs and the like. One good friend will be getting something a little bigger and more unusual.

Take one ready made Christmas stocking from Hobbycraft. Cost - about £2.50. You couldn't buy the felt for this.
Onto this rule diagonal lines and then make inch squares. Sew with a chain or running stitch. I used gold foil thread but plain is fine.
Using some dark green felt cut a circle which is about as big as a tea plate. If you like you can scallop the edges to make it more tree-like. Offer this up to your stocking and draw a line around it where you think it should go.

At the junction of each square sew a sequin...colour optional, but leave the squares inside the tree blank. No point in adding sequins here.
Cut out, in paler green felt about 25 small leaves - some facing one way, others the opposite way. Onto these sew with fairly large stitches, some veins, with dark green embroidery thread. Sew these to the green tree shape, positioning them carefully, some over the edges. If you are clever you can do this job in one process.

Leave a largish gap in the middle of your tree. Between the leaves sew with large stitches and with green embroidery thread, pine needles, here and there. Then add some red sequins to look like holly berries.

Cut out, in cream felt a bird shape which will fit into the middle of your tree. Cut his beak ( 2 ) and his wings ( it's up to you how many layers there are - I have four ) and his tail in a separate colour. I used brown. I also used a different brown for his face and the darker version for his crest for the top of his head. Sew with embroidery thread, the feathers of his tail and wings. Make up the two parts of the beak in yellow felt and stuff lightly. Close up the beak and embroider the central line. Cut another piece of cream felt for the back of the bird and lightly slip stitch around him leaving the bottom open so you can lightly stuff him....Hmmm stuffed partridge....)...not too fat now.
Close him up.  Add the beak as you stitch around him. Stitch on a black bead for an eye. If you like you can embellish him a little with red thread. Sew all the pieces of the wings together and add the tail.

Cut in yellow felt, eight pear shapes ( two each pear ) so you have a pair per pear < sorry >.
Slip stitch these and lightly stuff them.Close them up and then with brown thread make a semi circle and an inverted V shape at the bottom of each to indicate the indentation in the bottom of the pear.

Now sew all these to your tree shape, but leave some parts of the bird ( eg. his tail ) and the pears free of the backing.

Before you stitch the tree to the sock, add sequins and beads here and there for a bit of sparkle.

In brown felt, cut out a tree trunk - three branches at the top is sufficient. Sew this to the bottom of the tree. ( Make sure you leave a space for this when you sew on the leaves and pears. ) Pad this very lightly and slip stitch the bottom.

Cut out a banner in cream making it bend a little. You will also need two wavy ends, ( you can find patterns online ). Stitch the running thread and then the words and sew this over your tree trunk.

Add a wavy edge to the top of the stocking ( cut out a paper pattern for this - you'll find it easier to measure, ) and add sequins where ever you like.

Finally make a bigger pear with two padded leaves and add this to the hanger which is sticking out of the top of your stocking.

This stocking is based on one which is a kit from Bucilla ( I am informed no longer available - that is why I made my own ) which was HORRENDOUSLY expensive here in the U.K.

I made this one for about £5.

And about 24 hours of work, over a week.

Tremendous fun and pretty result.
Do you think she'll like it?
I think she would like it even more if I put a nice little something in it don't you?

Happy stitching!