Sewing Tuesday: Christmas Stocking.

Hi! It's nearly Christmas, HOORAY! Here's how to make you own Christmas stocking, it's really easy.

Here's mine in our Christmas tree, it has a lining and everything so it's very neat looking.

You will need:

• Two pieces of lining fabric, I chose red.
• Two pieces of stocking fabric, mine is dotty.
• Some paper.
• Scissors.
• A needle.
• Some pins. 
• Thread to match your stocking fabric.
• A pencil or some nifty tailors' chalk like mine!

Step 1.

Lay out you fabrics on top of each other like this:

Bottom layer: Lining fabric, facing right side up if it's patterned.

Next layer: Lining fabric, facing right side down if it's patterned.

Next layer: Stocking fabric, facing right side up if it's patterned.

Top layer: Stocking fabric, facing right side down if it's patterned. 

Step 2.

Check out the GETTING STARTED post at the top right of the page if you are not sure how to sew. 

Draw a stocking shape on your paper the size you'd like your stocking to be. Cut this out and put it on top of your layers of fabric. Draw around it going a little over at the top of your shape, about 5cm like in the picture below. This makes sure there's enough fabric to fold over at the end. 

Remove the paper, pin the layers of fabric together and sew with back stitch all the way around your lines. This will take some time but go slow and remember to enjoy it. Leave the top of the stocking open! Maybe put on a Christmas film. My favourite Christmas film is Elf. 

I used my sewing machine to sew mine as my sewing hand isn't very well! You can use your machine too if you have one, make sure you have someone to help you if you need help. Cut around the sewn stocking shape quite close like I have here:

Clip in to the curved parts of the stocking like below, careful not to clip your stitches!

Step 3.

Turn your stocking the right way out! Open out the stocking fabrics like in the picture below and turn it like you would a sock that's the wrong way out.

Once it's the right way, turn the top edge over like this:

Then turn it over again and that'll hide the rough edges. You're done! 

You could glue some shapes on to your stocking or decorate it with glitter, maybe add a ribbon to the top so that you can hang it up for Santa.

Merry Christmas everyone! Hope you have a great time. See you in the new year!

Holly.