Crazy Quilt Christmas Stockings

Learn how to combine fabric scraps to create crazy, quilted holiday stockings with this easy-to-follow guide. To make your holiday special, you'll learn traditional methods of combining different fabric scraps to make your own Christmas stockings as well as: *Which fabrics to choose when there are so many fabrics available *Decorative stitches with illustrated guides to instruct you *A short history of patchwork design in the United States *Patterns for quilted stockings, including: Woolen Wow!, Monochrome Magic, Rachel's Homecoming, Distelfink Delight, Remembering Grandma, Purple and Plumed, and more! Crazy quilting is a unique type of patchwork where cloth is pieced together. Irregular types and shapes of cloth are pieced together, much like a collage of different colors and textures. This style was first popularized in Colonial America when women were required to be frugal and needed to use up every last scrap of fabric. They often recycled their own clothing to patch furniture coverings and curtains. As times progressed into the Victorian era, the trend became more intricate with finer silks, satin, and velvet cloths sewn into the piecework. Embroidery was added, often embellished with ribbon, lace, beads, and buttons for special effect. Clear instructions are provided here on how to embroider your stocking in a number of ways: featherstitch, French knot, blanket stitch, seed stitch, running stitch, and lazy daisy stitch. These embroidery stitches can be used on any embroidery or sewing project, making Crazy Quilt Christmas Stockings a great reference book for your crafting library!