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DIY: Christmas Stockings

Did you check out my newly decorated Christmas mantel?  If not, that’s okay (but head over there now).  In that post you got a little sneak preview of the Christmas stockings that I recently made.  As a family of four, we’ve never had matching stockings.  The mister and I have the same (since we bought those together after getting married), but then came child #1 and he got a different style stocking, and after that child #2 came along and she has an even different style stocking.  Anyway, each year it’s been a mish-mosh of different color and style stockings hung on the mantel, until now.

You know my love for drop cloth, so what did I use?  Yes, you guessed it…the big DC!

I’ve always wanted to make stockings, but was intimidated thinking it would be too difficult – but IT WASN’T!

Using drop cloth material for the main stocking, creme colored felt for the cuff, and the basic sewing essentials, I created these stockings, that now sit at the mantel, in no time!  To start off, I used the old stocking as a template to create the “boot-like” shape.  I then cut an 8″ x 12″ piece of felt for the cuff, and sewed the “right” sides together (see pictorial).

I made 4 stockings (which have 2 sides each), so I had a total of 8 sides.

Once the cuff is attached to the “boot”, open the cuff and iron.  Then put the “right” sides of the boots together and pin all around.  Using a 1/2″ inseam, sew around the entire boot, EXCEPT at the top edge of the cuff.

Once you finished sewing all the way around, turn the stocking to the “right” side using the opening at the top edge.  Then iron the edges flat.

The stocking form is made – YAY!

At this point of the stocking-making-process, the tops of the cuffs will probably not match – that’s OKAY!  Taking a scissor or rotary cutter, trim the top edge of the cuff to get a straight line.

Then it’s time to make the cuff – turn over the felt fabric and adjust it to the amount that you want to see for the “cuff”.  I’ll admit, at this point, I was a wee bit mad at myself for not forethinking what I’m about to share.  There are many different ways to make stockings and honestly, I didn’t do any research beforehand, and just “went for it”.  Kind of a mistake.  When I went to turn the fabric over to make the cuff, I realized that you could see the stitching on what was before the “inside” of the cuff (see right pictorial).  At this point, I was about to ditch the project, but then I realized because the fabric is felt, it won’t fray and it actually gives the edge a decorative look.  I trimmed the edge about 1/4″ off the seam and I’m pretty happy with the result.  Another (slight) fail to success project!

Essentially it’s complete at this point, but of course you need something to hang the stocking.  Using another piece of felt, I simply made a loop that I sewed on to the inside edge of the stocking cuff.

Now they are ready to hang!  If you saw my Christmas mantel the other day, you may have noticed that the stockings were plain and unembellished.  Well that only lasted a day.  Using the ornaments from my Organic Centerpiece that I displayed on my dining table last Christmas, I looped them through clear fishing line and hung them around the felt loop of the stocking.  Also adding a chocolate glitter snowflake, the collection was a beautiful accent to the neutral-colored background fabric.

Also placed on two of the stockings are pins that were favorites of my husband’s late grandmother. A little way he remembers her around the Holidays.

I really love the simplicity of these stockings.  Each year as I change my colors and Christmas decor they will always be a beautiful accent to different embellishments that I can add.  Do you hang stockings at the fireplace?  Are they matching or a mish-mos of different styles like I had for the past years? (and just to set the record straight…  I don’t mind mish-mosh…  it’s eclectic!)

I link my projects to some of these parties: Skip to My Lou, Dittle Dattle, Between Naps on the Porch, Today’s Creative Blog, Stories of A to Z, All Things Heart & Home, Savvy Southern Style, House of Hepworths, Finding Fabulous, Creation Corner, The Shabby Nest, Tatertots and Jello, Thrifty Decor Chick, Under the Table & Dreaming

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