A handmade Christmas stocking is one of the most satisfying festive makes there is. It's mostly gentle curves and straight seams, it uses very little fabric, and it can be brought out year after year. Whether you're making one for a new baby, a set for the whole family or a little one for the dog, this easy guide walks you through it step by step, with a few in-stock fabric picks to get you started.
What You'll Need
- Outer fabric for the stocking body (about 0.5m makes one large stocking)
- Lining fabric (another 0.5m)
- Cuff fabric (a strip roughly 40cm x 20cm per stocking)
- A short length of ribbon or a fabric strip for the hanging loop
- Matching thread, pins or clips, fabric scissors and a sheet of paper for your template
- A sewing machine (hand sewing works too, it just takes a little longer)
Choosing Your Fabrics
For the stocking body, a festive printed polycotton is ideal. It's light enough to sew easily, holds its shape and comes in plenty of cheerful designs. Our Christmas Houses Snow Polycotton Fabric features snowy Christmas houses and is in stock in Red and Green. It's 112cm wide, machine washable and currently £3.99 a metre (was £6.99), so one metre is enough for two stockings.
For the lining, pick something that peeks out nicely at the top. The Christmas Patchwork Quilting Polycotton in Red is a fun choice, and it's also £3.99 a metre (was £6.99), 112cm wide and machine washable.
The cuff is where you can add a touch of luxury. A soft velvet cuff gives that classic snowy-trim look: our Bellissimo Plush Velvet in Ivory/Cream is 150cm wide and reduced to £9.00 a metre (was £14.99). A small strip goes a long way, so one metre will cuff a whole family's worth of stockings. Note that this velvet is dry clean only, which is rarely an issue for a stocking that's used once a year.
If you'd prefer a cuff that won't fray, or want to cut out letters and shapes, try Baize Acrylic Craft Felt in Bottle Green. It's double sided, 150cm wide and £8.99 a metre (was £11.99), and it's perfect for appliquéd names, holly leaves and stars.
Step 1: Make a Template
Draw a stocking shape on paper, roughly 45cm long and 20cm wide at the top, with a rounded heel and toe. Add a 1cm seam allowance all the way around. If you have an old stocking at home, you can simply trace around it.
Step 2: Cut Your Pieces
Fold your outer fabric right sides together and cut two stocking shapes at once, so you get a matching front and back that mirror each other. Do the same with your lining fabric. Then cut your cuff: a rectangle as wide as the top of both stocking pieces added together (around 40cm) and about 20cm tall.
Step 3: Sew the Outer and Lining
Pin the two outer pieces right sides together and sew around the edge with a 1cm seam, leaving the top open. Clip small notches into the curves at the heel and toe so they sit smoothly when turned. Turn the outer right side out and press. Sew the lining pieces together in the same way, but leave it inside out.
Step 4: Add the Lining and Cuff
Slip the lining inside the outer stocking, wrong sides together, and line up the top edges. Sew the short ends of your cuff together to make a loop, then fold it in half lengthways with the wrong sides together. Slide the cuff over the top of the stocking with the raw edges lined up, tuck your folded ribbon loop between the layers at the heel-side seam, then pin and sew all the way around.
Step 5: Finish and Personalise
Fold the cuff down over the outside of the stocking and give it a press (use a low heat and a pressing cloth on velvet). Finish the inside raw edge with a zigzag stitch to stop fraying. Now for the fun part: cut letters or festive shapes from felt and hand stitch or glue them onto the cuff to personalise each stocking.
Handy Tips
- Make a family set. Use the same print in Red and Green with matching cuffs for a coordinated look on the mantelpiece.
- Batch sew. Cut out every stocking at once, then sew them assembly-line style to save time.
- Keep your scraps. Offcuts are perfect for mini stockings to hang on the tree or use as gift card holders.
- Start early. Personalised stockings make lovely gifts, so give yourself a few weekends before December.
Start Your Stockings This Weekend
With just a metre or so of fabric, you can make stockings that become part of your family's Christmas for years to come. All our fabrics are cut off the roll and sent in one continuous length, so you can order exactly what you need. Browse the Christmas Houses Snow Polycotton and our other festive prints, and get stitching. Happy sewing from all of us at Bull Ring Fabrics!
