Stockings

How to Make a Stocking


Instructions

1. Use an old or inexpensive purchased Christmas stocking to make your own stocking pattern. Lay the stocking on a piece of newspaper or kraft paper and trace around the stocking with a pen or pencil, a 1/2 inch from the stocking edges. This will give you a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

2. Choose 1 yard of fabric for each Christmas stocking to be made and 1/4 yard of fabric for each cuff. Use a holiday print, quilted holiday fabric, or solid-color fabric or felt for your stocking. Make sure you have a coordinating thread color on hand.

3. Lay the stocking fabric on a flat work surface and fold it in half, lengthwise, right sides together. Pin your paper pattern to the fabric and use dressmaker shears to cut through the paper pattern and fabric along your marked line. Make sure you cut through both layers of fabric. Set these two pieces aside.

4. Place the stocking cuff fabric on your work surface. Use a fabric cutting board, a yardstick or ruler, and a fabric-marking pen to measure out two pieces of fabric that each measure 14 inches long. Use the top measurement of your stocking pattern for the width.

5. Fold each cuff piece in half, wrong sides together, so that you now have two pieces that are 7 inches in length and the top width of your stocking pattern.

6. Pin each folded cuff piece to the wrong side of a stocking piece so that all raw edges meet. Place pins at 1/2-inch intervals.

7. Use a sewing machine to stitch the cuff pieces to the stocking pieces. Sew 1/2 inch from the raw edges. Press the seams open with an iron.

8. Pin the two sewn stocking pieces together. Make sure that all edges match up evenly and that the right sides of the stocking pieces are facing each other. The pins should be perpendicular to the fabric edges.

9. Insert a folded length of ribbon or cording between stocking layers at the upper left cuff seam (to use to hang the stocking). The toe of the stocking should be pointing to your right. The ribbon or cording should be angled upward and inserted far enough between the layers to be caught in the 1/2-inch seam allowance.

10. Stitch along the edges of your stocking, 1/2 inch from the raw fabric edges. Remove the pins as you sew.

11. Turn the stocking right-side out and fold the cuff down so that the seam line is hidden inside the stocking.

12. Hang up your new stocking and hope for lots of goodies.

Sweet Stocking [approx. 12" x 22"]

Now, let's get to my design for today. I hope that you love my stocking!

You will need:

• 1/2 yard lime green for the stocking front and back exterior
• 1/2 yard of your choice for the lining
• 2 fat quarters of different stripes
• batting
• 1/4 yard red fabric for the ruffle [NOTE: I MADE THE RUFFLE FAIRLY WIDE. THE MORE THAT I LOOK AT IT, I THINK THAT A SHORTER RUFFLE MAY LOOK JUST AS CUTE. YOUR CHOICE!]
• coordinating thread
• stabilizer
• ribbon

Cutting:

From the lime green fabric, cut:
1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]

From the lining fabric, cut:

1 stocking front
1 stocking back [reverse the stocking template]

From the red fabric, cut:

1 ruffle, 6 1/2" x 42" - then trim in half lengthwise to yield two strips, 6 1/2" x 21"

Directions:

Fold your exterior fabric together, selvage to selvage right sides together. Cut out the stocking template. Do the same for the lining fabric.

Follow manufacturer's directions and fuse the candy canes to the front of the stocking. Stitch around the candy cane applique with a zig zag/satin or any other decorative stitch. Make sure that you have some stabilizer behind the applique when you're doing this step.

Next, layer the front of the stocking with a piece of batting on the wrong side of the fabric. Quilt the stocking as desired. Swirls, loops and circles are always fun! Repeat for the back of the stocking. Trim excess batting away.

Fold the ruffle strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together and press. Open up the piece and fold in at each end 1/2". Stitch the ends with a 1/4" seam allowance. Use a needle and hand-stitch with a large running stitch at the raw edge of the strip. Pull the thread and gather to form ruffles. Repeat for the other red strip.

Pin the ruffle to the top edge of the stocking with the raw edges aligned 1/4" in from each side edge. Stitch together with a scant 1/4" seam allowance. Repeat for the back of the stocking.

With right sides facing, pin the front of the stocking to the matching lining. Repeat with the back of the stocking. Stitch across the top edge of the front of the stocking and lining. Repeat for the top edge of the back of the stocking and the lining.


Open up the stocking/lining pieces. Pin the front/lining piece with the back/lining piece with right sides facing. Stitch all around and leave a 4" opening for turning. Turn right side out and hand-sew the opening closed.

Push the lining back inside the stocking. Stitch a 1/4" across the top of the stocking body.

