*Closed* Tutorial Thursday: Mario Stocking and Giveaway!

Can you believe it? It's less than a week til Christmas! December has just flown by.

Here's what we're going to be making today!

I don't even have a tree up yet (haven't decided if I feel its worth it when I'm going to be moving 5 days after Christmas.), but I really wanted to make/do something Christmassy before December ended.


I have been a busy busy bee this last week or so:

• Packed all of my nonessential stuff (I think...I always forget something)
• Went on a Joann's run and got enough supplies for at least 4 or 5 posts
• Visited my final apartment choices and collected a ton of data. I had information sheets/list of questions written for each place and people were impressed with my level of organization. The cutting lady at Joann's was too. I just like to be thorough. 
• Saw the Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. Loved it. 
• Half completed a commission for a friend a Christmas present for his girlfriend.
• Major blog planning. I've got some great ideas for interesting series'.
• Worked on this tutorial/collaboration! Just for you guys!

Perfect segway, right? Onto the tutorial!

Supplies:

 

1. 1/3 yd green fleece
2. 1/3 yd black fleece
3. Various colors of felt (I used blue, yellow, brown, and a little red)
4. Various Paints (Fabric, Puffy, Acrylic)
   
   • Black
   • Blue
   • Red/Green (Depending on the brother you choose)
   • White (Fabric)
5. Paint Brushes
6. Scissors
7. A little bit of ribbon (Red)
   Not Pictured:
8. Printer
9. Cardstock
10. Patterns (Stocking* & Gingerbread Men)

*You'll have to adjust your settings to print the stocking pattern full size. It should open in PDF, select print and under "Page size and Handling" choose Poster!


Step 1: Cut out your main stocking piece and cut a copy of it out of the green fleece.

Step 2: Cut the dotted line on the stocking pattern, you should now use the top part (The rectangle) and cut a copy of that also out of green fleece. You do need to add a 1/4 inch seam allowance though, just as it says on the pattern.

Step 3: Now use the bottom of that pattern piece you just cut (the sock shape) and cut a copy of that out of black. Again, dont forget to add an extra 1/4 inch at the top.

Step 4: Now cut out the larger of the two rectangular pieces included in the pattern. Cut out two copies of it in green, this is going to be our cuff.

Step 5: Cut out the smaller rectangle in the pattern and cut 1 copy of it out of green as well. Fold it in half.

Step 6: Pin the green top section of the stocking to the bottom black section. Right sides facing each other.

Sew a straight line across the top.

Step 7:  Now pin the half green/half black front of your stocking to the all green back of your stocking. Sew all the way around except for the top, that's where the candy/presents go.

Cut a notch at the inward curve to help it keep its shape better

Turned inside out.

 Step 8: Sew the two parts of the cuff together only on the shortest sides. Also sew right across the bottom of the folded tiny rectangle, which makes a tab now.

Step 9: Now comes the slightly complicated part. With your stocking the right way (seams inward) turn the tab upside down and pin in place near the back edge of the stocking. Then turn the cuff part inside out (so the seams are also facing inward, and sort of sandwhich it all together like I have below. It should go stocking, tab, cuff. Now sew around the top edge.

Now fold your cuff over and voila!

You've made a stocking! Now lets decorate it!

There arn't really steps here I'm just going to show you how I painted/glued pieces to my stocking.

Add two white (fabric paint) stripes to mimic the Mario Tunnel

Using some blue felt and black puffy paint, mimic the floor inside the Mario tunnels.

Cut a yellow square out of felt, add a ribbon to the top. Paint on a "?"

Cut your mario out of gingerbread color felt, then "ice" it until you are satisfied.

 Now about that giveaway I mentioned; My friend Katherine and I decided to spread a little Christmas/Holiday cheer this year.

You could win the stocking I just made stuffed with some great clay charms made by Katherine, whose blog is KatalystArt. She is a freshman at SCAD currently and plans on getting her degree in Sequential Art. She is really talented and I'm sure we're all going to be reading her comics someday.

Here's some of my favorite work of hers, if you want to see more, check out her blog or FB page.

The Prizes 

Katherine was kind enough to share a tutorial on how to make her prizes too! Check it out.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

The giveaway ends on Christmas and depending on when the winner gets back to us with their address, could be there before the end of the year.

I hope I'll get to do more work with fellow bloggers in the future and I can't wait to see how this giveaway goes! Is there a particular blogger you also read that you think I'd work well with? Please tell me in the comments!

I hope you guys are all having a great holiday season!

Til Next Time,

RaCh

Also I know my lighting is super all over the place in these pictures but thats because I have limited natural light available, unfortunately. I already know Santa is bringing me a lighting kit though, so I promise there will be a major improvement very very soon.