Labor of Love

When I was a wee chap, my mother had this hare-brained idea of cross-stitching stockings for all of her darling daughters, as well as for her husband and herself. Now, she didn't simply buy premade stockings and personalize them by cross-stitching the name. Oh, no, she cross-stitched the entire front of the stocking. Six times over. Each stocking took between one and two years to complete.

13 years ago, she completed mine:

Isn't it lovely?

Well, about a month after Jacob and I got engaged, I got the hare-brained idea of making him a stocking, too. I informed my mom of my wishes, and lo and behold, I received a stocking kit for my birthday.

I toiled away at the stocking. I pulled it out while watching television. I worked on it for hours on the weekend. I even ::gasp!:: stitched away a time or two during sacrament meeting like an old woman might.

Approximately . . .

13 months

34,000 stitches

175 French knots

2 lost needles (one of which was later recovered)

1/3 yard of green velvet fabric

and countless hours later, I came up with this:

I finished it December 23rd. Just in the knick of time, eh?

Of course, I may have fallen into a trap. Because now I'll have to make stockings for my children. Good heavens!