Handmade Santa

 If you looked at my previous finished piece on my blog you'll find the tapestry I just finished on the 17th of November. I planned on starting my Christmas cards but instead I purchased a Santa pattern to make some Santa dolls. These Santas are 9" tall.
 I started making Santa dolls the afternoon on the 20th of November and now 5 days later I have 5 dolls finished. Two of those days last week, I was gone all day.
 The dolls were made with good quality muslin. I had a piece of vintage red wool felt to make the coats and hats. I wish I had more of this vintage material.
 I looked at a few places to buy wool for the beard and hair but didn't find any at three craft stores. I know I have some but with my back like it is now, I didn't look through my stash.
I used double sided tape and glue to apply the yarn I found at Joann's for hair and beard for my Santa dolls.
 I painted the dolls arms, legs and face with gesso. A portion of the legs were painted with Dina Wakley Night paint to look like boots. I used a watered down Dina Wakley magenta scribble sticks over the gesso on face.
 I sewed on a small jingle bell on each hat, this size of bell was purchased at HL in Christmas area. White felt from HL was cut using a ruler and rotary cutter. I wish they had what I used years ago on my larger Santas.
 Everything was made using needle and thread except the beard. I have a Bernia sewing machine but it wasn't used to make my Santa Dolls.
Update: I finished a total of 9 Santa Dolls before Chirstmas. I've kept one for myself. The last 6 I tied a black ribbon around their waist to make it look like a belt.

                                                  Thanks for looking and have a nice day!

Wool Tapestry Stocking For My Mother

I started working on this Bucilla stocking from a tapestry kit the first of August 2018. I didn't think it was possible to finish before Christmas this year. I was making the stocking for my dear mother. I was hoping to finish before October when we celebrated my mothers 93 birthday.

I took the first photo August 18, 2018, as you can see I hadn't added that much wool yarn. It's slow going. The finished stocking is 18" long. 

Mom said she didn't want her name on it. I worked on this stocking nearly every day. With my eyesite like it is now, I had to use a magnify glass for every stitch. This was my first tapestry. I had to purchase a stretching frame made for tapestry work. As I started working on the tapestry I noticed I would run out of some colors. I found a business in Oklahoma City for more yarn. I purchased two colors of red, two colors of yellow and two colors of green. I had some leftovers of green and yellow. 

November 17, 2018 I finished the stocking and took this finished photo. In a few days we will be taking the stocking to my mother. I lined the stocking with padding and black fabric. The back is black felt. I finished the stocking by hand stitching.