CheriB Designs: Christmas Stocking

Monday, December 9, 2013

Christmas Stocking

Whew finally got around to getting this post up for you to see. I forgot how busy it gets once December rolls around. I just finished taking a class at The Art Studio @ SNR (Scrapbook News and Review) where I am part of their focus group. I enjoyed the class and part of my focus group "job" is to promote the class on their blog. I have submitted that and when it goes live I will let you know!

Here is the stocking I made. I have to tell you that I am not a "sewer". I try my best and all I can say is I make lots of mistakes, but lots of love goes into everything I try to sew. I was pleased how the stocking turned out. It is not a full size stocking just big enough to put a few goodies in for fun. The finished stocking measures 10 " from the folded down cuff to the toe and about 5 1/2" wide at the broadest part of the stocking.

You will need:

Patterned material of your choice

material for lining

matching thread

8" piece of ribbon

button if desired

I made my own pattern, the stocking is on a piece of 8x11 paper. The cuff pattern measures 6x5. For the cuff I took the width of the top of the stocking 5" and then estimated approximately how long I wanted the cuff to fold over 3"and doubled that.

Cut:

2 Patterned pieces

2 lining pieces

2 cuff pieces

With the right sides together sew the cuff to the front of the stocking piece.

Pin the lining to the right side of the cuff, repeat the last 2 steps with the remaining pieces.

Next sew the cuff to the stocking and lining pieces. I used about 1/4" seem allowance

You should have something that looks like this.

Iron, pressing the seams towards the middle.

Pin the stocking pieces with right sides together. I had to trim a bit off them when they were pinned

together as my "cutting" skills don't always like to follow the pattern (LOL)

Take the piece of ribbon and fold it in half. Pin in-between your lining layer on the heel side and line it up where it would meet the cuff. (The first time I did it wrong and had to rip out my stitches and re apply which is why this picture is sewn and trimmed just ignore that LOL)

Next sew around the stocking starting at the lining side sole. I used about 1/4" seam allowance.

Leave an opening so that you can turn the stocking inside out. Trim your seams. I used my pinking shears so that the curves would lay flat.

Turn your stocking right side out and sew up the opening on the lining foot.

Press flat with your iron.

I then folded the stocking and pressed the top of the cuff .

Now stuff the lining into the patterned stocking piece. I used the pressed line as a guide

when "stuffing" so I would know where to turn down the cuff.

Press your stocking flat and voila your stocking is done.

Now I wanted to add names to my stockings. I bought and tried a white fabric paint pen and also a bottle of fabric paint. I wasn't happy with the results. The paint pen leaked through the cuff material and looked awful, and the tube, well lets just say it looked like a 4 year old printed the name. Since I am sewing challenged and did not want to try to applique letters on my stocking, I used white card stock, my cricut and cut out letters. I then used fabric glue and attached them to the stocking. Looks more professional but I won't be able to wash them.