12 Days of Christmas

I was invited to join a “12 Days of Christmas” blog tour, and would you believe it, it’s my first blog tour ever! I feel like one of the cool kids!

If you’re unfamiliar, a blog tour is when a group of bloggers get together (virtually) and share something on their blogs that focuses on the same theme.  Then you, dear reader, get to hop around from blog to blog and check out all that hot bloggin’ goodness.

What fun! Let’s play.

Our theme is the 12 Days of Christmas, and lucky me, I got “Nine Ladies Dancing.”  I didn’t feel like festooning my tree in ballerinas, so I loosely interpreted it to include stockings, because feet equal dancing, and yeah.

Let’s back up and look at the whole scene. Here’s what I started with.  It’s a little sad.

Here’s where I ended up:

What a difference Christmas lights make, eh? And also, other things!

I made that fake mantle a few years ago, and have been meaning to put a chalkboard insert into it forever.  Actually to be honest, my plan was to take a log and slice it into many slices and attach those slices onto the board so it looked much like this, but come to find out, trying to slice a log with a circular saw is a real dumb idea.  So until I can borrow a chainsaw or something, that idea will have to wait. (In even more shameful honesty, I also photoshopped that chalk fire, because I didn’t like how mine looked). (Just keeping it real). (Real fake).

Annnyway, the garland got fluffed up with some glitter tulle (more on that in a minute!) and cloth ribbon.

Those old stockings had to go. I’ve phased out the red in my decor over the last few years, so they just looked out of place. And my sweet baby boy who is celebrating his first Christmas this year didn’t even have a matching one.  His was the weirdo one in the middle.

So I whipped up a few new ones! I love this fluffy white fabric, and don’t even get me started on the gold glitter fabric. It was pretty easy; I’m not much of a sewer, so any beginner could figure it out too.

Here’s a very basic tutorial.

Step one: make these things:

Very simple.  I just cut apart of one our old stockings to use as a pattern for the new ones.  Eyeballed how much gold I wanted at the top and made a loop our of that lightly wider than the stocking.  I also made a little loop for hanging.

Next, turn the stocking and top part inside out.

Slip the stocking inside the top and line up the top edges.  Pin the hanging loop upside down in between the top and the stocking, NOT inside the stocking, (even if your brain tells you it makes sense, you will finally figure out after about seventeen tries of doing it wrong that that way is wrong. Or maybe that’s just me). In any case, I’ve made this diagram so you don’t screw it up. Also, make sure you sew it to the heel side, not the toe side.  Ask me how I know.

Stitch around the top, flip it all right-side-out, and that’s it!

I also discovered the magic and wonder of tulle garland.  Did you know about this? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?? I thought we were friends. But it’s Christmastime, so I’ll forgive you.

Oh boy, this stuff is great. SO SO easy.  And it cost me ONE dollar!

DID YOU HEAR ME? ONE DOLLAR!

I found a 10-yard roll of glitter tulle at Walmart for $1.

I folded it in half and stitched the entire length of it with elastic thread in my bobbin.

DONE.

You could also use a ruffle-foot if you have one, (which I don’t), but the elastic thread is preeeeety darn easy.  I will probably be making much much more.  Next time, I don’t think I’ll even bother folding it in half, I’ll just stitch right down the center which should result in even puffier garland!

Also, tulle is totally dancey. Theme acheived!

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OK, if you want to continue on the tour, check out these other lovely ladies!

12 Days of Christmas Tour

{Partridge in a Pear Tree}: Simply Fresh Vintage  ~  Petticoat Junktion  ~  Snazzy Little Things

{Two Turtle Doves}: Confessions of a Serial Do-it-Yourselfer  ~  Fresh Idea Studio

{Three French Hens}: Country Design Style  ~  DIO Home Improvements  ~  mommy is coocoo

{Four Calling Birds}: Artsy Chicks Rule  ~  Virginia Sweet Pea