The Twelve Weeks of Christmas - Week Four - The stockings were hung

How is it Friday again already? These weeks are flying by far too quickly for my liking at the moment. Anyway, here we are again, and I've got another Festive Friday post for you...stockings!

I thought I'd try and vary things and add in a couple of tutorials. (I use that term very loosely so bear with me on this one, I've never done anything like this before.) A couple of years back I made my husband and I a Christmas stocking each and I've been waiting ever since to make one for any additions we would get to the family. So, here I am, making a Christmas stocking for our little girl!

What you will need:
Fabric (I've used scraps and remnants)
Thread
Scissors & pinking shears
Pins
Greaseproof or pattern paper
Sharpie pen
Felt
Ribbon or trimming
Sewing machine (helpful but not essential)
Iron


1. To begin with, I drew out a stocking shape on some greaseproof paper. As I hadn't got enough of the green fabric to make an entire stocking I designed it to look like more of a patchwork stocking...

Top tip: Number each triangle in the order it runs on the stocking, it makes it so much easier to match panels up after cutting them out...believe me, I learnt that the hard way!

2. I then turned the stocking shape over and cut out from the right side of my patterned fabric...

3. Once I'd done this, I then turned my stocking pattern back over and cut it into the triangular pieces. I did this simply because I was only making one. If I was making more, I'd have done two separate stocking shapes and cut one of them up so I could use them again. I alternated the pieces between the patterned and the plain fabric and cut them out. You should end up with something looking like this...

4. I then pinned all of the triangles together leaving about 1cm seam allowance and stitched along each seam. Once you're done it should look like this...

After sewing all the seams I ironed the stocking front to make everything sit flat and flush.

5. Once all the seams were lying flat I switched the sewing machine to a zig zag stitch and went over all the joins on the right side to make it look a bit more "patchworky". I used a sharpie pen to draw a large 'P' on some red felt and cut that out, I stitched a bit of glitter ribbon down the P too to make it a bit more festive and sparkly. 

I attached the P using some leftover cross stitch thread and a blanket stitch. After you have added your embellishments to the front panel of your stocking you can then join it to the back. 

Pin right sides together and run round the edge leaving about a 1cm seam allowance so that you can pinking shear the edges to avoid lots of fraying. Turn right side out and iron again to smooth all seams.

6. I then cut a strip of patterned fabric 1cm wider than the stocking top, you can cut it to whatever depth you like depending on how big you want the cuff at the top to be. I turned up 2cm and pinned it in place, to kill two birds with one stone I also pinned the glitter ribbon in place at this stage so that the turn up seam also held the ribbon in place...

I then folded the length of fabric in half and stitched along the open end to create the cuff.

7. Turn the cuff the right way out and pin to the inside of the top of the stocking, you can also add a loop to hang it with at this stage. I simply cut a length of the glitter ribbon, folded it in half and pinned it between the stocking and the cuff at the right hand seam.

Stitch around the top and then turn the cuff out to sit at the top of the stocking, the loop should also sit freely so that you can hang your stocking. Mine finished looks like this...

I'm really pleased with it and hope that Phoebe will hang it up every Christmas Eve for a good few years to come. If you have a go at making one let me know, would love to see photos. K x