How to Make a Handmade Felt Christmas Stocking: Tutorial
In the "About Me" section of this website, I say that my creative impulses were ignited when I was pregnant with Alex, and was inspired to make my first quilt. Actually, if I really think about it, I was briefly inspired when Mike and I were first married, and I went through a very short cross-stitch phase. I think I made four things, and two of them were these stockings:
After Alex was born and I started sewing, I wanted to make him a handmade stocking, too, something that he would have throughout his childhood. My grandmother made stockings for my siblings and me, and they are emblematic of our childhood Christmases. So I made him this one:
That was back in the year 2000. Anyway. Yeah. There they are. But here's the thing: Hmm.... How shall I put this?
I totally hate these stockings now.
Okay, hate is a strong word. I don't actually hate them. I just don't like them. At all. And I haven't for at least the last 8 years or so. Which means that for at least the last 8 years or so, whenever we pull these suckers out of storage and hang them by the chimney with care, I grimace and think, "Really, Denise? Really? Cat angels?! Really?" and then I immediately promise myself I'll make new ones. I mean, seriously. I think we need to look at my old stocking up close:
Yowza.
But I'm sure you see my dilemma: By the time we're pulling Christmas stockings out of the dark corner of the basement (where I haven't given them a second thought for the last 11 months), it's too late. We are already decking the halls and I have a Christmas to-do list that's a mile long, so I think, "There's no way it'll happen this year. But next year! Next year for SURE!!!" I think you can guess what would happen the next year. Meow.
There's nothing wrong with them. They're not that bad. Mike's is actually kind of classic looking. But his and mine are a bit too narrow. And Alex's is made from fabric that I would never choose in a million years now. And I think we've already discussed those unfortunate cats. Our tastes just change over time, right? (But honestly, I have no defense of those cat angel things. I mean, seriously. What in the world...?!)
But for some reason, this year was my year. I actually thought about it in early November. I'm not sure why, but this year I happened to remember before it was too late. I started going through my stash of supplies and I came up with an idea for simple stockings that would look good hanging together on our mantel. (I even had all the supplies on hand! Bonus!) I like these because they are simple yet homey; classic in their own way. I also like these because there's nothing about them that will seem dated in a few years. Hopefully these are the last ones I make for our family. (But no promises. What can I say? I'm fickle like that.)
So I guess what I'm telling you is, I have a quick handmade Christmas stocking tutorial to share that only took me 8+ years to make!!
Hopefully it'll only take you a couple of hours, tops.
Here they are, hung by the chimney with care!!
FELT CHRISTMAS STOCKING TUTORIAL:
*ALL SEAM ALLOWANCES ARE 1/4" UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED*
(also note: I took pictures while making more than one stocking, which is why you see both red and green felt in the photos)
SUPPLIES (for one stocking):
-1/2 - 3/4 yard felt for the stocking and hanger (I used a wool/acrylic blend from JoAnn's, sold on the bolt)
-1 or 2 sheets of craft felt for the heel, toe and lettering (optional)
-TWO 8.5" x 10.5" pieces of fabric OR TWO 8.5" x 5.25" pieces of felt for the cuff
-fusible webbing, like Steam-n-Seam (only if personalizing)
-a pattern for your stocking template. You can sketch out your own or download one. I used this one (Click HERE) (I only printed pages 4-7 for the stocking template; I didn't use the free pattern included)
-notions like thread and scissors; rotary cutter and ruler is nice but not necessary for this project
Step ONE: Cutting
-Cut out two stocking pieces using your template from the main felt:
When I cut my pieces out, I moved the pattern piece around to maximize the use of my felt. (One of the nice things about working with felt is that you don't have to worry about right side/wrong side when you're cutting. You also don't have to worry about finishing the edges, straight of grain, or directional fabric design. It's kinda like magic.)
-Cut one 5"x1" piece of gray felt for the hanger.
-Cut out two toe and two heel felt pieces (one for each side) in your contrasting felt color. I just sketched that out by hand...you can too!
-Cut out the fabric or the felt for the cuff. If you are using felt, you'll need to cut two pieces measuring 8.5" x 5.25". If you are using fabric, you'll need to cut two pieces measuring 8.5" W x 10.5"H. If you are using fabric, fold it in half and press so that it measures 8.5" x 5.25". (I used fabric and folded it in half)
Step TWO: Attaching the Heel and Toe
-Sew the heel and toe pieces to the stocking front and back. It's up to you if you want to use matching or contrasting thread. I used dark gray so it would show.
