Stocking Fancy That Crimson & Gold - 6/20/26

June 20, 2026--I have a saved search on eBay for Kaitlyn Marie Design Fancy That Stockings and was recently advised that the Crimson & Gold stocking (full kit with instructions) was for sale.  I immediately scooped it up and just now completed the stitching.  

I thought I would paint the canvas red before starting so that white canvas threads would not show through the stitching.  I saw no reason to carefully paint "inside the lines" since any excess paint outside of the design area would be hidden in the "seam allowance".    The basket weave pattern was done using Iris Rayon Floss which has a little bit of a crinkly nature to it, so no matter how carefully you lay the strands (6 to be exact), it just won't look smooth.  

This is now the third stocking in the Fancy That collection that I've stitched up (the other two are Emerald & Gold and Patches of Snow), and I have 3 more to do--Amethyst Ice, Pearls & Gold and Sapphire Star.  

The three little red heart beads were the last thing placed on the canvas.  After I had stitched two of the hearts down, I lost the third heart somewhere in my living room (where I stitch and watch TV with hubby).  We looked everywhere for it since the kit included only 3 hearts and no more.   Then a few hours later I happened to look down on the rug and there was the missing red heart bead in all of its glory, just waiting for me to find it.  Yay!   Now the stocking sits in the "To Be Finished" pile.  

Stocking Fancy That Crimson & Gold Completed

Patches of Snow Stocking - 9/19/25

September 19, 2025--I've just completed stitching the second Kaitlyn Marie Designs stocking I had in my stash--this one called Patches of Snow (the first one I stitched is called Emerald and Gold Stocking).  I was fortunate enough to find on eBay a complete kit (instructions, beads, canvas, etc.) which saved tons of time and money trying to locate all the beads and cabochons with rimsets.   And this stocking is nothing but beads.  Only the two small areas where the cabochons sit are stitched with gold kreinik.  Lots and lots of texture.

Patches of Snow Stocking Completed

Patches of Snow Stocking Side View

Stocking Emerald and Gold - Updated 5/4/25

May 4, 2025--Those of you who know me will understand that the cuff was looking "unfinished" and it really bugged me.  So, this morning I sat down and added more beads--ahh--better.  Do you agree?  Here's the result:

Stocking Emerald and Gold with Additional Beads Added to Cuff

May 3, 2025--Completed the stitching on this stocking (see below for more information) and had to make a few changes due to the limitations in supply availability.  

 First, was unable to find the right size filigree gold disks for the cuff.  What I did find was a bit small, so the cuff had to be "filled in" with beads.  Beads were not added to the far left and right sides of the cuff--they would have been too close to the edge and possibly in the way of cording.   I may change my mind about this--we'll see.

Second, the designer called for seed beads to be stitched onto the toe area.  I found the beads looked too crowded, therefore too crooked, so I worked up the area in tent stitches using Kreinik gold thread.  I'm also quite sure I didn't have enough beads to fill in the area, so Kreinik was a happy substitute.

It was recommended a row of green tent stiches be placed around the stocking for ease in finishing.  I did that but feel this step wouldn't have been necessary if the stocking was stitched on dark green canvas.   Note for future projects.

All in all, a fun project to work on.  I think it'll be lovely finished as a small stocking.  Stay tuned.

Stocking Emerald and Gold Completed

Stocking Emerald and Gold Side View

April 20, 2025--I purchased the instructions for this Emerald and Gold Stocking by Kaitlyn Marie Designs back in December of 2022 and after many months of trying to locate the gold disks required for this project, I finally found something close on Etsy.  So, I've begun working it up and here's my progress to date.  I'm going to save placing most of the embellishments to the end.

Below is a photo of the stocking as stitched by the designer.  I believe mine will look so much better than it does now when gold cording is placed around the edge and pretty ribbons tied in a bow are placed on the top.

Stocking Florentine Variation Mardi Gras - 3/6/22

March 6, 2022--Finished stitching this Mardi Gras themed project and am now thinking about the type of cording to make when I turn this into a stocking ornament (twisted or Kumihimo).  

Stocking Florentine Variations Mardi Gras Completed

Stocking Florentine Variations Mardi Gras Completed Side View

March 4, 2022--I signed up to participate in this month's ANG CyberPointers Chapter project designed by Pat Mazu called Variations of a Florentine Design.  I am working on the stocking and choose my thread colors based upon purple/teal/gold beads I had in my stash from other projects.   So, I'm calling it my Florentine Variation Mardi Gras Stocking.   It's working up very quickly and below are photos of my progress to date and thread colors.  I tried to show the dimensional effect of the beads in the side view photo.

Stocking Florentine Variations Mardi Gras in Process

Threads Stocking Florentine Variations Mardi Gras in Process Side View

Threads Stocking Florentine Variations

Here's a photo of the project as designed by Pat Mazu.

Stocking Florentine Variations Designed by Pat Mazu Project Photo

Delicate Flowers Stocking by Pat Mazu - Updated 3/8/21

March 8, 2021--This is the third stocking finished using a technique I've recently written about.  It's a process that has many steps and takes time, but is worth the effort to proudly say I've finished it myself and saved quite a bit of money to boot.  Of course, it's not perfect, but it's for my personal use only, so enjoy it I will.

Stocking Delicate Flowers Finished Front

Stocking Delicate Flowers Finished Back (Note year of 2015)

Stocking Delicate Flowers Cording Name

Stocking Delicate Flowers Cording Details

July 13, 2015--Have completed the stitching on this piece and am ready to finish it into a stocking.   The side view picture shows the depth and nap of the threads.

Think I'll make the cording out of the two greens and add white.  Love working on projects that take no time to complete.  It's just what I needed.