Hand-stitch the ribbon to the inside of the stocking. Overlap each end of the ruffle from the front and the back ruffle. Sew a small black button or just a plain stitch to hold the front ruffle to the back ruffle. Repeat for the other side of the ruffle.

There you have it! Your very own candy cane Sweet Stocking!

Keepsake Stocking

This homespun stocking is a wonderful way to mark a first Christmas -- as well as his second, third, and fourth. Every year, add a new felt shape representing some favorite memory or object that your little one loves. Only the stocking requires sewing; the designs are glued on, for easy updating.


At your baby's first (perhaps even second) Christmas, he's not likely to have specific interests, so choose a festive decoration such as a Christmas tree or an initial. For letters and numbers, enlarge a font from your computer and trace. Draw other shapes or photocopy and trace an existing image; attach with fabric glue. Keep the basic shape simple, then add details with felt, yarn, or marker. Our snowflake's cutouts were made with a craft punch; the drum is embellished with embroidery floss.

Keepsake Stocking How-To

Using our stocking templates, cut felt pieces.

1. Pin a cuff to each stocking piece, lining up top edges. Trim long edges of loop with pinking shears; fold, and place between one cuff-and-stocking pair as shown (line up top edges). Sew along top edges.

2. Flip cuffs up, and stack stocking pieces (raw seams out); pin. Sew around stocking (use 1/4-inch seam allowance), including sides of cuff; leave top open. Pink sewn edges. Fold cuff down; iron to crease.

One Figgy Pudding Jelly Roll by Basic Grey

- Two, 1/2 yard pieces of coordinating fabric.

- One 20' x 20" piece of light weight batting.

(I used warm and natural)

This is the pattern I used. I took it to a copy shop and blew it up so that the stocking measures approx. 7" x 15 1/2". I also added an extra 1 1/2" inches to the top because I wanted it a little longer.

Step 1 - Pick out 10 of your favorite strips of fabric from your Jelly Roll. Cut them in half length wise so you have ten 2 1/2 x 18" pieces.

Step 2 - Cut your strips so that one end measures approx 1" in width and the other the full 2 1/2". This will give you the scrappy look that were going for.

Step 3 - Sew all strips together (1/4" seam allowance), starting with the 1" end of the strip being at the left end (start), and then next time the 2 1/2" strip being at the left end. Do this with all ten strips. Then using your favorite stitch, sew the fabric onto the batting by sewing in the ditch of each seam. Note: Make sure you start at the bottom left edge so the the extra batting will be at the top of the stocking.

Step 4 - Cut the quilted fabric in half like in the picture below. One will be for the red stocking and one for the green.

Step 5 - Cut the coordinating pieces of fabric. I tried to show how to lay out your pieces to cut them, but I'm definitely not a photo shop expert so hopefully if will make some sense. The diagram below shows how the stockings should be laid out on a 18" x 45 " piece of fabric with the left edge folded over enough to cut two. The first stocking needs to be cut on the folded fabric, these two will be used for the lining so you can set them aside for later. Go ahead and cut out the rest of the pieces as explained. You will also need to do this out of the 2nd piece of coordinating fabric for the 2nd stocking. I sure hope this makes sense.

Step 6 - Sew the 9 x 3 1/4" piece of coordinating fabric onto the top of stocking. Do this by placing the coordinating piece right side down and facing right side of stocking with the edge lined up with the edge of your last strip of fabric. Sew along top using a 1/4" seam allowance. Open and press.

Step 7 - Lay your pattern on top of your stocking fabric so that the stocking pattern is at the top of the red fabric. Mine doesn't look that way, I put a large piece of red because I wasn't sure how long to make it, but 3" of the red fabric on top seems to be about right.

Step 8 - Layer fabric as show below and then cut out stocking.

Step 9 - Explained in picture.

Step 10 - Sew around stocking using a 1/4" seam allowance, then trim. Turn stocking right side out so the batting is in the middle. Also sew around the two stockings pieces that were cut on the folded fabric, place right sides together and sew - leave about a 2" opening on the straight side of stocking so you can turn it later.

Step 11 - Making the loop/hook - Take your 2 1/2 x 6" piece of fabric and iron in half width wise. Unfold and fold outer edges into the middle crease, then fold entire piece in half width wise and sew along outer two edges using about 1/8" seam allowance.

Step 12 - Make the band around your stocking - Take your 7 x 13" piece of fabric and fold in half lengthwise with right sides together. Sew up the edge and then turn. Iron piece of fabric in half width wise. Place raw edges at the top of stocking (pictured below) and pin with the seam in back or on the side. Next fold loop fabric in half, center it over the side seam on the left and then pin. Next place the quilted stocking inside of the red lining stocking. Pin at the top and sew around top.

