The Most Precious Stockings

I was a mom with young boys when I got a chance get away for a long weekend ski trip to Salt Lake City with several girl friends. Like any girls’ trip there was some shopping involved. We were near the Mormon Temple downtown and wandered into a gift shop. Way in the back was a quilting section and hanging on the wall were adorable quilted stockings with little bears in different themed settings: a train, a canoe, an airplane, an angel bear...

I had never seen anything as unique as these stockings...and no quilted stocking design since then has topped the detail of these stockings.

The designer, Jodi G. Warner of Hearthsewn, came out with one new stocking design every year. This was before internet shopping or eBay. I used to write her every year for an update on her designs for the year. She had a little printed catalog. One year I found a booth at the Houston quilt show with her patterns but only that one year. I did have a couple of quilt shops in the San Antonio area but as a mom with young kids I didn’t spend a lot of time quilting. Mostly I collected the patterns.

Our move to Alaska really propelled my quilting progress. Both our sons were in school and I was fortunate to be able to be a stay-at-home mom. I would get an hour or two in the afternoons several days a week to work on projects. 

My first Bear stocking.

I was a very good clothing seamstress but without a work place to dress for, my sewing skills were directed to quilting. These patterns were the best introduction to several quilting techniques. Most of the patterns had a section of patchwork, a section of hand appliqué and a section of paper piecing. And since each section was pretty small I could usually finish one part in a sewing session.

I had to make the bears too! I had to make the dress for the bear and her wings. She and the wings are detachable.

An Airplane Bear...one of the family favorites. The bear has a little parachute attached to his back. (Yes...I had to make that parachute. It’s actually just a little backpack...no real parachute.) He sits in a pocket and is easily removed. I used to hang these stockings on our stairway railing and I often found the bear removed and placed somewhere in the garland...that always made me smile. 

Oh my goodness...the fishing bear is such a fun one! The fish are paper pieced. I was so thrilled to find a wire candy cane to use as a fish hook. I managed to find a little plastic fishing pole at a craft store. This bear is wearing a fishing vest. So many details in each stocking.

It was so exciting to have stocking designs that fit in with our new home in Alaska. I had to make red shirt for this bear. 

The mama bear in the kitchen has to be one of my favorites. The cook stove is paper pieced. The mama bear is wearing an apron complete with a front pocket and  she has a big bow on her head. Searching for all the special buttons was always a challenge.

The gardening bear. I was so thrilled to find the perfect mini rake and shovel. I had to make the little gardening glove for the bear to sit in...it has very short fingers.  I think there was a copyright issue with this design as it disappeared from the designer’s inventory by the next year’s stocking release. (Debbie Mumm had a gardening theme of quilting fabrics and projects that looked exactly like the carrot seed pack about the same time this stocking was released.

Every year I anxiously awaited the new year’s design and I was always amazed. There seemed to be no limit on the adorable scale!

A polar bear in an igloo with a quilt...this screams “Alaska!”

I taught a class at a local quilt shop to make the polar bear stocking so I actually made it three times. 

To commemorate the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City she made a skiing bear...and yes...I made those skis. Popsicle sticks that were soaked in water then shaped to dry, sanding to make the tips and then painting and adding ribbon straps.

Some years were a little more simple in design which was appreciated.

The confectionery bear had a new technique. I had to make the lace. I couldn’t find any peppermint candy buttons in the right size for this stocking so it sat in storage for a while until I found the perfect ones.

Oh...and the ballet bear...I had to make a ballet slipper for the bear to sit inside...definitely a big challenge.

A tricky little mitten to make for snowflake bear.

Bear to the Rescue...a return to a traditional design.

The bear that sits in this red bag is in my workshop...I’m referring to it as I make some new bears.

Sometimes a fabric line from the season would be just perfect.

Another year when I thought a current line of holiday fabric was perfect for the stocking design.

And just this year...after aging nicely in my sewing room...I finally made the last two bear stocking designs.

A very detailed motorcycle to appliqué! This one needs a bear too!

Most of this helicopter is paper pieced.

I am making six new bears so I’ve got a little assembly tray ready to stuff legs and arms while I watch tv in the evening. The bear pattern changed about year six of the stocking designs but I had pre made several of the original bears. Of course I like the new bear design better but it is pretty time consuming to make a tiny bear. I will get them done...someday.

There are no more bear stocking designs from Jodi Warner...she moved on to other things. 

I forgot one!

This bear looks like he is barely holding on! As simple as this stocking looks, I remember it being harder than I expected.