Completed Stitching

Side View

July 11, 2015--Finished the cuff on this beautiful stocking.  Changed the color of the Kreinik cross stitches from gold to a pale green.  Hope it'll work.  Here's a photo of my progress so far.

Stocking Delicate Flowers Through Cuff

Stocking Delicate Flowers Through Cuff Closeup

July 6, 2015--My local ANG chapter, Delaware's Seashore Chapter, is stitching Pat Mazu's Delicate Flower Stocking from the 2003-2004 Chapter Project Book.  I've got everything together and ready for the class today.  The threads chosen are from my stash and even though not the traditional holiday colors, I think they'll be lovely (I love all greens with a touch of blue in them).

Delicate Flowers Stocking Project Photo

Thread Selections

This is the first post in over a month--was fishing with DH in Canada and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I love being on the water and DH makes fishing so easy for me--he baits my hook and takes the fish off the hook.  All I have to do is reel it in, and that's where all the fun is.  The lakes were so beautiful.

Fishing at Lost Lake Wilderness Lodge, Ontario, Canada

A Star in the Meadow Stocking - Updated 3/5/21

March 5, 2021--Finally finished this project into a stocking ornament.  This is the second stocking made using a technique I wrote about here.   It's definitely a learning process and some of what I learned can be transferred to flat ornaments.  For example, finger pressing the canvas seam allowance into place, then ironing it flat so it can be used as a mounting board template is a great technique for odd shaped ornaments.  I'm still on the fence about hand sewing together the canvas front to the fabric back, but I'll give it a try with flat backed ornaments rather than gluing them together as I would normally do (hand sewing is a necessity for working up stockings though).  

Stocking Star in the Meadow Finished Front

Stocking Star in the Meadow Finished Back

Below is a photo of the cording I used which was purchased from Michaels Arts & Crafts.

Stocking Star in the Meadow Cording

February 9, 2017--My ANG chapter, Delaware's Seashore Chapter, had a class led by our incomparable Geri W. on stitching Pat Mazu's stocking called A Star in the Meadow.   This was a free download (click here) made available by ANG Needle Pointers Magazine.  Due to the bargello or florentine stitches over multiple threads, this was a very quick finish.  Too bad the shiny Swarovski Bicones don't show well in the photo.  This is the third Pat Mazu project I have ready to finish into a stocking.  They make darling ornaments.

A Star in the Meadow Stocking

Stocking Brocaded Elegance - Updated 2/26/21

February 26, 2021--Finished this ornament into an opened top, lined stocking with the help of two YouTube videos done by "starkeart" and can be found by clicking on Part 1 and Part 2.  Her technique is different from other stocking finishers and I personally like it a lot.   There is more hand sewing than I'm used to, but it's necessary in putting the stocking back and front together.  However, I chose to glue the Kumihimo cording around the stocking rather than hand sew it because my arthritic fingers couldn't take any more hand sewing.  The embroidered initials and year on the stocking back were done on my Bernina 1530 which is a garment sewing machine, not an embroidery machine, so I'm lucky it does this much.

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Completed Front

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Completed Back

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Completed Showing Lining

Kumihimo Cording for Stocking Brocaded Elegance

February 19, 2021--The Northern Virginia Chapter of ANG worked this beautiful stocking designed by Pat Mazu as a chapter project at their February meeting.  Even though I was unable to attend the Zoom meeting that night, I decided to stitch it up using colors from my thread stash.  The instructions can be found in the January, 2019 issue of ANG's NeedlePointers Magazine, and is a very quick stitch.  Now off to my craft room to finish this into a stocking ornament.

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Completed

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Completed Side View

The instructions called for a Swarovski teardrop pendant crystal, but I used a very dark blue pendant leftover from another of Pat Mazu's projects that I stitched called Sapphires and Sparkles
Perfect.

Below is a copy of the stocking as shown in the magazine.  Mine looks very different stitched in monochromatic colors.

Stocking Brocaded Elegance Designed by Pat Mazu Project Photo

Pinwheel Christmas Ornaments - Updated 8/19/18

August 19, 2018--The three projects completed in 2014 (see below) have now all been turned into ornaments.  The small stocking, the first stocking I've ever "finished",  was a bit of a problem because I tried to sew it using "dressmaker" techniques.  Big mistake--too many layers to turn and the top was a mess, to put it mildly.   The next stocking I plan to finish is larger and I'll try the technique recommended by Pat Mazu.

The round pinwheel ornament below was part of my ANG chapter's ornament exchange in 2014 and the small square pinwheel ornament hangs on my tree at Christmas.

Pinwheel Stocking Completed Front

Pinwheel Stocking Completed Back

Pinwheel Round Ornament Completed Front

Pinwheel Round Ornament Completed Back

Completed Square Ornament Completed Front

Completed Square Ornament Completed Bck

August 21, 2014--Finished stitching this CyberPointers July project designed by Pat Mazu.  Really fun and fast to stitch and loved using up some of my stash.  Can't wait to learn how to finish the two ornaments and stocking--lessons coming up at the September meeting.

Thread Choices for the Pinwheel Stocking and Ornaments
 Picture taken from my Threads Inventory blog post

August 5, 2014--ANG's online CyberPointers Chapter offered Pat Mazu's pinwheel ornaments as their July stitching project.  There are three to choose from--a mini stocking, a round ornament and a square ornament.  Pat will instruct us how to finish these ornaments during the September meeting.  I've decided to stitch all three, choosing threads from my stash.

My First Christmas.....Stocking

August, 2009.  This is an ANG chapter project designed by Pat Mazu.   Love the blues.