Bucilla 18-Inch Christmas Stocking Felt Applique Kit, 86199 Football Santa

I never write detailed reviews like this, but I figured after spending so much time on this stocking I might as well share what I learned. So, this year, I decided I would finally make my husband a personalized stocking. I wish I had started a month earlier than I did, because I finally finished three weeks after Christmas. It took me at least 40 hours over the course of a month and a half to complete. I have very basic sewing skills. I can sew a button, fix a hole, haphazardly hem something. When I started reading the directions I really thought I was in over my head, so I was very happy I finished and with how it turned out. I spent at least 30 minutes reading and rereading the directions before I even felt confident enough to start. As I was going though, understanding the directions became easier.As you can see I changed the design. I made Santa Black. I used the brown that was included in the kit for the shoes and football for his skin and used a slightly darker brown felt I had for the football. My husband is also a huge Minnesota Vikings fan, so instead of red and green, I made the uniform purple and gold. My husband also used to play football and his number was 21, so I used 21 instead of 25. I didn't love that the person's name would be on that little tag in the original design, so I changed it and put my husband's name where it said "Go Santa". This also makes it match my and my daughters stockings more as our names are large and at the top of the stockings. Because I used the brown for the shoes for the skin, I used black for the shoes. I embroidered the shoes a little differently than the original design and in white because the black on black embroidery didn't have the same effect as the brown on brown embroidery as in the original design. Any time I changed the color of the felt, I cut out the included felt design, laid it on top of my felt and traced it with chalk, then cut out my felt. This lead to some imperfections I think I would not otherwise have, but I managed to fix them well enough I think. For example, Santa's left hip did not line up perfectly and there was a gap, so I sewed in a little triangle of purple felt and stuck a purple sequin on top and I think it looks fine. I did not fringe the snowman's scarf because I didn't feel like it and thought it was fine without. And I didn't give the snowman a pom pom because I could not for the life of me figure out how to make it and I thought it looked fine without. On the back I embroidered a note and the year. The directions include script letters and it says to cut out and use a photocopier to size the letters to fit, then you're supposed to put the paper letters on the felt and sew through the paper and tear away the paper. I didn't feel like doing all that, so I took a skinny felt tip black marker and wrote directly on the white felt then embroidered over it. I also sewed a lining into the back of the front of the stocking so there wouldn't be thread and knots and stuff just there in the stocking.Pros:- I thought the quality of the felt was fine. I used different felt for the changes I made was not as good of quality as the felt included in the kit.- I thought most of the lines matched up well.- My kitchen scissors (I know I'm the worst, I use them for everything) worked fine to cut the felt, but I would recommend fabric scissors.- It was very helpful to look at the picture that is included in the kit.- I feel like the stocking is pretty sturdy.- There were plenty of extra glass beads and sequins, which was great because a lot of sequins were faded and unusable, some of the glass beads were broken and I dropped and lost many glass beads in the process.Things I would change and I will reach out to Bucilla about:- It would be great if any stocking that includes a person, could include different options for skin colors.- The stocking should really come with a lining. I used muslin.- I wish there was a better system for the thread that is included in the kit. I basically ended up with a ball of thread and hoped it wouldn't become one big knot as I pulled out the color I needed.- Some of the directions could be more clear. I could not make the pompom, nor could I find anything online to figure out how to do it. I also did not understand how to make a french knot based on their directions, but luckily I found a great video online, even though my french knots still have a lot to be desired.If I were to do this again, I would have given myself much more time, and would have watched more videos on the different techniques, types of stitches, etc. before beginning. I am very happy with the final product though.

I made this stocking for my new son in law. I’ve been making these for my children and their spouses for years. This is one of the most time consuming ones I’ve ever made. The finished product was very cute!

This is my first one of these. It took me less than a month, but several hours a day. I am on maternity leave and was rushing to get it done before the baby is born. I do have some experience embroidering and sewing. I think it would have been a little overwhelming if I was a complete novice.I put his name in the boot as someone else suggested. I just felt it made it more personal to him instead of having a tag hanging on the side. I also followed a YouTube video to make a lining. This way the string are covered and the inside could be hand cleaned if candy gets stuck in it. I removed the pompom and scarf fringe. I was afraid it would unravel and not last through the years. My husband had his since he was a baby and I was hoping our son could do the same.Some of the directions were weird. Stuffing the snowman left leg and the chin guard when they are covered made for some weird lumps. My personal preference was to attach the top felt to the piece underneath where most of the direction had you build the pieces up from base to top. I don’t think one way is wrong I just found easier for me to do a consistent stich that way. Otherwise I am pretty happy with it.

The Football Santa stocking was the first of this kind of craft I have ever done. I expected it to be simple felt & glue but it is not. It involves embroidary & lots of delicate, tiny work. But I loved it! I am now doing a different stocking for each member of my family. That makes these stockings great gifts - you can choose a different design to fit every member on your Xmas list. The Football Santa was great for my nephew because he plays football. I even changed the Santa's jesey number to match my nephew's. This craft is very involving - but I love spending hours lost in the details. Yet it's not too difficult for beginnersw. I had not done any embroidary for years, since college, yet I was able to catch on easily. There are very detailed instructions & you can always find how-to videoes on You Tube if you just can't figure out the stitch from the instructions. I love the 4 stockings I've already done & look forward to doing the 4 others I have yet to finish.

If a beginner recommend starting two or three months early. This is my 8th kit took me 2 weeks to assemble. Recommend lining the stocking to keep threads from breaking when filling the stocking. Embroidery the pieces first before cutting out be careful not to embroidery to close to the edge that needs cutting. Apply in the embroidery applique pieces first, than and add the beads and sequences. Didn't use the name tag add name to toe area of the stocking.

My husband and I both have one of these stockings from when we were little and we love them! So I decieded to get this pattern for my son and the Sugar Plum Fairy for my daughter. Day 3 and I am 1/2 finished. There are so many small details to hand sew and applique it takes hours to complete one section of the artwork. But... it is also addicting! I can't seem to ever put it down! The instructions are great and the kit has everything you need... but you do need stuffing and scissors. I ordered them from Amazon on Thursday and they were here by that Saturday. We have 12 weeks before Christmas and I think I will have plenty of time to finish the Football Santa and the Sugar Plum Fairy and maybe even make one for my sister's little boy.