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Thank You!
 We
are incredibly thankful to the many, many individuals and churches that
generously provided gifts for the children, teens, and adults of the San Carlos Apache Nation. Each small gift was a reminder that they are
loved. Over 400 Christmas Stockings were stuffed and distributed
through Arizona Reservation Ministries! People from across the United
States lovingly stitched large stockings. Others provided requested
items from our wish lists or sent gift cards so that ARM staff could
purchase items to make sure everyone received an equitable and usable
gift.
 We
are blessed to have on hand many extra Christmas Stockings for stuffing in 2007!
However, we still need seamstresses—now more than ever! Women from
Chandler Christian Church, in Arizona, added small blankets to their
stocking donations. Several children received these blankets along with their
stockings—they were a huge “hit!” In Native culture, blankets are given,
and received,
as a standard gift at birthdays, retirements, etc. We will need many,
many creative donors to provide over 400 blankets by Christmas of
2007!
So that all are similar, we ask that each blanket measure 45" x 60" and
be made of fleece. How you choose to create that blanket is entirely up
to you! The volleyball team from Morristown High School, in Indiana,
created fun fleece blankets, that were much-appreciated, simply by
"tying" the fringe cut along the edges. We hope that many groups will
have fun with this project, and that each and every child, teen, and
adult that is in need will receive one in 2007.
(Click on any picture to see a larger version.)
What do we need? Simply look at the following lists:
Children's Stocking List
Teen Stocking List
Don't forget the blankets!
All items need
to be at our Globe offices
by November 15, 2008.
Don’t know
what to send? A gift card to Wal-Mart allows us to get items we are
short on as delivery time approaches!
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Calling all
seamstresses!
Although we have the majority of
stockings needed for 2007, we will need well over 400 fleece blankets!
The dimensions need to measure 45" x 60", the fabric needs to be fleece.
From there, let your creativity by your guide! All we ask is that the
fabrics be teen- or child-friendly!
Arizona Reservation Ministries
Christmas Stockings Instructions
Would you like to help us by making Christmas
Stockings? Below are the instruction and patterns you'll need. Feel free to download the pattern for our Christmas
stockings! They are typically constructed of a cotton/poly blend of
Christmas fabric. Others have arrived made from corduroy, velveteen,
etc. We’ll need nearly 750 stockings in 2006…YOUR help would be
appreciated! If you'd like, you can
download
a set of the instructions and patterns for the stockings. (Adobe PDF
file).
All seams are ½ inch. Press fabrics as you go. There will be a cord
run through the casing at the top of the cuff to tie the stocking into a
bag.
Each stocking will consist of the following fabric pieces:
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2 stocking pieces

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1 contrasting cuff piece
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1 cord, 1 yard long
Please refer to the pattern below for cutting the pieces.
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Stitch the stocking
pieces right sides together, leaving the top open. Clip if necessary
and turn.
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With right sides
together, stitch cuff into a tube, leaving opening as marked. Top
stitch seams flat.
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Turn hem twice, ¼ inch
each time, and top stitch. If you have a serger, serge hem, then
turn once, ½ inch, and top stitch.
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Stitch cuff onto
stocking, right side of cuff to inside of stocking, seam of cuff to
the back seam of the stocking. Turn cuff out and over right side of
stocking (it should be right side out now, and the seam should be
hidden inside the casing). Top stitch the cuff down to the stocking,
just below the opening, so it makes a casing to run a cord through.
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Tie the cord to a large
safety pin and feed it through the casing and back out the opening.
Tie knots in each end of the cord so it will not unravel, but DO NOT
tie the two ends of the cord together. They will be tied together
when the stocking is filled.
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Pick up the next stocking
and repeat!
A couple of tricks I found in my 2 years directing
this project for my church:
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A work party to cut out
the stockings is a lot of fun, and it is easier to do the cutting
assembly-line style, and have a lot of people helping. Even some of
the men might get involved—ours did!
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Cutting the cuff fabric
in long strips, sewing it together, then cutting the right length
for cuffs works well and saves fabric. Just lay out the fabrics and
use a rotary cutter, cutting across the width of the fabrics. You
can do several layers at a time, and have someone on a sewing
machine or serger putting them together right there.
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Bundle the stockings by
10’s or 20’s to be sewn by people at home, and hand them out in
bags. Keep a record of who you gave them to, and when. And note when
they return them, and how many they returned, if not all at once.
This method worked best for us, but some groups have had success
with big work parties, so do what works for you.
Thank you for helping with this project. Have fun, and may you be
richly blessed by our Lord.
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