With Christmas fast approaching, Under The Christmas Tree have teamed up with sewing pattern specialists- Simplicity (www.simplicitynewlook.com) sharing their expert tips for making a Christmas stocking that’ll add the bespoke factor to this year’s decorations.
To make the tree decoration, you’ll need:
- Simplicity sewing pattern 1577
- 50cm of fabric
- 30cm of material for the contrast toe, heel and cuff
- 50cm of 115cm fusible polyester fleece
- 1.20m of Piping
- 30cm of cord
- Small gold tassel (we used a Wright’s Angel tassel)
- Sewing machine
- Glue (optional)
Seam allowances are 13 mm unless otherwise stated.
Clip seam allowances on curved seams so that the seam will lie flat when turned through – clip seam allowances of inner curves diagonally from raw edge towards stitching and for outer curves clip little wedge shapes into the seam allowances.
Finger press seams before stitching over them again.
Step 1:
Follow the pattern template for Christmas Stocking A and cut four pieces for the stocking (two for the stocking and two for the facing). Plus 2 cuffs, heels and toes. Fuse the polyester fleece to the wrong side of two of the stocking pieces.
Step 2:
Machine stitch along the unnotched edge of the toe sections 6mm from edge. Pin and stitch piping to the toe sections, over the stitching with straight edge of piping even with edge of toe. Clip into the piping and toe section to curve smoothly. Press raw edges to wrong side, turning the piping out.
Step 3:
Pin each toe to the right side of each padded stocking section, matching notches. Baste the outer raw edges together and then machine stitch close to the inner pressed piped edge of the toe (using a zipper foot to get close to the piping).
Step 4:
Repeat steps 2-3 for the heel sections.
Step 5:
Pin and stitch stocking sections, right sides together around outer edges (catching basted heels and toes in the seam (leave upper edge open. Trim seams and clip curves as mentioned in General notes above.
Step 6:
Stitch stocking facing pieces together around the outer edges, again leaving top open and clipping curves. With wrong sides together, slip stocking inside facing, having upper raw edges even, then baste around top. Fold the cord in half and baste to the upper straight edge of the stocking.
Step 7:
Fold one cuff section in half widthways, right sides together and stitch short ends together. Apply fusible facing to the wrong side of the remaining cuff (facing) and once cooled stitch in the same manner. Insert main cuff into facing, right sides together, matching seams, stitch straight edge, leaving notched edges open. Trim seam.
Step 8:
Turn the cuff right side out; press and baste notched edges together. Pin the piping to the finished edge of the cuff (pin to the facing side), lapping ends at centre back. Stitch close to the finished edge of the cuff, catching in piping on the underside.
Step 9:
Pin the right side of the cuff to the facing side of the stocking (over loop), matching the centre back seam. Stitch. Stitch again (6mm) from the first stitching in the seam allowance. Trim seam close to second stitching.
Step 10:
Turn the stocking the right side out and press. Finally glue or stitch the tassel to the back edge of the stocking.
1. Enlarge the pattern, found HERE and cut out. Pin it to red denim fabric and trim out two pieces. Press iron-on interfacing onto the back of a white/pink circular print fabric square and a square of felt. 2. Pin the medium-sized heart to the patterned fabric and cut it out, then trim a smaller heart from the felt. Press the felt on top of the patterned material then, in turn, onto the felt base. Decorate the hearts with running stitch using red embroidery thread, and sew a white star in the centre of the motif. 3. Press iron-on interfacing onto the back of white fabric with red dots, then cut out two strips, each 4cm x 5cm. Iron these across the top of each stocking piece. Using the template provided and the same material, snip two heel sections and press in place. 4. Take contrasting thread and machine stitch around the heels and across the patterned fabric. Using red embroidery thread, work three star stitches across the top of the patterned fabric. 5 .With right sides facing, pin the sections together and machine stitch around the stocking . Turn it through to the right way and press a 1cm hem at the open edge. Fold over a length of ribbon and stitch to the inside seam of the stocking. 6. From red lining fabric, cut out two stocking pieces and machine stitch together. Iron a 1cm hem and push the lining inside, pinning it into place. Use neat hemming stitches to sew the lining in position.