Contributed by the Sew Sew Lounge

Looking for a fun and easy beginner sewing project for the holidays?  This step-by-step tutorial on how to sew a Christmas stocking walks you through every step of the process, from cutting out the pattern to pressing your finished stocking.  Medium and heavy weight quilting fabrics in colorful holiday prints are perfect for this project.  This amount of fabric makes two stockings. Make one for yourself and gift the other away!

Supplies:

⅔ yard of (45 inch wide) fabric in holiday print for stocking
¼ yard (45 inch wide) complementary fabric for band of stocking
⅔ yard medium weight iron-on interfacing; keep the instructions if you haven’t used interfacing
Matching thread

Sewing Tools:

Paper scissors
Tape
Fabric scissors
Rotary cutter (optional)
Straight pins
Tape measure
Iron & Ironing Board

Prep the Fabric

Wash and dry your fabric. Iron out any wrinkles. Keep your iron and ironing board set up for easy access during the sewing tutorial. Fold fabric in half lengthwise so the selvage lines up on the right and the fold is on the left.

Prep the Pattern

Print out the PDF pattern included with this tutorial.  The image will print on standard 8½ x 11 inch paper without any size adjustments. Make sure the pages are printed in portrait orientation.


Cut out the pattern along the thick outside line.


Cut out the triangles.  They will help you match the pieces together during the sewing  process. Repeat these steps until all the pattern pieces are cut out. When finished you should have five separate pattern pieces.

Line up the edge of piece three to make the stocking pattern.


Tape across the edge to connect the pieces together. Repeat to attach the remaining piece 3.

At this point there are three pattern pieces, the top band (1), the hanging tab (2), and the stocking (3). Now you are ready to start cutting out your fabric.

Pattern Layout & Cutting: 

Lay out the stocking pattern (3) on the fabric near the top edge and selvage. Leave enough space to cut out a second pattern.

Starting at the top of the grainline marked on the pattern piece, measure to the edge of the selvage. My measurement was 6½ inches.  Pin at  the grainline to hold the pattern piece in place.

Measure from the bottom of the grainline to the selvage, this measurement needs to be the same as the previous measurement.  If it isn’t, move the pattern piece until you get the same measurement at both ends of the grainline.  This step ensures that your stocking pattern is lined up with the lengthwise grain of the fabric so it hangs straight.

Lay out the top band (1) on the coordinating fabric near the top edge and selvage. Measure the from the top edge to the edge of the fabric.  Make sure each end is the same measurement.  My measurement was ½ inch.  This time we are making sure the pattern is in line with the horizontal grainline.

Repeat with the tab (2) to make sure it is cut on the grainline too.

Using the cutting device of your choice, cut out all the pattern pieces along the outside edge of the pattern piece.

Cut out each triangle around the edge of the patterns.

A note on interfacing:  

Interfacing is a non-woven material used to add stiffness and structure to fabric.  Interfacing has two sides: smooth and rough.  The rough side has adhesive to attach to the fabric. For this pattern I attached the interfacing to the inside back panel of the stocking to provide additional stiffness.  I cut out the pattern with the rough side down. If your fabric is heavy weight and holds its shape, feel free to skip the interfacing.

Unpin the stocking pattern (3) from the fabric and place on a single layer of interfacing.  Make sure the rough side is against the cutting table and the smooth side is next to the pattern.

Cut out the interfacing.  Remember to cut out the triangles to line up the interfacing with the fabric.

How to Sew a Christmas Stocking

Sew the Top Band (1):

1.  Line up the bottom edge (the one without the triangles) with the side of the presser foot and sew a ¼ inch staystitch line.  You will sew each pattern piece individually.

2.  Go to your ironing board and fold along the staystitch line and press.

3.  Press each piece from the back and front to create a permanent fold.

4.  Return to your sewing machine and sew ⅛ inch from the bottom edge to hold it in place

5.  Put these pieces to the side for later use.

Sew the Tab (2):

1.Line up the long side edge with the side of the presser foot and sew a ¼ inch staystitch line. Sew each pattern piece individually.

2.With the right sides together, pin the pieces so the staystitch lines match.

3.Sew along the raw edge ⅛ inch to connect the two pieces.

4.Fold the seam open and press.

5.Fold each side along the staystitch line and press to fold.

6.Fold along the center seam and pin.

7.Press along the folded edge.

8.Sew ⅛ inch along the open edge to secure in place.

9.Now you have a  neatly finished tab.

Attach the interfacing:

If you are new to interfacing, read the instructions first and practice with scraps until you get a feel for it.

1.Place the rough side of interfacing against the wrong side of the back of the stocking. Match the triangles to line up the fabric and interfacing.  Pin to hold in place.

2.Press the interfacing from the center, working out toward the edges. Use steam and hold the iron to press each section of the stocking until the interfacing is secured. Do not push the iron around on the interfacing or it will wrinkle the fabric and create bunching. 

Sew the Stocking:

1.Attach the wrong side of the top band (1) to the wrong side of the stocking (3) by matching up the triangles. (The wider side of the top band will line up with the side by the heel of the stocking.) Pin to secure in place.

2.Repeat so the top bands are pinned to each stocking.

3.Sew ½ inch seam along the top edge to connect the two pieces together. (Line up the fabric with the tape line you previously marked.) Remove the pins as you get to them.

4.Open the seam and press from the front of the stocking.  The wrong side of the top band will be showing.

5.Fold the top band to the right side of the stocking and press.

6.Sew ½ inch along the top edge to secure the top band to the right side of stocking.

7.The finished top band is now secured to the top of the stocking.

8.Repeat these steps with the other stocking piece.

Moving along…

9.With the right sides together match the triangles around the stocking and pin.

10.Make sure to line up the sides of the top band within the seam allowance.

11.Open the seam two inches from the top of the stocking (the side with the heel).  Place the ends of the tab next to each other in the seam allowance, with the tab going towards the inside (as shown in photo).

12.PIn to secure in place.

13.With the interfacing side up and the fabric side down, sew ½ inch seam along the side of the stocking and remove the pins along the way. Use the tape line as a guide to help you sew straight. Backstitch at the beginning of the seam.

14.When you get to the curve of the stocking, keep the fabric edge lined up with the tape where it is parallel to the presser foot.  Slowly sew around the curves of the toe and heel to maintain an even seam allowance.

15.The seam will be thicker as you sew over the tab.  Slow down and take your time. Backstitch at the end of the seam.

16.Clip the curved seams between the toe and heel (between the pins in the photo).

17.Clip close to the stitch line.

18.Trim the clipped seams to ¼ inch (about half their width).

19. Press the open the straight, unclipped seams along the shaft of the stocking.

20.Turn the stocking right side out. Use your finger to flatten the seams from the inside of the stocking.

21.Press the outside edge of the stocking.

22.All done. Great job!

Joan Mantini

About Joan Mantini

After several years of being the Facebook page owner at Beginner Sewing, I noticed there was a desperate need to have a single go-to spot for members to be able to find answers to their common questions, get some useful tips & tricks, as well as find reputable places to purchase sewing products online. Taking my role as a trade publication editor by day, and combining it with my knowledge of frequently requested beginner sewing advice, I created www.https://beginner-sewing.com/. An outlet that gives new sewists a free digital magazine geared for entry level sewing as an extra bonus!

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