Did you know that the paper things they put on turkey legs are called frills? And/or booties. That’s the official name. I’m a little disappointed, I thought it would be a fancier and more obscure sounding word. If I was in charge of naming them it would be something like bufflenotters or tipplewads or whimploons. I think whimploons is perfect – who do I need to get in touch with to fix this?
This was on my mind while I was making you something fun for the holidays. It’s silly. And super easy and fast to make. It will delight somebody little or somebody big. You probably have everything you need to make it – just some brown for the turkey part and some white for the whimploon.
let’s make turkey leg treat bags
you will need
the template
a basic sewing kit
fabric scraps
ribbon, twill tape or cord
large safety pin
optional – a tiny bit of stuffing
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1. Pin the turkey and frill templates to doubled fabric – right sides together – and cut out. Also cut a strip from the turkey fabric that is 2 inches by 12 and 1/4 inches.
2. Mark the seam lines on the turkey and frill.
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3. Fold the end of the strip 1/4 inch.
4. Fold it 1/4 inch again and stitch along the fold. Repeat the 2 – 1/4 inch folds for the other end but don’t stitch it yet – just press.
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5. Fold the strip in half -wrong sides together – and press. Sew the frill seam– leave it open at the top and sew one side seam on the turkey leg.
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6. Press the top 2 inches of the seam open.
7. With the right side of the fabric facing you pin the strip to the edge. Begin at the seam line – 1/4 inch in from the edge. The folded edge of the strip is on the bottom and you’r matching the raw edges of the leg to the strip.
8. The other end of the strip needs to end 1/4 inch from the edge. Adjust if needed then stitch the fold in place. Pin it to the edge.
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9. Stitch together at 1/4 inch.
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10. Clip notches around the curves of the frill.
11. Optional – add a little stuffing. If you do it should be pretty minimal and leave the top 3/4 inch empty.
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12. Pin the frill inside.
13. Fold the turkey leg sides together and pin.
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14. Stitch the side and bottom seams.
15. Turn right side out and unpin the frill. Run a chopstick firmlyaround the seam to push out the curve.
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16. Attach a large safety pin to a cord or ribbon. You need about 25 inches.
17. Feed it through the top channel.
Fill your drumstick with treats or treasures and tie shut.
I hope you stitch some drumsticks and happy Thansgiving!
I absolutely love your work! Both paintings and textile work and I don’t want to sound like a KAREN. It would be nice if we stop associating Thanksgiving with turkeys (and ultimately their slaughter). You don’t need to be a vegetarian or stop serving turkey on the holiday as I know it is traditional, but maybe just stop having things related to turkeys be the symbol of Thanksgiving and instead perhaps something more meaningful like the peace dove, or the buffalo which represents gratitude among other things. Just a thought.
Hi Sheryl, I like your idea of associating the peace dove with Thanksgiving & gratitude. Might I also add that it would be lovely if the world stopped associating my name, Karen, with negative perceptions & behaviors? I know lots of people named Karen would be grateful for that. Peace & love to all! ☮️
– Karen
So creative! Love your newsletter!
Hi Sheryl, I like your idea of associating the peace dove with Thanksgiving & gratitude. Might I also add that it would be lovely if the world stopped associating my name, Karen, with negative perceptions & behaviors? I know lots of people named Karen would be grateful for that. Peace & love to all! ☮️
– Karen
Oh Ann! Your creativity fills me with enthusiasm for another project! When I see a new email I skip all the others to open yours first & am whole heartedly delighted. I’m a bit of a recluse in that I’ve made, gifted (& started a bit of my own little collection) of your patterns but I’ve never posted or shared them online. I LOVE TURKEY, especially the LEG & as a gift bag …. You clever woman you!! I’ll be making a whole flock of them! Ann, I just love & appreciate you, your tutorials & your willingness to share how to make our own whimploons (If we just start using the word with confidence it may catch on). Eskimo kisses & warm holiday wishes from Alaska.
Actually, dear Ann, they were called whimploons. Quite a long while ago now though. That was when Cook had to fashion them herself. But then some enterprising fellow decided to make them of paper and to produce them in bulk. His assistant named them frills because he couldn’t spell whimploons.
I keep looking for the directions for the fall book. Did I miss it?
Hi Jane,
That’s a stitch club project and nope you didn’t miss it- I’ll post a tutorial towards the end of making the pages for assembling and binding the book. By the way- the email address associated with your stitchclub account is not working – so I have no way to contact you with membership stuff.
Happy Thanksgiving,
ann
Wimplooms it is lol. Such creativity, I love it.
Happy turkey day!
I tried giving money for free patterns but no matter which payment type I chose it said “cannot creat order.” Everything was completed correctly.
Thanks so much Annie – I’ll ask my website person to take a look at that.
You could resize this a bit and it would be a lovely cover for a nice bottle of champagne