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Monday, October 10, 2011

31 Days of Handmade Christmas Gifts: Day 10 - Christmas Stocking

Today's Handmade Christmas Gift is a sewing project.  This project is quite simple, but you should know your way around the sewing machine a little.  I love the results of sewing projects for gifts because they look professional with just taking a little time to make sure things line up.  I am going to give you a tutorial for this one, so hopefully it will be simple enough to follow along.

First of all, I found this queen size vintage chenille bedspread at a rummage sale for only $2!  Score!  You'll be seeing this around some more, since it can make some great things.  You can use any sort of material you would like - fleece, a wool shirt would look great, or anything you find.

1.   I found a stocking pattern in one of my many craft books and traced it out on newspaper print.  You can use tissue paper too, whatever you have on hand.  If you don't have a book or pattern, you can use a Christmas stocking that you love the shape of and just trace around it.

2.  For this stocking, I wanted to use the fringe on the cuff, so I cut off a 2" X 18" section, not counting the fringe to be used for this.  The upper part of my stocking is 17 inches around, so I added 1 inch for hemming the edges 1/2" on each end.

Here's what that looks like.  Now, in this case, I used the seam that was already there on the left side.

3.   Next, you want to turn the short ends in 1/4 of inch and press, and then turn it again, 1/4 of inch and press.  Sew that seam down on both ends.

4.   Fold the material over, and pin the pattern down.  Cut around the pattern, making two pieces in opposite directions.

5.   Cut a 3" X 17" strip for the hanger.  6.   Fold the strap in half, with right sides together and stitch 1/4" seam down the edge (the long way). 


7.   Here's what that looks like.  Turn this inside out.

8.   Press flat with the seam going down the center of one side.  This will be the inside of the loop.

9.   Pin the strap, fold in half to the right side of the top of the stocking.

10.   Pine the other side of the stocking to strap and stocking, right sides together.  Sew, 1/4" seam around the outside of the stocking.  Don't sew the top edge of the stocking.

11.   Turn the stocking, right sides out and press.  The strap should be on the outside now.

12.   This is the part that is hard to explain, and even more difficult to take a picture of, but now you will pin the cuff to the inside of stocking with the right side of the cuff to the wrong side of the stocking.  Be sure to match up the ends of the cuff to the back seam of the stocking.  They ends may overlap a little, but it works out fine in the end.

13.  Turn it right side out with the seam to the inside.  Press and hang!

This one I am going to be listing in my Etsy Shop.  I've also made some pumpkins out of this Vintage bedspread, too, so please consider supporting me!  I'll be linking this up to the blogs that I love to link up to in the right hand column over there.

3 comments:

  1. Great idea. I have a chenille coverlet that I picked up for 'some' project. I think I'll have to make some stockings like yours.

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  2. love it and bet it is so soft how very cute

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