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Christmas stockings are easy to make. They can be made from a variety
of fabrics including felt, cotton and polyester. My personal favourites
are made from festive material with a plain, poker dot or check lining.
The options are endless.
Here are some simple instructions for making stockings. The trick is
in sewing the pieces together. Please make sure you read all the instructions
before you start.
You will need:
- Paper and pencil for drawing your stocking pattern
- Fabric for the outside of the boot
- Contrast fabric for the lining
- Fabric for the boot collar
- Thread and finishings
Putting it together:
- Draw a stocking the size you want on paper.
- Draw a stocking collar. Make sure it is large enough to go around
the top of the stocking. Cut out the paper shapes.
- Cut an oblong piece of fabric to make a loop for hanging the stocking.
Cut your fabric twice as wide as you want the finished loop to be.
Remember to add a seam allowance.
- Sew and turn the loop. This will make a tube. Iron flat.
- Using your main fabric, fold fabric so the right sides are together.
Make sure you have any pattern in the fabric going in the correct
direction.
- Pin your pattern to the fabric and cut out two stockings.
- Using your lining fabric repeat steps 3 and 4 above.
- Keep the cut boots together as you have cut them and pin all four
pieces together.
- BEFORE you sew CHECK that you have the two lining pieces, right
side of fabric together and the two main fabric pieces are together
with right side of fabric together.
- Sew the stocking sides and foot together through all 4 pieces of
fabric. Leave the top un-sewn as you will turn the stocking through
the top.
- Clip the seam on the curves. Take care not to clip too close to
the stitches or you will weaken the seam.
- Turn the stocking through the main fabric pieces. The main fabric
will be right side facing out. When you turn the stocking you will
have three pieces of material on one side and one piece of material
on the other.
- Open the stocking. At the stocking top, baste the lining to the
main fabric.
- Attach the loop at the back of the stocking so that the edges of
the loop and the stocking are together. The loop will be pointing
down inside the stocking.
- Fold the fabric for the stocking collar in half and place the pattern
against the fold. Cut out the stocking top.
- With the right side of the fabric together, sew together the short
ends of the stocking collar.
- Fold the stocking collar in half so that the fabric is right side
out and iron.
- Pin the stocking collar to the inside of the boot so that the seam
matches the back seam of the boot and baste in place.
- Stitch the stocking collar in place.
- Turn the stocking collar to the outside. The loop should also be
pointing outwards. Iron the seam at the top of the stocking.
The elves like to finish their stockings by sewing cotton lace around
the bottom edge of the stocking collar.
Other ideas for finishing:
- Attach Christmas buttons, or tiny decorations to the stocking.
- Sew ric-rac (zigzag braid) or cord to the edge of the stocking collar.
- If you are using plain fabrics, you could appliqué pieces
on to the main fabric pieces before you sew the stocking together.
- Decorate with fabric paints and glitter.
- Cross-stitch a picture and attach it to the stocking collar.
The options are endless. If you have any ideas you would like to share
please send them to the elves@digitalelves.co.nz
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