Kitschy Kitchen Stocking....

Last year my niece and her husband bought an old home in Southern Ohio...

She spent the bulk of a year working on updating the house and making it their own.  In a couple of weeks she is hosting an Open House and I can't wait!  I love old homes!  And I know she has made this home something special...hopefully I can remember to take pictures to share :)

When my niece saw that I was working on a little clamshell stocking project, she mentioned that it would be cute to have a clamshell stocking to hang in her kitchen with a few vintage utensils.  

   

Being the World's Best Aunt....I went to work!

I began with a 3.5 inch clamshell template.  Because my template is 3.5 inches, I made a 3.5 inch grid on a piece of Kona Cotton.  Of course, I used a Frixion pen to mark my lines.

    

I love fussy cutting fun kitschy fabrics with my clamshell template!

 

Then I use a dab of Roxanne's Glue Baste-It to secure my clamshells to the foundation fabric...

 

Beginning at the top of the foundation fabric, the clamshells are simply added between the grid lines and every other row is staggered....

 

Notice I cut a little more than an 1/8 inch outside my drawn line for turning under.  And with the Frixion pen I don't need to worry about my drawn lines. The heat from an iron will make the marks disappear.  It's always a good idea to test first, though.

Next using my favorite, Richard Hemming Milliner needles and Aurifil 50 wt thread, I simply appliqued the top curvy part of the clamshell.  You do not need to turn under and applique the scooped out section or the point.  These areas will be covered by the curve of the row below it.  Brilliant!!!!

  

Once my clamshell fabric was complete, I backed it with a piece of cotton batting and  I quilted it using Valdani perle cotton in black.  Then, I simply placed my stocking template on top of the fabric and cut out a stocking shape.  Since this stocking is going to be hanging in a kitchen {and to save time} I only used clamshells on one side.  The other side is a solid piece of food themed fabric. 

 I added a lining in a black buffalo check flannel and a scalloped cuff!  Pom-poms and braided yarn for hanging!

And there you have it!  A kitschy kitchen stocking!

Have fun with all your holiday makes!

xo mary