Tutorial: The easiest Christmas Stocking you’ll ever make

Recently, our mom’s group stitched up some super easy stockings for Craft Hope Project # 14, Christmas in Dixie, which sent stockings and other Christmas decorations to tornado victims in the South. When we decided to participate in this project, I had the perfect stocking pattern in mind…but it needed a bit of tweaking. So I give you…..The easiest Christmas Stocking you will EVER make!
 


This pattern originally came from the Bernina USA website, circa 2004-ish. My Kansas hometown fabric store, where I learned to sew AND worked for around 7 years off and on during high school and college, taught sewing and machine embroidery classes. This stocking was one of those classes and was taught by my friend and coworker, Serena. She upgraded Bernina’s pattern into a lovely embroidery project, complete with a soft batting layer, that was constructed of shiny satin or warm wool. In fact, our family stockings are made using the original pattern. Aren’t they cute?



I deconstructed the pattern a bit for this project, because most of our mom’s group seamstresses are beginners

Here’s how to do it:

Supplies

*Note: The following fabric measurements give you enough to do TWO stockings. I use this measurement to compensate for any design directionality (one-way Santa print, for example). If you’d rather not purchase that much, just take the pattern with you to the store and get exactly what you need*

1/2 yd of outside fabric (cute Christmas print, etc) can be cotton, felt, anything really that is easy to work with.

3/4 yd lining/contrast (plain color that goes with your outside fabric) If using felt, you really don’t need a lining, so you’ll just want to buy enough contrast for the toes, heels, cuff and hanger.

Thread

Spray Adhesive (optional)

Cut List

For the Stocking body: Cut, using these stocking bottom and stocking top patterns, 2 bodies from outside fabric and 2 bodies from lining fabric

For the Heel and Toe: Cut, using this pattern, 2 heels and 2 toes from contrast fabric

For the Cuff: Cut one 8” x 15” rectangle from the contrast fabric

For the Hanger: Cut one 1.5” x 5” rectangle from the contrast fabric

 

Your first step is to satin stitch the heels and toes onto the outside stocking body pieces. Spray the wrong sides of all toes and heels lightly with spray adhesive. Stick them in place to the right sides of both outside stocking pieces. Satin stitch, on the inside edge only, toes and heels to stocking. Satin width approx 3, length 0.5-ish. *Note: If you’d like to interface the heel and toe pieces for more body, feel free to do so…we didn’t just for simplicity sake.



Now you will lay all your body pieces in the following order, from top to bottom: Outside body pieces on top, right sides together, then lining pieces beneath, right sides together.



Pin all four layers together…this is where the magic happens. You will only stitch around once, combining all layers and, when you turn the stocking, it will be automatically lined! Brilliant! Stitch around entire stocking, 3/8” seam, leaving the top open.

 

Next, clip your curves



Clipping your curves helps with turning. For inside (concave) curves, simply clip straight into the seam allowance, being sure not to clip your stitching. For outside (convex) curves, clip out triangle shapes all the way around the curve, again don’t clip your stitching. This reduces the bulky seam allowance which makes the curve more round and nice.

 

Now the magic happens. To turn the stocking, reach inside the two outside stocking body pieces.



Grab the toe, inside, and pull it all the way out the top.



When the stocking is turned right side out, stick your hand back in there and poke out the heel and toe so it looks nice. Observe how the stocking is turned and lined all in one motion! How cool is that?! Give it a quick pressing at this point.



Next, let’s get the cuff and hanger ready. Take your 8” x 15” cuff piece and fold it in half width wise. Pin the raw edges and stitch across, 3/8” seam.

 

After stitching, open up the seam allowance and press open. Then fold the cuff, WRONG sides together, in half length-wise. The right sides should be on the outside and it’ll look like a finished cuff ready for installation.

 

For the hanger, take your 1/5” x 5” rectangle and fold in 1/4” on each of the long sides. Press.



Fold the hanger in half length-wise, containing the raw edges inside. Top stitch up both sides, making a nice sealed hanger.



Fold the hanger in half and pin it to the INSIDE of the stocking at the heel seam, raw edges together.



Grab the cuff and place it INSIDE the stocking, over the hanger, and pin it in, raw edges together.



Now stitch around the top of the stocking, 3/8” seam. You’ll be stitching the cuff on and stitching the hanger in, in one motion.



Reach in and pull the cuff up and out of the stocking.



Then fold the cuff over the top, on the outside of the stocking. Your seam allowance is now hidden under the cuff. No need to finish it unless you want to zig-zag the edge. The only reason I would consider finishing that raw edge would be if I plan on washing the stocking often, otherwise You’re DONE!



How simple was that? You can make them for the whole family in one naptime. So super simple!

 

Our Awesome Austin Moms ended up sending 16 stocking to Christmas in Dixie. They all looked great and I hope they will bring joy to the recipients who lost everything in last summer’s tornadoes.



Happy Stocking Making!