Christmas Stockings for Troops

[maryq]

GP

I made an enlargement of the stocking pattern today at work so I think I'm ready to give it a whirl... you can live without the holly leaves and berries can't you?

Also, last year we had a HUGE BOX of hand warmers at work.. that the manager was trying to get rid of.... IF he still has them laying around I'll see if he'd like me to take them off his hands--if so I'll send what he is willing to give up!

mq

[Georgiapeach]

maryq, that would be FANTASTIC!! (about the hand warmers) I'm not putting hollies and berries on mine, either. If you get the enlargement to the size of the one in the Christmas at Bear's Paw Ranch book, - the measurements that Oasis posted earlier-, would you please post the enlargment percentage for everyone on here? Thanks!

[sunsup]

Me too! I have that book and I like making Christmas stockings. Don't know how many yet, but some for sure.

[debbie510]

I would like to try making the stockings since I didn't have time for the 1st ones.

I printed the free stocking from the QIAD site and enlarged it 150%. It was still too small (7" across & 11" from top to heal). So I think I can just add an inch around the pattern and that will probably work ok. Don't you think so?

I can't start on them until the end of August so are you working toward a deadline for the stockings to get to you?

I feel like it is my "patriotic duty" to help out!!

Debbie

[SusieQ51]

Maryq

You said that you made an enlargement of the stocking. What % did you use? I tried and somehow things didn't work out. Are we to use the measurements given in the "freebie"? I usually am pretty good at this kind of stuff but lately have been having DUH??? type of moments. I was so discouraged the other day, I put the machine and other stuff away.

[CindyB]

GP - Am having the lumber yard here cut me a plexi template of the stocking from the Christmas in Bear's Paw - it'll cost about 12.00 - not bad, 'cause I'm not that handy with a jigsaw, and I'm sure they will do a great job!

PS - it will be done this afternoon!

[maryq]

Ok you guys

I made another enlargement of the stocking pattern at work today. Our copy machine doesn't allow just any setting, so I went to 155% and that seems to be about perfect. It's 9" across the top and a hair over 14" from top to heal. I had to copy it 4 times then cut and tape the pieces together, but it worked.

I'm thinking this will be a great project to use some the of the Christmas jelly roll swap fabrics on! I cut a few extra strips so I might give try it out this weekend! Amoung the million other things I want to get done this weekend!

maryq

[Georgiapeach]

CindyB, thanks for the heads up on that! I told DH about it and he said we'd have a template cut for me this weekend, too. Boy, that will be so nice since we're making so many stockings!

Mary, thank you so much for posting the info on enlarging the pattern! And the jelly roll swap is PERFECT for this, huh?!

I've ordered some rolls of 90" wide x 40 yds. of warm-n-natural batting. Going to make a roller for it sorta like a giant paper towel holder. Our employee who's been out will be back next week and she wants to be part of this, too. It will be good for her to have something fun to work on right now and be involved. We're going to make it a priority next week, probably later in the week, to get some final details made and all the info we need for our part of this. I will keep you updated. We'd like to send as many stockings as we can. grammy, find out what you can about your friend's son in Afghanistan and we'll see if we can't pursue that route, too. SharonMamaw's son is stationed at Ft. Stewart and we're going to pursue that, as well. Also, our employee knows several of her daughter's friends who are in Iraq from south Ga. units, too. I say we try to reach as many troops as we can, and especially loved ones of our forum friends! Ya'll help me make the stockings and I'll get 'em filled and sent. Actually, I'm turning that part over to our Gen. Mgr. and my DH....I just want to sew and order stuffers, I don't like to mess with the other details! LOL!

[IowaGal]

I can tell you that at Al Asad, at least, there are 4-6 guys to a room. (they call it a can) and it gets gadawful cold at night in the winter. I would put the hangers on.. there are a lot of rodents and I don't think the like to keep things on the floor and there isn't much storage room, so they hang up a lot of stuff. At Al Asad, the rooms look like this: If these photos don't inspire you to participate, i have some really scarey ones...




This was from his first deployment




this is the heat

[Cathy32078]

GP I am worried that you may not have enough Warm N Natural hon! LOL Are you covering all of Atlanta? Geez that is a lot of warm n natural. How many Rolls did you order? I have some from last yr that I will use on my Stockings too.