This year I hosted the Christmas Challenge for my guild, Citrus Belt Quilters. It was a stocking challenge, the quilter could choose any size, fabric, style or technique. (Can you tell that I’m not too big into complicated rules and regulations?)

This is my sample, done in wool felt on my Huskystar needle-felting embellisher machine. It’s decorated with yarn and Angelina fibers, and I hand-embroidered the front and back together with variegated pearl cotton, blanket stitch, my all-time favorite. It was quick, easy and fun to make.

Here are Lois Cowan’s stockings, first place winner for Moonlighters (evening meeting), made from recycled blue jeans. You can put stuff in the pocket on the top stocking as well as inside.

This is Yvonne Butner’s stocking, third place winner (daytime). The tree is decorated with all the things that cute little kitties dream about.

Phyllis Whitlock’s crazy quilted Texas Cowgirl Boot stocking took 2nd place (daytime). If only boots could really be crazy quilted, what a great thing it would be to wear to Houston!

And finally Kathy Willhoft took first place at the daytime meeting for her pair of beautifully appliqu

éd Christmas stockings. Enjoying eye candy like this is calorie-free!

Many cute stockings were made by guild members and donated to Community Service along with the stockings for the challenge.

I thought stocking ornaments would make appropriate “ribbons” for the winners. When you’re painting crazy quilt stockings and make a mistake, you don’t need a seam ripper to remove the “fabric”. Just paint right over it!

Have a pieceful Christmas and a scrappy new year!