Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Stockings - Simple Photo Tutorial

As promised, I have a mini "how to" with photos for the stockings I made over the weekend.  I had a LOT of help from this 3 part series of videos on YouTube, so if my directions aren't clear enough be sure to check them out.

First, I took an old stocking from our Christmas stash that had a nice size and shape.  I traced it on butcher paper - leaving 1/4" for seam allowance.  Then I cut it out.


I had purchased a collection of fat eighths from the fabric store, because I wanted the quilted look.  These were great because they had 8 different fabrics, in a nice gradation of colors from dark to light.  I used 4 fabrics per stocking.  I cut the 9"x21" pieces down to 4.5"x21".  If you were making a stocking from 1 fabric for the outside, and 1 fabric for the lining, then you would only need about 1/2 yard of each (depending on the finished stocking size).

The next step was piecing the fabrics together (I did 2 sets - one for the front and back), then I pressed the seams.  I placed the 2 panels of fabrics right sides in, and used my pattern to cut out stocking shapes.  I was able to get 2 stockings from each set of panels.  I also cut out interfacing and a lining using the pattern.  The lining I cut 4.5" longer in the top part of the stocking to create a nice cuff.   Before sewing the stocking outsides together, I ironed on the interfacing.

This photo was taken after I sewed the stocking together, clipped the rounded edges, and turned it.  I pressed it lightly and then sewed on the tab made from excess fabric.

I sewed the lining - leaving a 4" gap on the back of the leg.  Leaving it right sides in, I put the stocking (already turned) inside.  Then sewed the lining to the stocking outside by lining up the raw edges at the top.  Then I pulled the stocking out of the gap, turned the lining right sides out, and sewed up the gap.  (don't forget to clip those rounded edges!)  When I put the lining back into stocking, the excess 4.5" creates a nice cuff.  Finally, I stitched around the top of the cuff to create a nice finished edge.  And that was all there was to it!

Here are the other 4 colors that I purchased to make more stockings.  Today I cut out the yellow and green fabrics.  Can't wait to see how they all look sewn up!

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