Fancy having a go at making your own stockings this year? Just follow this easy plan!
You will need :
christmas fabric scraps
around 20 x 50" plain fabric for lining and back of stocking
around 20 x 30" batting, I used scraps though, which I joined together below.
around 10" ribbon to make hanging loop.
quilting pins
newspaper
hera or other marker, ruler, scissors and basic sewing kit.
First you will need to make a stocking stencil to use to cut out your shapes later. I used a sheet of folded out newspaper. Using the sketch above as a guide (click on the picture to make it bigger), draw onto newspaper, use an upturned bowl to keep your corners smooth. Cut out.
Next stitch your scraps together in rows of differing widths, stitch your rows together, using your newpaper template as a guide for size. It is best to use wider widths and longer rows than you think you will need as you will lose quite a bit of fabric when stitching these rows together. Use your stencil to cut out the patchworked front of your stocking. Then cut another stocking out of your lining/backing fabric.
Turn your stencil over and use to cut out two more stocking shapes from your lining/backing fabric.
As I said above I used scraps of batting which I joined together by, cutting the edges to be joined with a rotary cutter and ruler and then used the largest size of zig zag on my sewing machine (see pics below) to sew together. You will need to make two stocking shaped pieces of batting, one for the front and and one for the back. Trim your newspaper stencil by half an inch all around and use to cut out your batting shapes.
Close up of joined batting
Basically you will be making two stocking shaped quilts, which you will then stitch together to form you stocking. Using the diagram above as a guide (again, click on the image to make it bigger), layer your stocking shapes together, batting first then one of the reversed linings (remember where you turned your newspaper stocking over and cut out two more lining stockings, one of those) right side up, then stocking front, wrong side up. Pin and tack in place first if you wish so everything stays in place. Machine stitch the top edge together, a quarter of an inch from the edge.
Turn over the top edge so stocking front is facing up. Iron the top edge down nicely.
You will now need to repeat the above layering and top edge stitching with your remaining two lining pieces and the second piece of batting(see 'back of stocking' on diagram above). This will form the back of your stocking.
Pin your layers in place with quilting pins. Do this for front and back pieces.
Now using your ruler and hera marker, etch a diagonal crease across the stocking.
Fit you machine foot with your tool guide as above, so that the guide foot rests around 2" away from the machine foot. Lay the guide foot down on your diagonal crease and machine stitch an even 2" away from your marked line. Continue, this time laying the guide foot on your stitched diagonal and machine quilting a second line parallel to the first.
If you don't have a guide tool for your machine foot you will just have to mark all the lines out first on your stocking before quilting.
Repeat the quilting for your stocking back.
To make a hanging loop, I used a cut piece of the waist tie from a pair of munki pyjamas, you could also use some nice ribbon. Overlock/zigzag together at one end to keep in place.
Insert into place between the layers on the back of the stocking, tack in place.
Place your front stocking quilted piece, right side up in front of you.
Top with your back piece with wrong side, ie. inner lining facing up. Pin and tack the edges.
Machine stitch down the length of your stocking, across the foot, toe and back up. I sew and overlock in one, alternatively sew first then zig zag around the edges.
Turn the right way round and yell 'I'm ready when you are santa!!!!'
Have a superstitchy weekend!!!!
