Christmas Stockings

This year was our first Christmas hosting at our home in Lloydminster. We were very excited to have the Laycock's as well as Ian's sister Cora come and join us for the holiday! Since we have not had a Christmas at our own home since being married this was a first for getting a Christmas tree, decorating and needing stockings! I looked around the stores for stockings but decided that they would mean more to our family if I made them myself! I had a friend who was asking how I made them so here is the process. They are by no means perfect... or even very good, but they match and they have sentimental value. Here is how they came together:



I chose 3 different prints of flannelet... plain red, white and a green pattern with sparkly snowflakes (these were much cheaper than the 20$/yd Christmas patterns they had for the holidays). I first cut the red and green into 4 inch wide stripes to be sewn together. Thanks Tasha for letting me use your mat/cutter... they are so handy. Planning to invest in my own soon.



I made my own template on cardboard for the stocking... I'm glad I didn't forget to add the 1/2 inch seam allowance or they would have ended up quite narrow. I then stitched the stripes together in alternating colours.



Remember to sew them front to front so that the seam is on the back!



I then ironed the seams flat on the back and then traced the stocking pattern onto the fabric with a sharpie.





I then cut out the traced patterns... probably would have been faster to double it up to cut less but I was worried about screwing up cutting more than one at a time.



I forgot to take pictures after this... I used the stripe pattern just for the front of the stocking. I cut out 2 more stocking shapes in a solid colour for the back of the front layer and the back of the stocking. I sewed the first piece right onto the stripe pattern with the right side facing out on both. You could leave the inside without a backing but I wanted to cover up the stripe seams. I then cut out the toe/heel in white flannelet and used a zig-zag stitch to sew it on top. Next I flipped the front/back front to front and sewed the edges together (all except the top of course - remember to sew the top of the back layer over to make a nice seam). Last of all I stitched on a ribbon to hang it over the fireplace.

Here are 2 of the 4 stockings I finished... (I have 4 extra stripped fronts ready for 'the future')



I didn't have time to get the names on this year... project for Dec 2010 I guess!



I am not ecstatic about how they turned out but I am satisfied. I will probably make all new ones in 10 years anyways! So there is the process... I am sure there are other short cuts but I have not figured them out yet!