One only need utter the words “leg lamp” for the entire country to know that of which you speak. I am referring, of course, to the cult classic 24-hour all of Christmas Day movie you must watch at least once a year that embodies the childhoods of so many of us: A Christmas Story.
I live in Cleveland Ohio. Oh, you’ve heard of it? I’m not really a fan, to be honest, but one thing Cleveland does have is the Christmas Story house. Yes, we have the Parkers’ house. When I first moved here six years ago the one thing my dad and I just HAD to do was go visit the Christmas Story house! Here’s a pic of my dad groping the leg lamp. Sorry for the bad quality, I couldn’t find the original.
Needless to say, the movie is a “thing” with us. So this year I decided to make my dad a leg lamp pillow! It’s perfect!
So anyway here’s the inspiration.
And here’s the pattern!
And here’s my finished version!
And my kitty Luna. <3
Also someone was asking about the fishnet “fabric”. Well, it’s nylon netting purchased from JoAnn’s. The shoe is made of a textured microsuede and the lampshade [was] actually the reverse of a discounted microsuede (I changed it to Kona curry on revision 2). None of which melted under the iron. Miraculous for sure, even the netting didn’t melt!
A quick note about that fringe: If you’ve never bought fringe before, it comes sewn together at the “fringe-y” end. I thought you could just cut off the sewn bits, but the stuff shed like you would not believe! It was really awful. So I think if you are going to cut your fringe down to size I would soak the line you are going to cut with Fray Stop before and after cutting, otherwise you’ll be spending several minutes with a sticky lint roller cursing bad decisions. I still might re-cut, Fray Stop, and attach my fringe, I’m afraid it’s going to shed once the pillow is put into action.
I don’t really think you need a tutorial for the netting, I just cut a piece of netting the same size as a piece of flesh colored quilting cotton (both pretty oversized!) and treated them as one piece of material. I did use pins a couple of times to keep the netting in place but that’s really all there was to it.
It might be hard to believe but I ironed this entire thing the same way I would have any other paper piecing. So give alternative fabrics a shot!
Anyway, without further ado, here’s the button to get the goods. Clicky clicky!
Pattern Info:
- Finishes 20″ high x ~8″ wide.
- Is really quite easy to make. Good for an advanced beginner (someone who has tried a couple of paper pieced patterns and is ready for a step up). The shoe is the most difficult part.
- Quick to come together. It took me just a couple of hours.
- Fun and easy to customize! I stayed pretty true to the original but I can imagine all kinds of awesome background prints. I really wanted to use a pin dot for the background but didn’t have any I liked for it.
- Requires scraps of black for the shoe, fat eighth to a quarter of flesh colored fabric, fat eighth to a quarter of lampshade colored fabric, and fat quarter for the background (more if you add sashing to square out the width). You can also use 1/8 yd of nylon netting for the fishnets.
If you make my pattern please share either via instagram (@sewwhatsherlock) or just leave a comment here. I’d love to see!
Um, you’re pretty much amazing. Although I am ashamed to admit that I don’t know if I’ve ever seen this movie… Like, for reals. My mom seriously let me down. Thoughts. Be fair, we rarely watch anything on Christmas, except maybe George Carlin. My family is weird…
Well, I suppose there’s always the exception to the rule. Can’t shame you for that. But perhaps you should watch it soon. Like tonight. So you will have the leg lamp fever like the rest of us. :p It is kind of a rite of passage after all.
I LOVE everything about this – I can’t wait to make one for my husband for Christmas. Thank you!
Awesome Laura, I hope you’ll share it here!!
Thanks so much for sharing this pattern, I absolutely love it!!! It will be great for next Christmas, I know just who I will give it to!
Can’t wait to see it Cynthia!
Hey there! I run a fandom quilting website called Fandom In Stitches and would LOVE to feature your pattern! FiS is a blog and pattern archive of free patterns made by fans for their favorite movies, music, books and more. If you’re interested or have any questions we have a submission page on our site or you’re welcome to contact me directly. I think our quilting community would love your pattern!
This is fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing. Using the netting was brilliant.
So glad you like it!
Fantastic block!!! Great work!!!!
IF you can find a little end of that stitching that holds the end together, pull! The sticthing unravels and the fringe is free! Easy peezie!
We are also huge fans of the movie. Last year my daughter and son-in-law gave my husband the leg lamp for Christmas, and my son gave him the gun! I found a leg lamp nightlight for him!
It was a special year because the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre produced the play the movie is based on. I have a picture of him molesting the leg lamp and his best friend wore his coon skin hat!
Your cushion will be his gift from me this year! You did a great job designing it! Even your trimmings are perfect!
So, I’m obviously a year late to this party, but I must tell you this is awesome! I need a little something extra to give my sister and brother in law this year and guess what– it will be this!! The are going to love it! Also- I’ve been in Cleveland for 3 years now and have yet to make it over to the house– but it’s on our agenda this year!
Could I inquire about the size of the sashing you used to even this out? I’m feeling a bit intimidated since I’ve never done paper piecing, but this is the only time it’s come up that I’ve wanted to!
What an amazing pattern 🙂 Thanks for sharing
So the block itself is 18×8, so to make a 20″ block you need to add 1.5″ to the top and bottom, and 6.5 to the sides. If you’re really worried you can overcut your sashing and trim it later, no harm in that!
This is really cute! I’ve never seen the movie, but, my step-father loves it. He even has a leg lamp, and other stuff from the movie. I may make this for him. Thanks.
wow – this is sooo cute. I found a leg lamp cookie cutter and we made lots of them for Christmas gatherings. I have to remember to make the leg lamp pillow for this coming Christmas. Thanx for sharing your pattern with us.
I made your Leg Lamp. It was fun. I actually made 2 (one isn’t finished yet). I’m giving one to my stepfather. Thanks for the pattern. I linked back to this post.
Thank you so such for sharing this pattern. Very nicely done. Our family are big fans of the movie and watch it every year. This will make a perfect pillow for the family room.
This totally rocks!!! I’m seriously thinking of making this even though I don’t have time!!! My favorite Christmas movie of all time…
Muy gracioso el Block, felicidades. Vemos la película, en VHS, todas las Navidades y nos seguimos enterneciendo con ella. Creo que haré un cojín para una de mis hermanas con el Block, muchas gracias !Very funny the Block, congratulations. We watch the movie, on VHS, every Christmas and we continue to melt with it. I think I’ll make a cushion for one of my sisters with the Block, thank you very much!