Unique Ideas for Making a Stocking for Christmas

Looking for that last minute special gift to give your family or loved ones this holiday season? These out-of-the-box ideas for making simple stockings for Christmas will be your new favorite holiday gift-giving tradition.

Come see, how along with some scrap fabric and ribbon, I took a vintage style napkin and a simple placemat, and created these one-of-a-kind Christmas stockings for the whole family.

 

THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

I found this napkin with the Christmas evergreen print at Hobby Lobby recently.  It was 50% off. I really liked the vintage feel of the pattern and thought it would look nice, made into stockings for the children.

We didn’t have any stockings in the farmhouse to use as a template. See why on our Simple Farmhouse Holiday Tour video on our new YouTube channel.

The traditional stocking shape is pretty simple to free hand, but in the interest of saving time, I shopped for an inexpensive stocking to use as my template. This snow man stocking had all the right curves, but it was still pricey for my tiny budget.

I took pictures to help me visualize the curves better.  It made cutting the inexpensive green and red stocking that I did purchase, so much easier.  And at a little over $1, it was a steal!

Here’s a little look at some of my last minute stocking stuffer gifts for our teen and tween.

The faux pine needles looked so real and were also discounted. I picked up six to add some pops of green around the farmhouse for winter.

Shopping end-of-season sales makes adding a few new pieces to the farmhouse, less of an impact on our wallet! (wink)

 

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED

• a standard napkin
• scrap fabric
• scrap ribbon
• drop cloth
• sewing machine
• coordinating thread
• pins
• scissors

 

After the family were all nestled in bed, I got to work on these simple stockings.

I used the first completed stocking as the template for the rest and for the placemat and drop cloth version.

 

HOW TO MAKE A STOCKING FOR CHRISTMAS

Unique Ideas for Making a Stocking for Christmas

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Turn a napkin and placemat into a unique and special handmade Christmas stocking for the family, this holiday.

Print

Materials

• Napkin of choice (standard size)
• Placemat
• Coordinating thread
• Ribbon for the loop to hang
• Existing stocking or inexpensive stocking (for template)
• Scrap fabric for the top band

Tools

• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Pins

Instructions

NAPKIN STOCKING

1. Fold your napkin in half, with the pattern in the direction you would like to be displayed and place on a table or the floor. Make sure that the inside of the fold is on the left. This will save you time because it won't need sewing.
2. Using the existing stocking or inexpensive stocking as your template, place on top of your folded napkin and cut the desired pattern piece out. Make sure to leave about a half inch for seam allowance.
3. Next, fold the napkin inside out and line up the raw edges to form the "J" pattern of the stocking. Sew along the outside edge around the front opening, toe, and heal areas. Leave the top open.
4. Turn the "J" right side out and set aside.
5. For the top band, cut to the size and width you would like. You can use your existing stocking as a guide.
6. Fold in half with the fold of the fabric on the left side to save time on sewing.
7. To make the top band, take your scrap piece that was cut to the desired size you chose and turn inside out. Line up the raw edges on the right side of the piece. fold on the left. Sew together.
8. Turn the top band right side out and insert the top of the "J" piece through the top band. Line up the top edges and pin in place.
9. Take your ribbon and fold in half with raw edges at the bottom. Pin in place at the upper left corner of your stocking.
10. Sew a straight stitch along the top of the "J" with about a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
11. Repeat the straight stitch along the bottom of the top band to secure the fabric to the "J" to finish it off.

PLACEMAT STOCKING

1. Using the same basic steps above, cut out your "J" pattern with your drop cloth or scrap fabric of your choice. Make sure to leave the 1/2 inch seam allowance.
2. Starting on the upper right corner, sew a straight line in the form of a "J." Set aside.
3. Take your placemat and decide what part of the design you would like to show and which direction you want it to be displayed when hung.
4. Cut the placemat to the width you would like. You should have a long enough piece to go all the way around the stocking.
5. Sew the end of the piece with wrong sides together on the raw edge.
6. Turn right side out and top stitch the end to mimic the other side of the band.
7. If your band is like mine and has a liner, top stitch a straight line on the top and bottom of the band before attaching to the "J" piece.
8. Lastly, position your ribbon to the length you would like your loop and pin to the upper inside of the "J" piece.
9. Line up the top of the "J" piece and the top of the top band, and sew a straight stitch along the whole upper portion of the stocking opening. Remember to backstitch to secure the piece.

Notes

Make sure to reverse stitch when starting and stoppnig and when attaching the ribbon, to add more stability and strength to the piece.

These stockings were so simple and quick to make. I didn’t even take out my measuring tape once during this project. I simply used my template for the body and the width of the top band.

 

BONUS TIP

If you don’t want to use a napkin or placemat, any fabric that you choose will work just as well.

For these standard sized stockings, you will need approximately 1/4 yard of fabric for the main “J” pieces and an additional 1/4 yard if you want to make a liner to give it more stability.

You won’t need much for the top band.  Any scrap fabric that you can cut to size, will do.

Once I got the pattern down, it all came together quickly.  I made sure I backstitched at the beginning and end of my straight lines.

These make great holiday decor, hanging from a mantle or hooks like in the pictures.

 

PIN IT FOR LATER:

These also make great reusable gift bags, to add a special and personalized touch to your holiday gifts.

 

Have a safe and blessed Christmas!