hung by the window with care

While treasure hunting at the thrift store I came across 3 yards of lovely woven wool blend fabric for five dollars. I squealed. Then I called my mom to confirm that it was indeed real wool. Then she squealed. Well maybe not, but she did appreciate my fabulous find. So that hapless 3 yards became mine. Did I know what I was going to do with it? Not yet. But I knew it would be totally rad.




Then I came across this inspiration and this pattern. Loved parts of them both and decided to develop a hybrid. So the delicious thrift store wool became the outside and I picked up some subtly sparkly cotton for the inside/cuff. I couldn't find any metal letters that I liked so I let go of my perfectionism and painted some wooden ones my favorite shade of green instead.






On a side note: this whole project was very good for my recovering perfectionism. I almost bagged the whole thing twice. Once when faced with cutting out ten sets of stocking shapes because of unfounded bias line worries and then again when I started hand-sewing the lining to the outside and realized that I had used a 3/4 inch seam on the lining instead of a a 1/2 inch seam and it wasn't lining up right.

Both times I repeated to myself "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful," several times, sucked it up, swallowed my pride and kept going. It was really hard to let go of the control like that, but strangely therapeutic at the same time. Those of you with perfectionist tendencies are totally getting me right now and those without are probably thinking I'm cuckoo. That's ok, just keeping it real, ladies. *smile*



We have no mantle(hiccup...sob) so this empty windowsill stood in(cute four year-old boy optional but way more fun). Anyone making stockings? Or other stuff? I'd love to see it, send me a link.