It is Day 3 of the 2022 Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange, and today is my day along with six other bloggers - see below for a list of others participating today and tomorrow. A big thank you to Carol at Just Let Me Quilt for hosting this annual fun event! Today I am sharing rag edged Christmas stockings and two recipes, so grab a cup of hot cocoa and come on in!
Rag edged Christmas stockings for my daughter and The Littles!
My daughter often sparks my creative juices, and she recently asked me if I could make Christmas stockings like some she had seen on Amazon. This is her first Christmas as a single Mom, and I know she wants to make Christmas as homey and fun for The Littles as she possibly can, so I said "Yes I can make those for you!"
Stockings pictured on my 2021 SAHRR quilt
The company that carries the stockings is Jubilee Fabric. They also sell homespun fabric, so I ordered a yard of each of Jenni's choices, downloaded a pattern, and got busy.
I cut two pieces each for the front and back, sewed a piece of batting in between each, then quilted a simple crosshatch using variegated King Tut Holly and Ivy by Superior Threads.
I have never made a rag edged quilt and was glad to find instructions on their website on how to fray their homespun fabric. Front and back were sewn together with 5/8 inch seams. I clipped the edges with scissors every 1/2 inch, taking care not to cut into the seam. The instructions were to launder the stocking in order to agitate the edges to fray. I was nervous about the fabric shrinking too much, so I only wetted the edges and tossed the stockings into the dryer on delicate. There are still some un-frayed pieces, but all in all the edges frayed pretty well, and it has the "rag" look I was seeking. They were so easy to make!
I bought three designs of 1" wooden buttons, and one will be sewn on each stocking after my daughter decides which of the three she likes best. She will hang a wooden initial letter on each button, and I hope to post an updated photo with them on her fireplace mantel!
Chocolate Toffee Bar
Today I am sharing a toffee bar recipe I first made in 2012. I found the recipe on Lynda's Recipe Box and showed my husband the photo. Twenty minutes later they were in the oven - lol! These bars have a buttery crust and a layer of caramel in between the crust and the chocolate topping. The original calls for 1 cup of chocolate chips but I use the whole 12 oz package (of course!). If you do not use salted butter (my preference in baking), be sure to add a pinch of salt to the crust and to the caramel. I use dark brown sugar, but you can use light brown sugar.
Chocolate Pecan Toffee Bars
Crust:
2 cups flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup salted butter
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Caramel layer:
2/3 cup salted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
Topping:
1 - 12oz bag milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place crust ingredients in food processor and process until fine crumbs form. Pour into an ungreased 9x13 inch baking pan and pack very firmly and evenly to form crust.
Cook caramel layer ingredients in saucepan over low to medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Pour over crust. Bake 18-22 minutes, until entire caramel layer is bubbly. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips. Let set for 2-3 minutes, then spread melted chocolate chips with knife or offset spatula. Sprinkle with chopped pecans, pressing nuts gently into chocolate. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Hash Brown Casserole
I decided to share a "savory" recipe too, just in case you need something to balance the sweet! If you want a good breakfast casserole for Christmas morning, this cheesy crumb-topped one is your recipe - it is tried and true at my house. You can find the recipe here on my Recipes page. I have made it for my family and for large crowds at church, and every last bit is always scraped out of the pan. We like it with sausage - my favorite is maple sausage - but it is good without meat too.
Click on these links today and tomorrow and see some fun Christmas projects and recipes! I've already found so much squirrel-spiration and yummy recipes!
Texas Quilt Gal - that's me!
Pinker
n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching
December 8
Remembering Pearl Harbor December 7, 1972
Very cute stockings! I will have to try your breakfast casserole for Christmas morning. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Linda. Your stockings turned out fabulous. They frayed perfectly and look so country which is just my style. Lol. We must have been on the same wavelength for I am sharing Pecan toffee bars. The addition of chocolate and brown sugar sounds divine .
ReplyDeleteThe bars sound delicious! My problem is I have no resistance if there is caramel in a bar cookie. I'm going to check out the breakfast casserole. I make a Christmas breakfast for our family, time to add a new dish!
ReplyDeleteYour stockings are so cute. I'm anxious to see them with the embellishments you mentioned. I will keep watch for that. Thanks for the recipe- chocolate! YAY! Oh, and thank you for the savory recipe too!
ReplyDeleteThose plaid rag stockings have that country-feeling to them. Simple, yet sweet.
ReplyDeleteLovely stockings, Linda and the Chocolate Toffe Bar looks so Yummy! Thanks for the receipe.
ReplyDeleteI love the look of homespuns. They really speak to me at the holidays. Your stocking will be loved and cherished for years to come. Your toffee bars look incredible!
ReplyDeleteLovely homespun stockings! Thanks for the recipe they look yummy.
