Who doesn't love Christmas. I am one of those crazy people who could watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music throughout the year. I love finding unique decorations and ornaments to decorate my house for the holidays. There are some great crafty, handmade ideas out there, and I wanted to increase my own handmade Christmas decor. What better project than a patchwork stocking.
These stockings will hang on the mantle over my wood stove. Missouri Quilt Company has a nice pattern for patchwork stockings, so last year I bought the pattern when I was buying some fabric.
I chose Moda's Hometown Christmas Edition by Sweetwater charm pack to make two stockings. The colours and patterns of this collection would be perfect for a stocking.
I opened up my charm pack, and laid out my fabric pieces. I picked out 10 squares for each side of the stocking. Since this pattern uses 2.5" squares, the stocking can be made using mini-charm packs. You would need one mini-charm pack for each side of the stocking, 38 squares required per side.
I modified the stocking pattern, as I wanted the patchwork on both the front and back of the stocking. I did not use any batting for my stockings, and simply lined the inside by sewing a solid piece of fabric to the back of the patchwork pieces. Since I did two sides of patchwork instead of just the front, I needed to use double the 5" squares, 20 squares instead of 10. This meant I only got 2 stockings out of one charm pack, whereas the MQC pattern makes 4 stockings.
To create the shape of the stocking, make three strips of 6 squares for the bottom of the boot, and 5 strips of 4 squares for the top of the boot. Once all the fabric pieces are sewn together into the shape of a stocking, I pinned it to a piece of solid red fabric, which will line the instead of the stocking. To secure the patchwork piece to the lining fabric, I stitched in the ditch. I then trimmed around the boot so the lining fabric was the same size and shape as the patchwork boot, and to ensure my edges were straight. I did this for both the back and the front of the stocking.
To round the foot and heel of the boot, I used an apple core template and my rotary cutter. I do this before sewing the back and front of the stocking together.
With the front and back of the stocking lined and trimmed, I match them up with the patchwork sides facing together, and sew a 1/4" seam around the sides and bottom, without sewing the top. After sewing the stocking together, turn it right side out.
In order to hang the stocking on a fireplace mantle, I cut a strip of red fabric that was 10" x 1". This strip is sewn to the inside of the back seam.
To finish of the top of the stocking, I used cream flannelette. Fold the flannelette in half, and sew the cut edge to the top of the stocking.
I love these stockings. I can't wait to hang these on the mantle over the wood stove. Even though it is only August, finishing these makes me a little excited for Christmas.