Since adding Penny to our family last year I ran out of stockings… Yep I am one of those people who bought stockings for my “whole future family” when I first bought them for my husband and me. However I guess I only anticipated a family of 4 because I only had 4 and now we are 5. Which is fine because my tastes have changed and I didn’t like our old ones anyway. So I teamed up with Joanns Fabric and Craft stores (again) to make some new ones. They are quick, easy and simple in design just the way I like them.
I went to Joanns and picked up cream colored bottom weight twill, cozy plaid flannel, wonder under, batting, and twill tape to make the stockings. (2 yards of bottom weight, and 1 yard of flannel)
Then I simply traced my old stockings to make the new ones. I cut out 3 stocking shapes for each stocking I was making. I also cut one stocking shape from the batting per stocking.
1. I applied wonder under (double sided iron on sticky stuff) to the plaid flannel. Then I cut out the first initial of everyone in the family (opting for M for mom and D for dad)
2. I peeled the paper backing off the wonder under and ironed each letter to the center of one stocking piece.
3. With two stocking pieces sandwiched around the batting I did a loose satin (zig zag) stitch around the letter. (I like the loose satin stitch because it looks more homey but that’s me) I also stitched in the toe and heel lines that socks have. It gets a nice quilted look since there is the layer of batting.
4. With the third stocking piece placed right sides together with the monogramed stocking piece sew them together around the edges leaving the top open. Clip the curves. Finish the seam as desired. Then turn it right side out.
5. For the top cuff I cut two rectangles that were double the height I wanted and the same width as the stocking top. Then with right sides together I sewed them together along the sides. Then fold the cuff so the seams are in the inside of the fold and the top and bottom meet up.
6. Place the cuff on the inside of the stocking so the raw edges meet and the seams meet. Then sew them together. Fold the cuff to the outside and you are done. I added a little loop of twill tape so the stockings can be hung.
I also decided to hang the stockings with twill tape along the rock this year. It’s not perfect yet, but it’s surprisingly hard to make stockings look natural without a mantel. In the past they have gone on the fireplace screen but with 5 it was a tight fit, but 5 is an un-even number so they don’t space evenly across the rocks. So it’s a little charlie brown looking (tell me you know the scene where they hang a million socks all over the fireplace)
Also Joanns gave me a coupon to share with all of you. (sweet)
Emily Thompson
super cute!!! I know what you mean about anticipating family size. I currently have two extras… my taste my change though too… I love these new ones and they look super cozy! [email protected]