Handmade Christmas Stocking Pattern and Tutorial
Here is a Christmas decorating idea for anyone who want to make custom handmade Christmas stockings for your family this holiday season when you can’t find store-bought stockings to fit your holiday decorating style.
These homemade stockings can be made to coordinate with your Christmas decorations or room’s color scheme using the fabric of your choice, scraps of leftover fabric, quilts or even old sweaters or clothing. You can even add decorative embellishments to customize the stockings even further for each family member.
Below in the post is an easy to follow step-by-step tutorial with a free printable Christmas stocking pattern that will help you make the stockings in no time.
Original Christmas Stockings I Made
I made these white stockings with colorful cuffs back in 2012. To make them, I used fabrics that were leftover from previous DIY decor projects. You may recognize a few from the sofa slipcovers I made, the door draft stopper, dining room chair covers and a sofa throw blanket.
Over the years I have tweaked the look of these stockings to fit the holiday color theme I was using each year by making a new cuff to cover the existing ones.
New DIY Red Plaid Stockings
This year I needed more than 4 stockings to hang from the fireplace mantel since all my family member will be at my house for the holidays. I needed 8 stockings and I wanted them to be red plaid.
I couldn’t find what I wanted so I made them production line style in my studioffice/craft room with my 1950’s era hand-me-down Singer sewing machine.
Since I was decorating the house with red plaid for Christmas this year, I went to Hobby Lobby and found 8 different plaid fabrics to make the new stockings. I kept the design very basic with a coordinating fabric cuff for each stocking.
I really like how the new set of coordinating stockings turned out and hope Santa fills them up with lots of goodies on Christmas.
If you don’t have a fireplace mantel to hang your Christmas stockings, don’t miss these Where to Hang Stocking Ideas to find a place to hang them so they are ready for Santa to fill.
In this post I have also included a free printable of vintage Santa face name tags that I attached to each of the new red plaid stockings I made. These will help me to know whose stocking is whose at a glance. These Santa tags can also be used as gift tags or even holiday dining table place cards.
Santa Tag Cutting Tip:
When cutting out the vintage Santa name tags, make sure to not cut off a small area on the left above Santa’s cap. Keeping a small section you can can punch a hole to tie ribbon through into the white space on paper above the cap and not into Santa’s head.
Optional: Creating Interchangeable Fabric Cuffs For Your DIY Christmas Stockings
When considering what fabric to use to make your stockings, know that once they are made they can last for years. It you ever get bored of the color or pattern of the cuff fabric, you can easily change the cuff by covering the original with a new fabric.
Plaid Cuffs – I made these plaid cuffs to cover the original 11″ x 14″ size cuffs I made when I first made these stockings. Once I sewed and attached the plaid fabric cuffs over the existing cuffs, you can still see the pom-pom trim peeking out from the existing cuffs. To add holiday sparkle I pinned on a rhinestone pin bought at a flea market.
Faux Fur Cuffs For another Christmas, I made these fur cuffs larger than the original 11″ x 14″ cuffs so they would cover the entire cuff as well as the pom pom trim.
To make interchangeable cuffs for Christmas Stockings:
- Cut a new cuff from plaid fabric/fur – 11″ x 14″.
- Fold fabric in half with right sides of the fabric together.
- Sew long raw edges of fabric together, turn the fabric over. Tuck short ends about 1/4″ into sewn cuff and sew closed.
- Use safety pins to attach the new cuff or cover over the existing cuff.
If you ever decide to display the stockings with the original cuffs again, when you make a new cuff as outlined above, there is no damage to the original stocking cuff.
Free Printable Christmas Stocking Pattern
Below is the free printable .pdf of the stocking pattern I used. Since you will most likely be printing out the pattern on 8.5″ x 11″ computer paper, I made the pattern in 3 parts that can be pieced together with tape so you get a 20″ long stocking.
The finished stocking size is: 8″ wide x 20″ long/
Download the 3 free printable pattern parts here – TOP, CENTER, BOTTOM
No pattern needed to make the cuff for the stocking: To make the cuff: Use a ruler to measure an 11” x 14” rectangle on your fabric.
TIP: Printing the Stocking Pattern on Your Printer
If the .pdf doesn’t print to size, you may have to go into your printer’s interface and change a setting or two.
- Open the patterns as .pdfs. and use the % tab to size to 100%.
- Depending on your computer’s browser, you may not be able to print from your browser because that does not give you scaling options. Download the files, then open them and then print. If your printer interface has it, select the “scaling to printable area”, then print.
How to Make a Christmas Stocking With Fabric
This Christmas stocking is very simple to make with only basic sewing skills needed. It can be made with any fabric from cotton to a heavier texture like velvet or quilted fabric. There is no lining piece of fabric needed.
The top has a cuff that can be made with a coordinating or different fabric/texture to add interest to this handmade stocking.
supplies needed:
- Sewing machine
- Fabric for stocking
- Fabric for cuff and hanger loop. For cuff – cut out an 11” x 14” section from fabric. For loop hanger – cut a 6” x 3” strip or use a piece of ribbon to create a loop to hang the stocking
- Matching thread
- Print-out of pattern – or use a stocking you already have as a pattern.
- Embellishments – pom-pom trim, pretty brooches/pins, ric-rac, jingle bells
- Ruler or tape measure
- Scissors
- Straight pins
- Tape – clear or masking
How to Assemble Christmas Stocking Pattern
- Print out the three .pdfs patterns. TOP, CENTER, and BOTTOM.
2. Match up the “X’s” on the pattern and tape together to form the stocking shape.
3. Place cut-out and taped pattern on fabric and pin.
4. Cut fabric out. (Cut out two stocking shapes. Make sure if you are using a fabric with only one printed side that the pattern is facing right side out before cutting.)
How to Sew Christmas Stocking Together
1. Pin right sides of fabric together of cut-out stocking.
2. Sew 5/8” seam around sides and bottom of stocking. Do not sew the top of the stocking together or the top edges. Remove pins.
Make the Stocking Cuff
1. Cut an 11” x 14” section from desired fabric for cuff. Fold in half – long sides together and right sides out as shown above.
2. Lay fabric over top of stocking as shown above.
3. Match short sides of fabric together and pin. The cuff should be about an inch larger than the top edge of the stocking to allow for seam. If it is too wide, you may need to trim.
4. Sew a 5/8” seam along short sides.
5. Press seam open.
Optional: Adding Trim to Cuff
If you want to add trim of any type – decorative ribbon, pom poms, etc. – sew or use fabric glue to attach it all around the bottom edge of the cuff
9. Place cuff – right sides facing out into stocking.
10. Pin to top edge of stocking.
11. Sew edges together.
12. Pull cuff out, up, and over top edge of stocking. Press if needed.
How to Make a Sturdy Hanging Loop for Stocking
To make and attach a loop to hang the stocking, cut a piece of fabric into a 3″ x 6″ strip. Fold the two long sides of the strip to the center and press. Next fold in half. Sew a seam along the open edge of the folded strip.
Note: You can also simply use a piece of sturdy ribbon to make a loop hanger and sew it onto the inside seam of the stocking.
Bring two raw ends together to create a loop and pin to the inside seam of stocking. Sew it on using a few rows of stitching for a secure hold.
Having Christmas stockings that become cherished and handed down through the generations is almost as important as the Christmas tree when it comes to decorating your home for the holiday.
Are your stockings hung yet, eagerly waiting for Santa to fill them? For many more ideas on how to decorate for the holidays, click to my Holiday Project Gallery