Step 13 - Pull the quilted stocking out through the opening of the lining stocking. Sorry, now it's green.

Step 14 - Sew up the space in the side and then tuck lining down into the stocking, and fold fabric band down. Repeat steps 5 - 14 for your coordinating stocking.

Two Super Cute His and Her Scrappy Christmas Stockings. The finished size of this stocking is approximately 6" x 15". This is a smaller stocking (that's just what I grew up with) so, if you like big ones you will need to adjust the pattern accordingly. You may need more like 3/4 of a yard of coordinating fabric and a few extra strips of the Jelly Roll. If you used your whole jelly roll, you can actually get 16 stockings because you can get 4 our of every ten strips. Just remember that you need a half yard of coordinating fabric for each stocking. If you don't want to sew any, these two will be up for sale in my etsy shop.

Quilt Stocking


While kids are tucked tightly into their beds, their littlest gifts can be tucked inside a quilt stocking. Use a thick old quilt or plushy bedspread to make it. With a cutout stocking template, you can easily decide which part of the blanket will yield the best-looking stocking. Position the template so that the top of the stocking falls along a hemmed edge to make sewing a snap.

Quilt Stocking How-To

Print the stocking template at the desired size; remember that the pattern includes a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Trace onto a piece of kraft paper, and cut out.

1. Position template so hem of quilt runs along top of stocking; cut out. Flip template over; cut a second shape, again using quilt hem for top edge.

2. Pin together, right sides facing; sew around edges with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving top open. Turn right side out.

3. Sew ends of 5-inch ribbon to inside of stocking at back seam for hanging loop.

4. If you would like to line the stocking, cut two shapes from lightweight cotton; sew together, right sides facing, with 3/8-inch seam allowance, leaving top open. To hem lining, fold it down toward wrong side by 3/8 inch; topstitch in place. Nest lining inside stocking with wrong sides facing; hand-sew lining to stocking along top edge with a slip stitch. Iron flat.

Scarf Stockings

Make a bunch of cozy holiday stockings out of fringed scarves, then fill them with small wrapped gifts, stuffed toys, and candies.

Scarf Stocking How-To

1. Use our template; assemble sewing supplies. Fold a 9-inch-wide (or wider) scarf in half end to end, wrong sides facing. Align top of template with beginning of fringe, pin in place, and cut through all layers, leaving fringe intact.

2. Remove template; pin pieces together around edges, then stitch around perimeter of stocking below cuff, leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance (do not sew cuff edges). Cut notches at cuff, heel, toe, and ankle as on template; this will make seams lie smooth. Turn right side out; stitch along sides of cuff. Press cuff seams open; fold cuff over.

Jingle Bell Stocking How-To

The pierced detailing on these felt stockings -- reminiscent of openwork on creamware china -- is made using decorative hole punches. Practice the patterns on a piece of scrap felt first, since placing holes in correct order is tricky.

1. On four pieces of felt, trace stocking template -- use one color felt for stocking back and front and a contrasting color for lining. Draw a grid of 1-inch squares on reverse of exterior stocking pieces, then draw crisscross lines. Use grid to map designs.

2. Use punches of various shapes and sizes to work designs of your own liking. For snowflake pattern: With a pencil, transfer design in illustration onto stocking, starting at toe and repeating until pattern covers both back and front of stocking. The "horizontal" and "vertical" teardrops are 1/2 inch from center point; "diagonal" teardrops, large holes, and small holes are, respectively, 1/4 inch, 1 inch, and 1 1/4 inches from center point. To work pattern, fold felt along a grid line two squares off center point; using teardrop- or hole-shape punch, punch out design through both layers of fabric. When punch can no longer reach design, refold felt, and continue punching.

3. To assemble stocking: With lining on outside, sew the four pieces together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving top edge open. Along the heel, toe, and ankle curves, cut notches and slits into front of ankle. Trace the cuff template onto a piece of felt, and cut out; cut long edge with scallop scissors, and punch one hole in each scallop. Sew short sides of the cuff together, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. With the seams on the outside, slide cuff over the top of the stocking, and -- lining up the straight edges and seams -- machine-stitch together, using a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

4. Turn stocking inside out, and fold down cuff. Using pattern on the template, cut out the hanging loop; hand sew in place right inside the top of the stocking. Sew bells on the edge of the cuff or at center of snowflakes.






Kids Stockings