Ticking Stripe Christmas Stockings

For years I've been meaning to sew simple ticking striped Christmas stockings to use in my decor.  Luckily, this was the year to get it done.

I love the way they have turned out and they now proudly hang from my kitchen shelf.

Just in case sewing some stocking has been on your to-do list also I've put together a quick tutorial on how I made mine.

First you'll need to find a pattern.  

Unless you can draw your own, but I'm not so good in the drawing department.  I was so happy to stumble upon this pattern from Moda Bake Shop.  Oda May has a great tutorial to go along with the pattern.  Check it out.

Next gather some fabric.  

I picked a red and white ticking stripe and a scrap piece of drop cloth for the cuff.

Take your main fabric and your pattern and cut out two pieces.  Next take your cuff fabric and cut off a piece large enough for the cuff plus an inch on all four sides for hemming.  Sorry I can't give you an exact size to cut.  I never measured it myself.  If it helps my finished cuff is about two and half to three inches wide.

The next step is to attach the cuff to the base of the stocking.  First take your cuff and finish one long edge with a small rolled hem.  Press this nice and flat.  Next line up the unfinished edge of the cuff with the top of the stocking base.  To do this, first layer your cuff piece on a work surface face up, and then lay the stocking base on top of it, also face up.  Pin and then sew together with a straight stitch.

Lay the two pieces out nice and flat like the photo below . . . 

Press open the seam with a hot iron.

Next flip your cuff over onto the stocking base and press this nice and flat also.

I decided to give my cuff a little detail by simply hand sewing on quick running stitch.  To do this I first pin the cuff to the stocking base to make sure it would stay where I wanted while stitching.  I then drew stitching lines with the help of a pencil and a ruler.

I then threaded three strands of embroidery floss onto a needle and quickly adding the running stitch through both the cuff and and the stocking base.

Finally, take your other base stocking piece and finish the top edge with a small rolled hem, then press.  Next layer your two stocking pieces right sides together . . . pin . . . and sew together with a straight stitch.  

Before turning the stocking right side out take the time to clip the seam allowance around the curved area's of the stocking.  You'll find your finished stocking will look nicer this way.  I finished the whole thing off by pressing the stocking nice and flat with an warm iron.  

At this point you can add a little loop of ribbon to the outside edge to hang the stocking with.  I made a fabric loop by simply cutting a long piece of my base fabric to length.  Then folded it in half lengthwise, pressed and then folded and pressed the two raw edges toward the middle.  Then folded it in half again and stitched down the open side.  Hope that makes sense.

Then your done!  Easy right!

Bye now,

Robin

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