Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Tuesday Tip

Gather your fabric scraps and remnants! Let's make stockings, ornaments and sachets.


Sometime in the 1990's, Martha Stewart got me obsessed with turkey red damask fabric after seeing photos from her house. I went to several flea markets, tag and estate sales hoping to get my hands on a tablecloth or two. I was pretty sure after a long search Martha had already bought up all the good ones!


From my tear sheets...details unknown.

But I finally scored a small one that had holes and was badly stained. I made a little pattern of a stocking that I traced out of my daughter's coloring book! Then I convinced a friend with sewing skills to make these mini stockings.  We were able to do 9 in all. Three for her, three went to another friend and three I kept. I must confess, I wish I had kept them all to hang on a small tree or somehow re-work for place cards!



Fireplace mantle in the A&A master bedroom

The sheer and satin ribbon was added to give them a little something to make them look polished. It's never been changed and has held up well after being packed away each year. These sachets were filled with lavender from Crabtree & Evelyn and still smell great! They could just have easily been turned into ornaments with a ribbon loop. So,  if you happen to have a few yards of favorite fabric or an old tablecloth you love...create something special!

25 comments:

  1. You've inspired me to doing some with my textile remnants!

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  2. i should.
    i have access to hundreds of fabric memo samples at work.

    when they are disco they throw them away.
    we should really send them to someplace.
    they could make quilts!!!

    xxx

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  3. Will have to look through my remnants!
    Cathy

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  4. Always a home for fabric! Always an idea from Martha, Jennifer jennsthreegraces

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  5. Oh my, I have so many large fabric samples that would make wonderful stockings. Such a great idea! You have a lovely blog.

    H.H.

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  6. What a great idea......yours are beautifully done!
    I have tons of fabric, great project!
    xo

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  7. So pretty! I love projects like that. I do need a friend who can sew though. I bought a sewing machine years ago and could hardly sew up four square napkins!
    xoTrina

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  8. I'm a sucker for turkey red too...*&#( that Martha Stewart! ;) I love your sweet stockings!

    Kat :)

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  9. Super idea. I know I have a few scraps that would make many stockings.

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  10. It's all about the fabric! These are really special. Wish you could have kept them all. Guess you'll have to keep scouring those flea markets for some more!

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  11. Lovely Tuesday tip!
    I hadn't considered
    the possibility that
    a not-so-perfect table
    cloth could be remade
    as something else pretty.
    I'll be shopping those
    estate sales a little
    differently now, as I
    love to make lavender
    sachets! These are really
    darling.
    Merry Tuesday!
    xx Suzanne

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  12. Fabulous idea...and I would love to have a fireplace in the Master Bedroom!

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  13. Charming - if only I were that handy!!

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  14. cute as a button-and just perfect for the holiday!

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  15. You are so clever! So have filled them with lavender would be wonderful & what great gifts too.

    Sending you holiday cheer xx

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  16. I too love the vintage damask cloths in red. There is something both homey and sophisticated about the fabric and I like using it in Christmas decor.

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  17. Beautiful! Homemade stockings are some of my favorite Christmas decorations. I love the idea of making them into homemade sachets too... I think you just solved one of my homemade gift dilemmas! Thank you!!!

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  18. What gorgeous little stockings! Love the fabric also and will have to keep my eyes open for any here, am crazy for the red. The stockings look so cute on your mantle. I still have not finished arranging christmas decorations yet...so many things on at this time of year.

    Have a wonderful day.

    Take care
    Janine
    XXOO
    Tasmania, Australia

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  19. you have a lovely site, happy to find you
    have a lovely day/Marie

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  20. Martha got me one year with stockings made from vintage ingrained carpet remnants. As luck would have it, I was at an antique show a few weeks after I watched her make these beautiful creations and found a divine piece in all the rich colours just tailor made for my family room. I've made two large ones and even had enough left over to fashion one for Edward when he joined the family, and a small one when Apple moved in a couple of months later. That Martha does often have the best ideas!

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