Christmas Stocking Free Pattern!

Ho Ho Ho!  Santa's on his way...he's making a list, he's checking it twice, he thinks homemade stockings are nice!  So we went ahead and made you a free stocking pattern and a little tutorial so you can make your own.  i did some very beginner quilting, you should try it!  But if quilting scares you, you can totally skip that part and still have a gorg stocking hanging from your mantle!

Get the free Christmas Stocking Pattern and Tutorial after the jump...

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Free Christmas Stocking Pattern and Tutorial

First download our free Christmas stocking pattern here: Prudent Baby Christmas Stocking Free Pattern.  This pattern is on three 8"X10" pages.  Remember to make sure your print settings are not set to "fit to page," you want this to print out as is. So print it out and cut out the pieces, then tape them together as indicated to create your pattern.  Now trace your pattern onto your materials.  You need:

• For the lining:  1 piece and 1 piece in reverse.
• For the outside: 1 piece and 1 piece in reverse.
• Batting: 2 pieces

Now go ahead and cut them out.  You'll also need a few feet of double fold bias tape.  I went store bought this time, a pretty pink to match my Amy Butler fabric from Fabricworm (this one is from a few years ago, but wouldn't this one make an awesome stocking: Amy Butler Mosaic River??)  I say go nuts with it.  You don't need a holiday fabric since the stocking makes it pretty clear it's a holiday project.  Maybe recycle a man's shirt or a blanket, sweater, or burlap sack?  Anyhoo, get your stuff all cut out:

Now lay one lining piece right side down, then a batting piece, then your outer piece right side up.  So you've created a batting sandwich:


Repeat with the other set:


Pin in place all the way around:


Baste (basting is sewing with a straight stitch set to the widest width your machine will allow, usually a 5) with a 1/4" seam allowance all the way around every side of your stocking sandwiches one at a time:


Now I did some quilting.  You can skip this part, but it makes for a less slippy-slidey stocking and it's extra cute (IMHO).  You coudl do straight lines on the horizontal or vertical, or both to make squares.  I decided to do diamonds.  I don't trust myself to hand quilt them perfectly so I decided to mark my lines with an erasable marker.  To make my vertical lines even, I whipped out my handy dandy (and inexpensive!) Simplicity Bias Ruler.

I made mine 2.5 inches apart.  I started by drawing them in one direction (it's hard to see in the pic but they are there, you could always do it on the lining side for better visibility):


Then I just sewed a basic straight stitch on each of my drawn lines.  I used my walking foot, which makes it a bit easier to make sure the layers don't slip when quilting, but for a project this small your regular foot will work fine.  I do love my walking foot though.


Then I went back and drew lines on the opposite diagonal:


And sewed those.  Here's what it looks like on the lining side:


And from the front:


Repeat on your other stocking piece.  So now you have two quilted stocking pieces:


Lay them together right sides facing (so your outer fabric is facing to the inside) and pin all the way around:


Sew in place just inside your basting line (but don't sew the top of your stocking closed.  I know you probably wouldn't, but it bears repeating).  Then cut tiny score marks in the seam allowance around the curves:


Turn it inside out.  So proud!


The top edge of your stocking still needs finishing.


So cut a 5" piece of double fold bias tape and sew it closed along the edge:


Twist it into a loop and sew the bottom of it together.  This will be your hanging loop:


Now we are going to do single step binding to finish the top edge of our stocking.  So take your length of double fold bias tape and fold the end into a triangle (see the How To Sew With Bias Tape post for a detailed explanation and pics) and pin it (with the shorter side on the outside of your stocking):


Continue to pin all the way around.  You can pin your loop in now, or you can sew it on later if that's easier for you.


Sew all the way around the top of the stocking about 1/8" in from the edge of the bias tape.  Reinforce the loop with extra stitching at the top and bottom of the bias tape so your present-filled stocking doesn't fall off the mantle!


Doesn't that look nice?


Very sturdy for hanging.


All quilty.  You can still see my marker lines here, so I went back and blasted it with a steamy iron to make them disappear.



Done!


Maybe with such a pretty stocking, your husband (I mean Santa) might actually put something in it this year?  HA, as if!

Ladies, I seriously CANNOT WAIT to see some custom christmas stockings!!!  Send pics send pics send pics!