Time to get a KRACK-A-LAK-KIN

OH - MY - GOODNESS.... I just made a trip to BOTH G W's in my area and came home with a pile of sweaters...Now I have got to get Kraken!!!  The Holidays are almost here and I am way behind in my little Stocking Business!!

I found a ton of pastels (which are harder to come by) but make such lovely stockings...that is if I don't shrink them to far!  :0

 I ended up with 17 sweaters....17 Yikes...I don't think there is anyway possible for me to get 17stockings done before Christmas...

But I will try!!
I have goaled myself to get 3 stockings done a week...This may not seem like much to you but they take longer than you might think!

 First of all I have to shrink or felt the sweaters...I then cut out the stocking shape and start my design....No two stockings are alike...That's what I love about making them...The Alien below is a special order for a wonderful customer...She had already purchased two Alien stockings for her babies and now wants one for herself (A Knitting Alien) and one for her Husband (A Tool Guy Alien)....Gotta get started on that one.....

The problem is...I'm somewhat of a moody artist...and I seem to be in more of a fall mood....so instead of making what I needed too...

I started working on a squirrel stocking....I wonder where I got the inspiration for this one?  :)

These pictures show you how I "build" a stocking...I have an idea in my head and just start cutting the shapes out of felted sweaters...I lay them out on the stocking adding and rearranging as I go.  When I like what I have, I pin it and start stitching...almost always by hand. 

For the cuffs I hit my stash of yarn laying different colors at the top of the design until I find the perfect combination...I then knit and it too is hand stitched to the top of the stocking.

Well that's where I'm at and why this post is so late.  :)
Anyone else in a "Pre-Holiday Panic" like me...
I would love to here from you and find out your managing to get it all done!!
Denise