Once you've done the front stocking panel, use it as a gauge to make sure the heel and toe will line up with the back stocking panel when you sew them together. Also, I used the side of my presser foot as a guide to keep the stitching line an even distance from the edge.
You'll have something that looks like this:
Step THREE: Making the Cuff
-If you are using felt for your cuff, it's ready to go (remember what I said about not having to finish the edges?!) If you're using fabric like I did, you'll need to fold it in half and press so that it measures 8.5"W x 5.25"H. Be mindful of your fabric's design! (e.g., mine was directional so I had to cut and press it carefully to make sure it didn't look lopsided).
Step FOUR: Personalizing Your Stocking
-If you're not going to personalize your stocking, you can skip this step. If you are, there are a few options. The easiest thing to do is to just use the first initial. I was intending to do that until I realized that Alex's stocking hangs in middle, so our mantel would spell out "DAM" or "MAD". Neither of these express the Christmas spirit I'd like to convey, know what I mean?
-You can cut out letters in various ways. If you are truly gifted, you can draw the letters out yourself. Sadly, I am not that gifted. I printed out our names using American Typewriter Bold font in 150 pt. I used all lowercase because I like how it looks. Obviously, you can do whatever strikes your fancy.
-You can use whatever method you normally use to appliqué. Here's what I do:
-print out the letters on regular computer paper
-cut them out
-turn them over and trace the letters so the appear backwards onto Steam-a-Seam (hold them up to a window if you are having a hard time seeing the letter)
-cut out roughly around the traced letters on the webbing and put them onto the felt
-cut out the letters out of the felt precisely
-put them in place on the stocking cuff (if using fabric for your cuff, the raw edge is the top edge, the folded edge is the bottom)
-press them down*
-sew in place*
Here's some pictures to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:
*A FEW THINGS TO NOTE!
-chances are you won't ever wash your stocking. Steam-A-Seam claims to be a permanent bond, so you technically don't have to sew your letters after you iron them on. I didn't!
-if you are using craft felt (which I did) be sure to flip the fabric over before you press with your hot iron. You might even want to add an extra pressing cloth. By craft fabric, I mean the kind that comes in 8 1/2" x 11" sheets and sells for about $0.50. The label looks like this:
Whatever you do, DO NOT PUT YOUR HOT IRON DIRECTLY ONTO CRAFT FELT!!! If you do it will melt all over your iron and no amount of scouring will be able to save it. Ask me how I know.
You can put your letters directly onto your cuff, which I did at first, but I didn't like how it looked on my fabric; it was hard to see the letters:
So I appliquéd the letters onto plain white fabric and then cut it 1/4" away from the letters in a rectangle. Obviously this is a personal preference and totally depends on what your cuff fabric looks like.
Step FIVE: Attaching the cuff
-Put the cuff at the top, lining up the raw edges and putting the RIGHT SIDE DOWN onto the WRONG SIDE of the stocking. Do the cuff piece with the name first (if personalizing) and pay attention to which way the toe is pointing. Personal preference again!
-Take the 5"x1" piece of felt and fold in half crosswise to make the hanger; place between the cuff and the stocking 1/2" from the side edge of the stocking, lining up the raw edges.
These steps will look like this:
-Sew across the raw edges to attach the cuff; repeat for the back of the stocking and the back cuff piece.
Step SIX: Assembling the stocking
-Now sew the stocking, placing right sides together and keeping the cuff at the top and out of the way, like this:
-Sew using 1/4" seam allowance, taking out your pins (or clips) as you sew; start and stop at the cuff seam line, backstitching at both ends. If Santa tends to load up your stockings with lots of heavy stuff (no coal, of course!), then you might want to go around the stocking a second time to have another set of stitches for reinforcement.
-Clip little notches within your seam allowance around the curves; this will help it take its shape when you turn it right side out.
-Turn it right side out! Doesn't it look good?! Almost done!
-The cuff pieces still be sticking up out of your righted stocking, but now those cuff pieces will be right sides together. Line them up and pin at the sides, then sew both sides, stopping and backstitching at the seam where the stocking is sewn together.
-Turn the cuff down and TA-DA!!! Your beautiful stocking is complete!! You should be totally impressed with yourself!
(You can use a chopstick or similar tool to turn the edges out completely; press using a pressing cloth to even out the seams and make it look extra nice.)
Well done!!
