The cooler weather is starting to roll in and Christmas music is starting to play in the stores. This means it is time for me to make my Christmas stockings. I enjoy making Christmas stockings every year or every other year as I like to change it up. Usually, if I don’t make them for ourselves, I will make them for friends or family and just give it to them as an early Christmas gift. Handmade Christmas stockings are an easy sew project that takes very little fabric.
Now you may say it’s cheaper to just buy a stocking, if you do then you haven’t looked at the prices of the Christmas stockings lately. Of course, you could buy the cheap red with white trim ones, but if you want anything nice that will last long it is going to cost you some money. Instead, I am going to show you how to sew a Christmas stocking that is fully customized for much less. The best part is it will take only about 45 minutes to make it happen. May you are looking to may a Christmas stocking for your Fur baby, if so check out this adorable Pet Christmas Stocking Pattern.
Printable PDF Version of how to sew a Christmas Stocking - This PDF version has been optimized for printing and you won’t need to access the internet every time you want to make it. If you would like to purchase an ad free printable version of this sewing pattern & tutorial, please visit our Etsy Shop listing for Christmas Stocking - PDF Download & you can purchase a PDF downloadable version of this knot bag pattern & tutorial or you can keep reading for the free version of this tutorial.
Supplies for Christmas Stocking
- Fabric – Comfy Flannel or your choice.
- Thread
- Optional: Trim of your choice
- Fusible interfacing
- Scissors
- Rotary cutter and mat
- Sewing Pins or clips
- Pencil
- Newspaper or brown wrapping paper
- Existing stocking to make a pattern or use this Printable Stocking Pattern
- As with most sewing projects you will need an iron, ironing board, and sewing machine.
How to Sew a Christmas Stocking
Wash, dry and press the fabric of your choice. Flannel is a good choice for stockings, as well as fleece or cotton. You’ll want the main fabric per stocking, as well as a coordinating fabric (mine was solid) for the turned cuff at the top and the hanger. You can choose to use the same fabric for the inner and outer layers of the stocking (as I did) or you can choose a different fabric for each layer. Back to the Christmas stocking project, I have found that the end result has fewer flaws when I pre-prep my fabrics with wash, dry and press. Remember you can always customize the fabrics to your liking. Now on to the cutting and sewing of the Christmas stocking.
While the fabric is washing, get started on the pattern. I used an existing stocking to create my own pattern. You can also use this Free Printable Stocking Pattern if your stockings are still in storage.
Lay out some brown paper or newspaper. Lay the stocking on top.
Leaving about ½” around the edge, trace around the whole stocking.
Use scissors and cut out the Christmas Stocking pattern. You can create a new pattern from your stocking like I did or use the Free Printable. Now that you have the pattern lets move on and show you how to sew a Christmas stocking.
Measure and cut out your fabric. I layered each side of the stocking (front and back). For this, you will need: two stocking shapes facing right and two stocking shapes facing left ***If you don’t want to layer each side, you’ll only need one of each directional piece. I liked the extra layer, as it provides some substance to the stocking and it looks nicer.
One rectangle 2.5” x 6” of coordinating fabric & One rectangle (You’ll need to measure this yourself – it should be twice the width of the top of your stocking and doubled the height you want it to be, plus ½” seam allowance. For example – my stocking width at the top was 8.5”, so twice that plus ½” seam allowance was 17.5”. I wanted my cuff to come down 5” from the top of my stocking, so I doubled that and added ½” seam allowance and came out with 10.5”. My rectangle was 17.5” x 10.5”.)
For this step in how to sew a Christmas stocking, you will need one of each directional stocking piece (one facing right and one facing left).
Lay one stocking piece face down. Cover it with fusible interfacing.
Using a warm iron set on dry (no steam), press all over the stocking to ensure the interfacing will adhere. Do not slide the iron, but rather pick it up and move it to the next place.
Cut off the excess interfacing around the stocking shape. Repeat for both stocking shapes.
Next, we will create fabric “sandwiches” for the front and back of the stocking. Lay one reinforced stocking piece on top of a regular stocking piece. Repeat for the other “sandwich.”
