Know someone who has everything–a Christmas problem child? Why not make a mitt to hang on her tree? She will cherish it year after year.

Tuck a handkerchief or lipstick inside–or just a card with a greeting; or make the glasses case or envelope for stockings, something to use the year around.

To make the patterns, enlarge the chart letting each square equal one inch.

Mitt (A): Cut mitt from red felt. The heart and cuff band are dubonnet felt. Cut two small leaf shapes of dark green felt, make the long middle leaf chartreuse. Cut two mitt shapes (include length of cuff) of red tarlatan for the lining and back of mitt.

Use ordinary colored cotton thread or embroidery floss for the embroidering and a variety of stitches will give it interest. Use a feather stitch in dark green for thumb line, and two dark leaves could be feather stitched in chartreuse, while the chartreuse leaf might be chain stitched in dark green. A chain stitch of bright red is used on the heart.

For outlining heart use gold cord (this can be bought in needlework departments of variety or dry goods stores.) Sew the gold cord to the felt with gold sewing thread. Brighten the cuff of the mitt with gold cord as shown in drawing.

Sequins are placed as suggested; sew a bright bead in a contrasting color on top of sequin to hold it to the felt. After decorating front of mitt, attach tarlatan lining and back. They are sewed to the front piece with red yarn in whipping stitch all around. At cuff, whipstitch lining to felt piece and then across single edge of back, leaving an opening.

Glasses Case (B): Cut top and bottom patterns from dubonnet felt. The heart is bright red felt; the flowers are chartreuse; leaves medium green. For sewing on the gold cord and using embroidery stitches, follow suggestions given in making the mitt. White beads at the petal tips of the flowers will brighten the design. After the front is finished it will look better if it is sewed 1/4-inch in from the edge–all the way around–on the sewing machine; then baste back on and sew around the long way between the X’s as indicated on pattern, leaving one end open for glasses to slip in. It is finished after the edge is trimmed with pinking scissors.

CASE FOR STOCKINGS or handkerchiefs can be made using the same design with the same colors of felt, or use any felt scraps available.

The model pictured is made of a white felt piece 6 1/4 inches wide by 14 1/2 inches long. A pastel taffeta lining is catch-stitched into the pocket part and on the inside of flap after decorating is finished. The bottom part folds up 5 inches from the end and is machine stitched up sides to make pocket. A snap fastener is sewed at lower edge of flap and at corresponding position on pocket. The lower edge of flap is pinked for a finish.

Download Pattern Here (jpg)

Source: The WorkBasket, 1954

Date Added: Nov 29, 2008

Here are a few templates for a variety of holiday goodies from the 1950s. Click each pattern to view the larger jpg file and save to your desktop.

Template #1: Santa Claus, Christmas Tree, Snowman With Hat, Pixie Boot, Reindeer

Template #2: Mitts, Horseshoe, Gingerbread Man, Humpty Dumpty. These were included as felt embellishments for the stocking pattern below, but you can use them for whatever project you like.

Template #3: Christmas Stocking

Source: Vintage Patterns From The WorkBasket, 1950s

Date Added: Nov 29, 2008

Yes this is a recipe from THAT Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie series). What a treasure!

Laura’s Gingerbread Recipe:

1 cup brown sugar blended with
1/2 cup lard or other shortening.
1 cup molasses mixed well with this.
2 teaspoons baking soda in 1 cup boiling water
(Be sure cup is full of water after foam is run off into cake mixture).

Mix all well.

To 3 cups of flour have added one teaspoon each of the following spices: ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sift all into cake mixture and mix well.

Add lastly 2 well-beaten eggs.

The mixture should be quite thin.

Bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes.

Raisins and, or, candied fruit may be added and a chocolate frosting adds to the goodness.

Source: hbook.com

Date Added: Nov 29, 2007

Ingredients:

4 cups hot water
4 cups apple juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Powdered juice crystals (red)
Cinnamon sticks

Directions:

• Mix everything together and heat until just to boiling. Boil for one minute then remove from heat. Stir in enough powdered juice crystals to achieve the desired color.
• Serve with cinnamon sticks.

Date Added: Nov 28, 2007

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 cup light cream
1/2 cup broken walnuts
1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter and 1/2 cup cream. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add remaining 1/2 cup cream and cook slowly to hard ball stage (260°F).
• Remove from heat, add vanilla and nuts, pour into greased 8×8x2 inch square pan.
• Mark in squares when part cool, cut when cold.
• Wrap in wax paper, keep in air tight container until serving.

Yield: 36 pieces

Date Added: Nov 28, 2007