Sew a Faux Quilted Christmas Stocking

Hello lovelies! How are you doing? Things are good here in Two Crafty Brownieland. Today marks one year since Lu and I published our first blog post !! I can't quite believe it.

Lu and I had been working behind the scenes for months before. From the start we were really keen to set out goals and intentions, come up with a tag line, write a mission statement, and we had to learn about websites, Typepad, how to share a Google drive, design a logo…… and we really wanted all of this in place before we started!

So here we are, a year on, and very pleased with how things are going. We finally opened our shop, are doing a market before Christmas and have lots of plans for the New Year.

I know many of you have been blogging for yonks, a year isn't very long..... but we had been dreaming of it for so long, there were times we thought we’d never get started…… it's been a fab year, and one of the best bits has been making lovely new friends online.

Now, onto this week's tutorial.......As Christmas approaches, I am really trying to get ahead. I want a really handmade Christmas this year, and I am kicking things off with a few pressies. This week I am making a faux quilted Christmas stocking.

What you need is

Template……..I just hand drew mine in the size and shape I wanted. I keep all my templates in this pink binder......how organised am !?!?

Main fabric (size will depend on your template). Because I wanted a quilted effect, I picked fabric with a geometric pattern.

Lining fabric

Some plain muslin for quilting the back

Batting such as this

Faux fur or fleece, I found mine in our local fabric shop

Matching thread

Two Crafty Brownies sewing essentials 

What you do is

Use your template to cut two stockings out of your main fabric. Don't forget they should be mirror images.

Do the same with the lining fabric.

I would leave the quilting and batting fabric untrimmed until after you have done your quilting.

Layer the stocking fabric, right side up, on top of the batting and then lay the muslin, or quilting fabric underneath. This fabric won't show in the end, it's just to help your sewing machine sew the batting in.

Pin or tack the three layers together.

Start sewing…..l went up and down the lines on my fabric. You could also mark a grid with disappearing pen, or try some free motion quilting like Anne does so beautifully……..

It took a couple of hours to sew along the lines, but I love the effect.

Trim your three layers.

Now we will prepare the fur collar and a hanging loop.

Disclaimer.... I am so old I still work in Imperial measures.....

Decide how wide and long you want your hanging loop. I decided I wanted mine to be ¾” wide and 8 inches long (to make a 4” long double loop)

Multiply your width by 4 and add your preferred seam allowance x2 to the length. Cut this from your main fabric.

Iron the strip in half along the length, and then fold each long edge into the middle. Press flat, and topstitch along both long edges.

For the fur collar, measure the top edge of your main stocking. Mine was 9”. Double this and add one lot of your usual seam allowance. (19” for me). Decide how wide you want your collar, I went for 4”. You will need a piece for fur 19 x 4”.

Fold it in half lengthways and sew the two short edges together.

You should now have:

Two quilted stocking shaped main fabric layers

Two lining stocking layers

A fur collar

A hanging loop

Place the two main stocking sides, right sides together and sew around, leaving the top edge open. Do the same with the lining, but leave a gap for turning out, can you see my gap between the two pins?

Now this next bit is the tricky bit. It took me three goes to work this out, and it made my head hurt, but I did it so you don't have to, that's how much I love you!!

You need your main stocking inside out. Then inside this you want your fur collar, inside out with the seam lined up with the seam of the main stocking. Inside these two place the lining stocking, right way out. Fold your hanging loop in half and with the folded edge pointing down towards the toe, pin in between the fur and the lining at the back of the stocking.Pin or clip all around the top edge which should be made of three layers plus the loop.

Now sew around this edge through all three layers until you get back to where you started.

Phew! Nearly there……..

Put your hand in and pull the lining out. Then put your hand into the gap in the lining, grab the inside of the toe of your stocking, and pull this through…….it'll look like a scary mess but just keep going…….

Sew up the opening in the lining, give the whole thing a good press, push the lining down inside the stocking, and admire with a nice glass of wine in hand!!

Well, I do hope you've made it to the end without glazing over (I'm looking at you, Lucy!!). 

I'm off to have a large coffee.......have a lovely weekend, darlings!

Jenny xxx 

Comments

[Anne Donald]

I'm still laughing at the pipe-smoking photo! Another excellent tutorial (and thank you for the mention!) And HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!!!!! Here's to many more years!!

[Kelly]

I love that first photo, too. :D

Congratulations on the first year! I can only dream of being as talented as you two and can't tell you how much I enjoy all that you share here. I look forward to many more years of it, so please keep it up!!

[Two Crafty Brownies]

Thank you, Anne! As always following in your footsteps! Jenny xxx

[Two Crafty Brownies]

Thanks so much Kelly, we have so appreciated your comments and support over the last year, you have no idea! Onwards and upwards! Jenny xxx

[Meredithe]

Congrats to you both on your first year! I've so enjoyed reading your posts and watching your business grow. Here's to many, many more years!! Cute stocking. Hugs xx

[Two Crafty Brownies]

Thank you so much, Meredith! You have been such a wonderful support all along! Jenny xxx