Lay one sandwich on top of the other sandwich, making sure to line up all the edges as closely as possible. If you decided to use a different fabric for the liner, the liner should be on the very top and bottom right now (we will turn it inside out in a minute). Pin all around the stocking, leaving the top open.
Using ½” seam allowance, stitch around the sides and bottom of the stocking. Be sure to leave the top open.
Using fabric scissors, snip along the edges every 2” or so. Don’t cut through your seams! This will allow the curves to lay correctly.
Reach inside the stocking and pull the inner fabric out, turning the stocking right side out. Using a turning tool, push out all of the edges. Press if desired for a clean, crisp look. Set stocking aside for now as you move on to the next step in how to sew a Christmas stocking.
Take the bigger rectangle and fold it in half so that the short sides are touching. Pin a few times to hold.
Using ½” seam allowance, stitch along the short sides.
Fold the now tube down so that the raw edges are lined up exactly. Your stitches should be tucked inside so that the clean seam is showing on the outside. Set this piece aside with the stocking.
Now you are going to make the hanger for the Christmas stocking. Take the smaller rectangle and fold it in half so that the long sides are touching. Press well to create a middle crease.
Open the rectangle. Fold one long raw edge down to meet the freshly made middle crease. Press along the fold. Repeat for the opposite long raw edge.
Fold the rectangle in half so that the folded edges are touching. Press well.
Pin a few times to hold.
Stitch along the open edge of this new folded strip – your seam allowance will be about 1/8”. You’ve now made the hanger for your stocking!
Grab your stocking and the other rectangle piece. Insert your rectangle piece folded edge first into the top opening of the stocking. You should have lots of raw edges at the opening of the stocking.
Fold the hanger piece into a “U” shape. Insert the “U” shape in between the rectangle and the stocking fabric at what will be the top left side of the stocking. The raw edges of the hanger piece will line up with the other raw edges.
Pin or clip all the way around, making sure to reinforce where the hanger piece is. This can be easier if you hold the opening up to allow the opening to be a circular shape.
Starting in the middle of the back of the stocking, stitch all the way around the opening of the stocking with ½” seam allowance. Be careful where your hanger piece is! It will be very thick because of the layers of fabric. You will likely need to feed the fabric through a little more forcefully, but take care not to break your needle. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitches, as well as over the hanger.
Reach inside of the stocking and pull the cuff out. If you wish to add trim to the bottom of the cuff, continue to the next step on how to sew a Christmas stocking. Then fold the cuff down over the top of the stocking. It helps to tug on the hanger piece a bit to find where the natural top of the stocking should be.
To add trim to the bottom of the cuff, lay the trim over the edge of the cuff while it’s folded out of the stocking. Pin the trim all the way around the opening.
Stitch the trim down on the cuff. Then fold it down over the stocking.
Hang it up and admire it while you count down the days until Christmas! Now you know how to sew a Christmas stocking. As you can see by the picture below I ended up making several Christmas Stockings.
Personally, I love how the Christmas Stockings turned out and may even make a few for some family once they pick out their fabric choice. If you love this easy how to sew a Christmas stocking project, be sure to pin this to your favorite crafts board so you can find it quickly later!
Sew a Christmas Stocking
Easy to follow step by step tutorial on how to sew a hanging Christmas Stocking. Customize it with the fabric of your choosing.
Materials
- Fabric – Comfy Flannel or your choice.
- Thread
- Optional: Trim of your choice
- Fusible interfacing
- Pencil
- Newspaper or brown wrapping paper
- Free Printable Stocking Pattern
Instructions
- Wash, dry and press the fabric. While the fabric is washing, get started on the pattern. I used an existing stocking to create my own pattern. If you don’t want to create your own, there are many printables available online.
- Lay out some brown paper or newspaper. Lay the stocking on top.
- Leaving about ½” around the edge, trace around the whole stocking.
- Cut the pattern out.
