Here are some needlepoint ones I think are cute as a basic idea. http://www.arizonaknittingandneedlepoint.com/Needlepoint_Canvases/xmas_stockings/xmas_stockings.html I like the one of Santa wearing plaid best. (Bigger Image): http://www.arizonaknittingandneedlepoint.com/Needlepoint_Canvases/xmas_stockings/Stocking_Golf_Santa_WEB.jpg Something like this Charlie Brown would work as a pattern: http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us/City_Hall/Peanuts%20on%20Parade/Designs/Design_52large.jpg I'd change CB's face to Santa with plaid clothes and then add a few fun things in the background like palm trees. I think it could be really cute.

If you knit, you could just graph out a stocking, and then apply the 'cute' stuff with duplicate stitch. it shouldn't be hard...just get some graph paper and make each square a stitch..then make a pattern of whatever it is is on the stockings (hopefully, it's not to detailed) Duplicate stitch is not difficult to do, and would be, I think, easier that trying to incorporate the design into the actual knitting of the stocking. I can't help but think this stocking would be much more meaningful for your sister if YOU made it for her. You could also 'translate' it by making a stocking of an appropriate white fabric (or, buying a white sweater and cutting the stocking from that material, and sewing it up....then putting the design on with duplicate.

Ashleys X can dethrown my ex who certainly earned father of the year in 2007. I don't want to hijack your post, just share with you my similar experience... When I was 8 months pregnant with my son, his dad quit his job because they wouldn't give him e/o weekend off for his visitation with his then 3 yr old daughter. He didn't work for the next three years. He was a SAHD to our son..Really he had a 3yr vacation to smoke pot and play video games--After 3 years I'd had enough and left. He claimed he couldn't afford to stay and would have to move cross country to live with his parents and of course... I was the worst person in the world for taking his son away from him. So, figuring I'd been supporting us all for 3 years anyway I didn't need him to pay child support. I took the state minimum $25 mo told him to get a job, get on his feet here, and we could reevaluate in 2 years. For 3 years all I heard was how poor he was, how he couldn't afford anything when I took him back to court I found in 2006 he made $47,000 And paid $300 in support-for the whole year! All the while sending my son home in rags that were too small and keeping the clothes he arrived in to refresh his wardrobe there. Sorry, I'm a little off track here..when it came time for modification he gave the first judge a sob story about how he didn't have time to fill out any of the paperwork he'd gotten. He had the same 20 days I did but whatever the judge gave him an extension-but my ex wasn't available to come to court one month later- because he would be on vacation with the kids out of state so the judge gave him two months :) I was hot, but to pacify me the judge ordered he pay $100 for each of those months. DCS distributed it to his daughter-whatever. So 2 months later we show up in court again the judge orders him to pay around $500 and he starts running his mouth about his other children he pays support for....His 18 year old son who he no longers owes support to, and the daughter that he pays $56 month for!!!The judge didn't find that any reason to discount his support to this child so he started complaining about childcare telling the judge that he wants receipts for my daycare expenses because I leave our son with my then 12 yo daughter totally implying that I'm a bad mom. WHAT AN IDIOT!!! Child support and Daycare are two seperate issues here. In the three years we were separated I never asked him for a dime for our son for anything, not daycare, a pair of shoes, not a cough drop and for him to try to smear me infront of a judge got me so angry when the judge ordered $465 for support the state's attorney recommended an incremental increase so I'd get 1/2 for 3 months before I got a full month and I said NO and asked the judge to say NO-she did, then she ordered he pay that full amount back to the day he didn't have his paperwork ready. Then I went home and gathered all my daycare receipts and mailed them in for my 58% reimbursement, and recently DS had an ear infection requiring drops that were not covered by insurance- the cost $73. You bet I sent that receipt to DCS too. Sometimes I feel a little guilty about what I get from him now -- then I remember how hard it was for me all that time on my own, that our son wasn't worth 1% of his 2006 income and I think of him rambling on in court and I feel just fine. And my X has not once since then whined about being poor. I know it sucks to do with less for now, especially in these hard times and I'm sorry. Hopefully in a couple years he'll have a better job and you can modify and he will pay more-in my state it costs more to raise a 12yr. and support is greater.

pfmastin: That is what we used to do with our old matle DH put up which was a Home Depot special. The new one is a painted wood custom mantle so would rather not make any holes for now. jen9, sippimom, and lindybarts: Those 3M Command hooks sounds like just the thing. mpwdmom: Those mantle clips also look good. Sounds like a trip to Lowes is in order. Thanks everyone for all the great suggestions!