It’s my turn! Today I’ll be showing you how to make your very own embroidered stocking. It is quite simple, but perhaps a little more time consuming than some of the other stockings from the week. With hand work, ample time is something that goes with the territory. I assure you, however, that if you are willing, you most certainly can do this project!

Difficulty: Intermediate

Time Needed: a few hours depending on how much embroidery you choose to do

Materials Needed:

– An old stocking
– ¾ yd of black/white graphic print (more if you are using a directional print)
– ¾ yd of red fabric
– Batting (enough to cut two pieces the size of your old stocking, plus some for the cuff of the stocking)
– A few skeins of red embroidery floss
– A few skeins of white embroidery floss
– Embroidery Needle
– Scissors
– Pencil
– Safety Pins

To begin, you’ll want to lay out your main fabric folded in half so it is wrong sides together. Try to center where you would like the front of your stocking and then lay your old stocking on that spot. Using a pencil, outline your old stocking with a 1/4″ added all the way around (you’ll need that addtional 1/4″ for your seam allowance later).

Cut throught both layers of fabric so that you have both the front and back to your stocking. Use one of those pieces as a template to cut out a right and wrong side of your lining fabric, and two sides from the batting.

For the cuff of your stocking, simply measure the length across the top of one of your stocking pieces and cut 4 pieces that are the length of your stocking top x 4.5″ from your lining fabric. Cut two pieces the same size from your batting.

All you need now is to cut the tab piece. From your lining fabric, cut one 6.5″ x 2.25″ piece. You can go ahead and prepare the tab by folding it in half lengthwise and pressing. Fold both long pieces inward so that they meet at the fold and the raw edges are encased. Press. Edgestitch along both long sides. Set aside.

Embroidery time! Line up your front stocking piece with a piece of batting and pin in place. Using a contrasting color (I used red with the black and white fabric), thread some embroidery floss in your needle and make small running stitches around the designs in the fabric. This is very simple since the design is clear and already on the fabric, but will take some time, so just sit back and enjoy it. You only need to add this stitching to one side, and you can do as little or as much as you want!

Once you are finished with the embroidery on the main body of the stocking, write out a name or draw some design with a pencil on one of the pieces that will be used for the cuff of the stocking. Pin a piece of the matching batting to the back of the cuff piece prior to stitching. Use your stitch of choice to sew over the penciling. I used a chain stitch for the name and a backstitch for the snowflake.

When you have completed your handstitching you can begin assembly of the stocking. If you want to prevent shifting, you can pin your nonembroidered stocking body and batting together and sew a 1/8″ seam all the way around. Trim of any excess batting that might be hanging off. Place the front and back of the body pieces right sides together. Starting at the top of the stocking, sew a 1/4″ seam all the way around the stocking until the reach the top of the other side. Be sure to leave the top edge open!

Repeat the previous step for the lining pieces (but you will forego adding batting).

You’ll need to secure the batting pieces to the cuff pieces the same way you did with the body.

Place one piece with batting right sides together with an unlined piece. Sew a 1/4″ seam along the bottom edge. Repeat with the two remaining cuff pieces (one with batting, the other without batting). Press seams open.

Place these two pieces right sides together, and sew a 1/4″ seam along both the right and left sides. Do not sew around the top or bottom.

Fold in half so that the name in on the outside and there is a lining in back. Set aside.

Now place the lining inside the body of the stocking so that the exterior is right side out and the lining is wrong side out.

Sew a 1/4″ seam around the top opening to attach the lining and exterior body pieces.

Fold tab in half so that the two short end are together. Place the edges of the tab against the edge of the lining on the corner of the heel side. Sew in place using a 1/4″ seam.

Place the cuff piece inside the lining so that the name/design is facing the lining that is attached to the front exterior piece. Pin in place, being careful to line up the side seams. Sew through all the layers as you sew a 1/4″ seam all the way around.

Fold the cuff over the stocking and press.

I made some more of these stockings without the embroidery, using the same tutorial. Check them out HERE. 

Thanks for stopping by!

-Meredith