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Thursday, October 7, 2010

Nativity Bling

Today I have finished baby Jesus on the Bucilla felt Christmas stocking I have been working on.


I am grateful that I didn't ever have to make costumes for calisthenics or ballet performances. Adding sequins to the stocking is interesting, providing definition and signalling status - but I can't imagine doing thousands, or even hundreds of them. They also catch on any subsequent threads as you embroider around the sequined section.

I can't help thinking how difficult it must be to change a nappy with your own clothes full of bling and the baby's halo shining in your face.

I like the three- dimensional effect, though. The felt layering and progressive stuffing gives quite a sculpting feel to the work.

I am now down to the flowers and leaves - a bit more red and green to off- set the blue and white of Mary.

Friday update: I now have only one poinsettia to go.  It is quite a dazzling tableau. I do like working with the felt - it stretches just a little and shapes easily.
I did a search to find out more about Bucilla, the company that makes these extraordinary stockings. The name is an acronym of it's original name Bernard Ulmann Company Incorporated, Lace, Linen, and Accessories. Bernard Ulmann sold napkins, handkerchiefs, doilies and embroidery designs from a handcart in New York in 1867, opened his only retail store in 1870 and then became a wholesaler.



His family owned the company until 1922 when it became an employee-owned company. Since 1962 it has been owned by the Indian Head Corporation and Greyhound, amongst others. Today it is under the wing of Plaid Enterprises. They still produce a new stockings and ornaments to mark each Christmas. The stockings cover a very wide range of tastes, but there seem to be enough online sellers on unopened kits from many years ago, so it was easy to find what I wanted. I think this one was from 1999.







This is the final product, minus the name, to protect ( a little) the Christmas surprise.

I am pleased with it.

3 comments:

yogi bear said...

Love these.

"Who can Y.Bear be?" I hear you ask.

Jillian said...

You have excellent hearing!

yogi bear said...

Acoustics are excellent here in Yellowstone.