Christmas Stockings for Troops

[Georgiapeach]

Cathy, you can't have too many peaches or quilting supplies! LOL!

[Cathy32078]

GP You are so right about that! You willnot get an argument outta me on that one. LOL Isn't it funny how the 2 go together so well? Yesterday I was working up somepeaches too and thought, "When I get finished here I need to go sew for awhile." I am going back to the orchard to get some more this evening or tomorrow. My 3rd trip. LOL

[Georgiapeach]

Cathy, I think the orchards ought to deliver to us! LOL! This a.m. I was reading the manual for my Food Saver and it was telling of different uses for it. Well, a quilter said she used hers to seal up her pieces for quilt blocks to keep them all together! I got a kick out of that!

[mic-pa]

Hi, I hope it is not too late to participate in this Christmas Stocking for the troops. . Of coarse I am behind times as I have no address where to send it. Marge in Pa.

[Cathy32078]

Well there you go! If a Food Saver can also be used for quilting stuff, I think I ought to maybe get one! LOL And yes, I made 2 trips to the orchard today, so I think it is a grand idea to have them deliver to us. It isn't at my back door either. Shoot it is 20 something miles one way. Then I took peaches to my daughter another 1 1/2 hrs of drive time. I'm now labeled as the Peach Fairy by my DD & 5 yr DGS. They were not home so I just left 2 bushels on her porch. She called on the cell to Thank me & the 5 yr old wanted to talk to whoever left the peaches. She told him it was the Peach Fairy. He grabbed the phone and said "Thank You Grandma & I love you for the peaches." LOL That kid knows me too well. LOL

[Georgiapeach]

Ladies, while we're sewing these Christmas stockings, here's an idea. You can make table runners or placemats the very same way. I'm going to make some for gifts for my family and friends while all the strips are out and I'm doing the stockings anyway. You cut the batting the size you want for the placemats or table runners, start sewing the strips in the center and go outward on both sides. You can lay your backing fabric underneath your batting and quilt as you go. Use your walking foot if you have one. Then when you're finished you can put a binding on and you're done. You can add some raw edged or turned applique if you want, too. They make cute quick gifts and while we're working on stockings we can start making a few gifts at the same time. Or...to use for our own holiday table.

[maryq]

Thanks GP for giving me ANOTHER idea of something to do!

I spent most of this evening refolding and sorting all my fabric! When Dear Nephew cleaned his room the other day, he found the stash of fabric I had hidden in his dresser (It was empty for a time while he was on the road) SO I refolded it all, and re-stored into the white plastic crate boxes I have. I had forgotten about some of it!

I still have lots of Christmas fabric left so many tomorrow morning before I work I'll start cutting it in strips for socks and placemats! Oh dear, when I am going to find the time for placemats. AH HA!! a good project for a trip to the cabin!

m

[CaroleJ]

Georgiapeach, I would like to get in on this as well. My two girls and I had fun making stockings for Iowagal's exchange, and all of us would like to do more! The larger size will make it easier for the girls to put together, too.

Keep us posted about deadlines for us to get the "socks" (wink, wink!) sent out to you.

Carole

[grammy65]

I have sent out an e-mail to my quilting friends to see if any of them want to make some socks. Called the glass place in Rapid and they will cut a template for me for only the cost of the plexiglass since it is for the troops. They usually charge $25 to cut something. I have a friend who is going to come over one day and we are going to assembly line sew. Do the socks have to have the strip or crazy quilt design? I could make a lot more a lot faster if I could just use Christmas fabric for the front and do a little quilting on it. Would that be OK? I will do the strips if that is what you want. Sure am anxious to get started. My friend and I are meeting today to discuss our strategy....dummm de dum dum!!!!! Sounds like a covert mission!!!!

[Georgiapeach]

grammy, that sounds perfect! I have some large scale Christmas fabric that is just too gorgeous to cut into strips, so I'm going to make a few that aren't the strip stockings, too. I say we have fun with these and everyone do their own thing with them. Our troops are going to feel the love we're putting into these, and that's what will speak volumes. Have fun, get as creative as you want!

CaroleJ, that is great! Children love being involved in projects like this and I think it teaches them a lot in the process, things that make an impression on them and that they will remember all their lives.

My rolls of batting arrived today, 90"x40 yds., I got (3) 9' bookcases put on one wall of my office and it is loaded with Christmas fabric, my cutting table and machines are set up, I put a portable clothes drying rack by the machines to hold different sizes and strips of fabric so I can just grab-n-sew.....I'm getting excited!!! SharonMamaw's son was home on leave from Iraq and just left to go back. He is going to put us in touch with who we need to talk with over there, and then we'll find out the particulars about this. We'll find out exactly what they want in their stockings, and then we'll fill 'em up! I'm thinking the deadline to get stockings to us will probably be in late October. When I find out all the details I'll let ya'll know right away. Ya'll can send a Christmas card or postcard with your stocking if you'd like. Remember, we shouldn't send anything religious in the cards or the fabric, I've been told that may cause problems with the pkgs. getting delivered. Woo-hoo, this is really getting exciting!!!