ReplyDeleteI love those stockings, Linda. I look forward to seeing them hanging with the initials on your daughter's mantle! Your recipes both sound scrumpdelicious!! I've saved them both. I'll modify one so DH will eat it!! Thanks so much for sharing!
ReplyDeleteIf I hadn't already eaten breakfast you would have made me so hungry! They sound very delicious. Homespuns still make for a cozy look, you are a good mama to whip those right up:)
ReplyDeleteThose stockings are adorable, Linda! What a fun way for your daughter and the littles to have a fresh Christmas start in their new home. I love the buttons you sewed on to personalize them, too. Yum on the toffee bars, and the hash brown casserole! Your recipe has some ingredients I haven't seen in others and I bet that makes them extra good!
ReplyDeleteYour stockings are so cute - I hadn't ever thought of making them raw edged, such a great idea! Those recipes both look so good!
ReplyDeleteThose stockings are great and how sweet of you to jump right in! I love the bars - toffee is one of my downfalls (there are so many ha ha). The savory dish looks lovely too!
ReplyDeleteThe stockings are just darling. I am definitely going to have to make that chocolate pecan bar. Those sound delicious.
ReplyDeleteLove the homespun stockings! Thanks so much for the recipes, they look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI love the fluffy edge to your stockings, they are so cute. I also love toffee but have problems making it. Your recipe sounds perfect - maybe I can make them without a flop, too. :) Potatoe casserole for our family celebration is a staple. Merry Christmas.
ReplyDeleteThis is so clever, thank you. I will be trying the frayed edge stockings very soon.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
DeleteRag stockings are a brilliant idea and yours look amazing! I love those buttons and hanging initials off them is a cool way to identify who it belongs to. The toffee bars are over-the-top amazing looking. Yum! Thanks for sharing your Christmas goodies with us!
ReplyDeleteThose toffee bars look delicious. I just copied the recipe and I am going to make then this weekend at my families bake off!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda! Oh, those stockings are so pretty! I have stockings on my list to make but I never thought about a raw-edge version. Those buttons and an initial will just push these cuties right over the edge to delightful. LOVE them. Your cookie recipe is a favorite of mine and the hash brown casserole is in the oven right now, as I type this! I can highly recommend both!! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteI love these stockings! I have only made burp cloths using this method, but I love how it makes the stockings look homespun. And thank you for the sweet and savory recipes. Yum!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful share both the project and recipes. Great instructions for both! Thank you so much for all that you do and share. Truly inspiring.
ReplyDeleteThank you Peggy! I hope you are enjoying your week - I need to get over to your blog and see what goodness you have shared. :)
DeleteI love the care you're putting into the stockings. There's something about choosing the right button... You'd think it would take a second, but we do tend to linger over buttons. I was doing that just today (with my grandson's superhero cape... I went with the green square one, buy the way.).
ReplyDeleteA grand slam! The cutest stockings ever!!! They are just what our son's fireplace needs. And Chocolate Pecan Toffee bars, oh my!!!! We all like chocolate and caramel here. Breakfast casserole is a favorite of our son's also. He always took it to Christmas morning breakfast when he was in AZ , where his daughter and littles are. He'll make it here too! I'll suggest Maple Sausage. That sounds wonderful!
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!
Those are such wonderful stockings, and you made it look so easy. I might try that with some plaid shirts I got at the thrift store. The buttons are a perfect idea.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, as long as the shirts are homespun the ragging should work. At least that's what I've read. I haven't actually tried it on "normal" cotton fabric, but it does seem like there should be some fraying, right? Good luck, and thanks for visiting!
DeleteThe homespun stockings are really cute. The raw edges look perfect with those fabrics. The toffee bars do look tasty- thank you for the recipe.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Danice! Hope you are having a wonderful week!
DeleteI really like those stockings. The rag edges are a great idea--really makes them look "homey." That toffee and the potato casserole both make my mouth water. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, I love hash brown casserole!! And those stockings are just darling. The buttons make them even more adorable.
ReplyDeleteWell thank you so much!
DeleteMerry Christmas! The stockings look fabulous, and I probably need to try out your recipes too. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sharon!
DeleteYour plaid stockings are just adorable! Thanks so much for those recipes too Linda. Delicious!
ReplyDeleteSuch sweet stockings!!! they will be loved - and cookies and hashbrowns!! my kind of eating haha!!
ReplyDeleteThose stockings look nice and cozy! I liked the fringed edges. And thanks for the recipes!
ReplyDeleteThank you Leah!
DeleteLove the stockings and yummy recipe. They are perfect for this hop. I’m sure the raggy stockings will be used and enjoyed for many years. 😉 Carol @ Quilt Schmilt
ReplyDeleteThe stocking will certainly make the holidays very special for her and the little ones. The toffee bars are calling my name, I will have to make them without nuts though (allergies). If I show my husband your casserole, he will want it for breakfast every weekend! Thanks so much for the recipes. The remembrance photo is very evocative.
ReplyDelete-Soma