Stockings and more stockings

I've been busy with Christmas Stockings.  I am finally done with every one's needlepoint stocking but mine.  They've only been 28 years in the making (give or take as there were long periods where I never worked on them).  I'm glad to have them done in time for Christmas this year.  There was a little snafu in that the finisher put the wrong braid on my husbands and had to redo it.  I took it out of the bag carefully and the braid immediately ripped off.  Seems she was in a big hurry and didn't stitch it down tightly or very close together.  I'm still debating whether or not to fix it myself or take it back to the shop for them to have her redo it.  I'm not very happy with it.

The two knitted socks are blocked and the ends woven in.  I still need to attach the twisted braid that I made at the top of both socks.  They were a Dale of Norway pattern.  I like them but can't recommend the pattern.  The directions and graph don't work at all.  When making decreases it was a free-for-all as to the actual stitches working in pattern (not at all).  So glad to be "almost finished with them".

 I was very happy with the bullion stitches, french knots and crewel stitches I used in the hair and the pom-poms on the elves' hats.  When I started this group of 6 Melissa Shirley hand painted pet it-point canvases 28 years ago, the style was flat continental type needlepoint.  Now stitchers are adding great dimensional stitches.  I made mine the same as the first stocking I did 28 years ago, with just a bit of 3 dimensional stitches on them.  I wanted them all to match.

Let's hope I'm around next year to see my stocking (number 6) hung with the others on the mantel.  That's assuming of course, that I get mine done.  I think I'll start as soon as this year's presents are wrapped.

P.S.  Please excuse the poor quality of lighting in the photos.  It's dark and snowing and there's thunder.  I could not get a better photo.  Maybe I'll try again in ....OH SAY, March.  Winter has definitely arrived here.