- Measure and cut out your fabric. I layered each side of the stocking (front and back). For this, you will need:
- Two stocking shapes facing right
- Two stocking shapes facing left ***If you don’t want to layer each side, you’ll only need one of each directional piece. I liked the extra layer, as it provides some substance to the stocking and it looks nicer.
- One rectangle 2.5” x 6” of coordinating fabric
- One rectangle (You’ll need to measure this yourself – it should be twice the width of the top of your stocking and doubled the height you want it to be, plus ½” seam allowance. For example – my stocking width at the top was 8.5”, so twice that plus ½” seam allowance was 17.5”. I wanted my cuff to come down 5” from the top of my stocking, so I doubled that and added ½” seam allowance and came out with 10.5”. My rectangle was 17.5” x 10.5”.)
- For this step, you will need one of each directional stocking piece (one facing right and one facing left).
- Lay one stocking piece face down. Cover it with fusible interfacing.
- Using a warm iron set on dry (no steam), press all over the stocking to ensure the interfacing will adhere. Do not slide the iron, but rather pick it up and move it to the next place.
- Cut off the excess interfacing around the stocking shape.
- Repeat for both stocking shapes.
- Next, we will create fabric “sandwiches” for the front and back of the stocking. Lay one reinforced stocking piece on top of a regular stocking piece. Repeat for the other “sandwich.”
- Lay one sandwich on top of the other sandwich, making sure to line up all the edges as closely as possible. The liner should be on the very top and bottom right now. Pin all around the stocking, leaving the top open.
- Using ½” seam allowance, stitch around the sides and bottom of the stocking. Be sure to leave the top open.
- Using fabric scissors, snip along the edges every 2” or so. Don’t cut through your seams! This will allow the curves to lay correctly.
- Reach inside the stocking and pull the inner fabric out, turning the stocking right side out. Using a turning tool, push out all of the edges. Press if desired for a clean, crisp look. Set stocking aside for now.
- Take the bigger rectangle and fold it in half so that the short sides are touching. Pin a few times to hold.
- Using ½” seam allowance, stitch along the short sides.
- Fold the now tube down so that the raw edges are lined up exactly. Your stitches should be tucked inside so that the clean seam is showing on the outside. Set this piece aside with the Christmas stocking.
- Take the smaller rectangle and fold it in half so that the long sides are touching. Press well to create a middle crease.
- Open the rectangle. Fold one long raw edge down to meet the freshly made middle crease. Press along the fold. Repeat for the opposite long raw edge.
- Fold the rectangle in half so that the folded edges are touching. Press well.
- Pin a few times to hold.
- Stitch along the open edge of this new folded strip – your seam allowance will be about 1/8”. You’ve now made the hanger for your stocking!
- Grab your stocking and other rectangle piece. Insert your rectangle piece folded edge first into the top opening of the stocking. You should have lots of raw edges at the opening of the stocking.
- Fold the hanger piece into a “U” shape. Insert the “U” shape in between the rectangle and the stocking fabric at what will be the top left side of the stocking. The raw edges of the hanger piece will line up with the other raw edges.
- Pin or clip all the way around, making sure to reinforce where the hanger piece is.
- Starting in the middle of the back of the stocking, stitch all the way around the opening of the stocking with ½” seam allowance. Be careful where your hanger piece is! It will be very thick because of the layers of fabric. You will likely need to feed the fabric through a little more forcefully, but take care not to break your needle. Backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitches, as well as over the hanger.
- Reach inside of the stocking and pull the cuff out. If you wish to add trim to the bottom of the cuff, continue to step 34. Then fold the cuff down over the top of the stocking. It helps to tug on the hanger piece a bit to find where the natural top of the stocking should be.
- To add trim to the bottom of the cuff, lay the trim over the edge of the cuff while it’s folded out of the stocking. Pin the trim all the way around the opening.
- Stitch the trim down on the cuff. Then fold it down over the stocking.
- Enjoy the new Christmas Stocking you just sewed!
Notes
You can choose to use the same fabric for the inner and outer layers of the stocking or you can choose different fabric.
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