2019 FanU Holiday Project

I am excited to offer this Silk Stocking Needle-book for this year’s FanU Holiday Project!

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When I saw this adorable silk stocking needle-book, I knew it would be a delightful option for this year’s project. To make it extra fun, I am sharing directions on how to make the original needle-book as well as a smaller pin-keep and ornament.

The original needle-book is larger than most needle-books, being 7 1/4″ from foot to calf (18.2cm) 3 13/16″ from toe to heel (9.7cm), and 2 15/16″ across the calf (7.4cm). The foundation is two layers of thin pasteboard for each the front and back. The exterior is covered in a blue on blue clouded silk taffeta in a large floral motif. The interior is a tissue taffeta in solid pinkish-red. The edges are bound in tiny whip stitches worked in red thread. The two wool needle-pages are quasi-polygons with the front edge slightly curved. Both pages are bound with an irregular blanket stitch worked in red thread. One of two thread hinges remains at the ankle. I believe the other was previously at the back of the calf. Three bows remain on the needle-book: at the back of the ankle, at the front of the ankle, and at the top of the calf. A fourth may have once been at the top of the front calf as well. Each bow consists of two ribbons: a yellow and red/orange underneath and a black on top.

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Closer looks at some details:

This damaged corner shows a few things. It let me see just how thin the pasteboard is on this piece. I do suggest we use the fairly standard pasteboard most of us have on the backs of notebook. There is a thicker version I like for boxes, but that would actually be too thick for this project. Along the edge of the fragment piece, you can clearly see the whip stitch used for binding the exterior and interior fabrics.

This interior corner shows the binding whip stitch as well. This gives a good view of the blanket stitch on the wool needle- pages. This photo also emphasizes the curves this stocking shape has. I think these curvy lines are what make this shape so appealing.

This close-up shows how each bow is really two bows stacked on top of each other. I rather like how the use of a two color ribbon gives the suggestion of three ribbons.

The Project:

Please download this PDF for directions on making the original size needle-book, a smaller 4″ pin-keep, and a 4″ ornament. You will need your copy of Fanciful Utility to do this project.