Camelot's Treasures: EtsyMom Holly Day Blog Hop

Check out all of the fabulous holiday-themed projects, gift ideas, and more from our wonderful EtsyMom Blog Hop Contributors from around the world!!

Here's how it works:
1. Hop through each of the blogs listed above to get fabulous holiday inspiration and leave a comment. If you are starting at a blog in the middle of the Hop, start back at the EtsyMom Blog.
2. Leave a comment on this post between now and December 11, 2010.
3. Enter to win our giveaway by doing any of the following. For each thing you do, you will be entered into the drawing one more time:

~Leave a comment on this post between now and December 11, 2010.
~Leave a comment on the Holly Day Blog Hop posts for any of the blogs listed above between Dec 5 and Dec 11, 2010.
~Join our email list (fill out the form in the right hand column).
~Become a follower of this blog! Just click the "Follow" button in the lower right column.
~"Like" the EtsyMom Facebook Page.

Share about this Blog Hop on your own blog, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on Facebook, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on a message board or forum, posting a link to this page.

To let us know you've done these things, please come back to this blog post and leave a comment for each thing you did, i.e. one comment for posting on your blog, another comment for posting on facebook, and another comment for joining our email newsletter. If you post it all in one comment, it will count as one entry.On December 11, 2010 we'll choose a winner using the Random Integer Generator from random.org. The winner will receive this super sweet gift basket full of handmade holiday goodies, including

a pair of Turquoise Earrings from http://www.stoneymistdesign.etsy.com/

a greeting card from http://www.homemadebyamanda.etsy.com/

a lampwork bead bracelet by http://handmadewhimzy.etsy.com/

sterling silver and Swarovski pearl/crystal holiday earrings by

http://www.etsy.com/shop/signaturesterling

a cream colored cotton scarf given by http://www.zoegirldesigns.etsy.com/

a raincloud ornament from http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyjives

a matching splat mat and baby bib from http://www.babysindulgence.etsy.com/

two pair of earrings from http://quirefly.etsy.com/
a gift pack of over 30 pages of vintage paper ephemera by http://www.etsy.com/shop/countrychiccottage

a lovely sustainable stocking from http://www.rikrak.etsy.com/

a set of holly jolly gift tags from http://cinnamonspice.etsy.com/

a set of toddler pajamas in a style of the winner's choice from http://heatheregley.etsy.com/

a $15 gift certificate from http://camelotstreasures.etsy.com/

A gift certificate from http://babyswank.etsy,com/

American Girl-Sized Stocking Tutorial

This year, I wanted to add some more festive fun for the "girls" (aka our American Girl Dolls), so I decided to make each girl a fun stocking. Mallory and I took the girls "shopping" in my fabric and craft stash, and each girl came up with a distinctly different design for their stockings a good mirror of their personalities. And Theron didn't want Tyler (his Bitty Baby Twin Boy) left out of the fun, so we made a special stocking for him too.

After all the stockings were made, the girls were so excited that they thought all girls and their owners should make these special stockings. I mean who DOESN'T want special treats from Santa on Christmas morning?! So along with the motivation of this Etsy Mom Holly Blog, I am posting this tutorial on how to make your very own American Girl-sized stocking!

Materials needed:

* scraps of fabric about 8" x 8" (fat quarters would be awesome for this project!) - whatever fabric you love, your imagination is the limit
* thread
* stocking pattern (you can find the one I made here Stocking Pattern)
* needle
* pencil or thin utensil, for turning
* 3" ribbon (3/8" is perfect)
* embellishments, if you like (these can include sequins, embroidery floss, buttons, etc)

You can stitch this stocking up in 5 to 10 minutes on a sewing machine, or hand sew it in 10 to 20 minutes. This t

utorial shows the machine sewing way.
Step One:
Cut out your fabric using the pattern - you will need to cut two pieces for the outside of the stocking and two pieces for the inside/lining of your stocking. Also if you want to add the fun toe and heel design, then go ahead and do this now too.

Step Two:
Sew one front to one linig piece at the top. Repeat for the other two pieces.

Step Two and a half:
If you are going to embellish your stocking, do so now (it'll make it a lot easier); if you're not, then just skip this step. As you can see, I added a toy and heel to this one, and I attached them with a decorative stitch, the blanket stitch; you can use any stitch that you would like. Also, this is the time that I added the fun butterfly sequin's on Lanie's stocking - I just sewed through them a few times to make sure that they were on there tight!

Step Three:
Finger press the seams open on each piece, then pin them together right sides touching. Then sew all the way around both pieces, leaving a 1" to 1 1/2" opening at the bottom of the lining pieces - this is for turning your stocking right side out. Clip curves and trim seams if necessary.

Step Four:
Turn your stocking right-side out, using our pencil carefully to help push out the toe and heel. Iron the stocking flat to be sure you have the shape of it fully turned. Slip stitch the lining closed at the opening.

Step Five:
Push the lining into the stocking, carefully guiding the toe and heel into the correct spots. Keep shaping until the top of the stocking is even - where the seams is at the very top.

Step Six:
Fold down the lining on to the outside to make a cuff. You can fold it over however much you like. Then postion your ribbon inside the cuff, about a 1/4" down from the top on the back seam, and sew it in a loop.

And now you have your very own stocking! If you want to share the pictures of the stocking you made, feel free to post them on Camelot's Treasures Facebook page - I would love to see what you and your doll come up with!

Now, please take the opportunity to visit the next blog in our hop: http://homemadebyamanda.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-hop-holiday-inspiration.html

Shop Etsymom First on Etsy.com