Do you want to make some unique Christmas stockings? Decorating your Christmas stockings is one of the best ways to add a personalized touch to the holiday season and it’s a great way to display your love for the holidays. Hand sewn decorations are easy to add onto your stocking. If you want, you can make your own hand sewn decorations or you can opt for some that you can purchase at your local craft store. If you are on a budget, head down to your sewing room and let’s create some fun decorations together.
First, let’s start with the Christmas stocking itself. Are you going to stitch together your own Christmas stocking or will you be purchasing one from the store? It’s definitely easier to purchase a basic white and red Christmas stocking from the store, but if you want to add some personality to your stocking, try your hand at creating your own.
Second, choose your fabric. Most people opt for felt because it is easy to work with and it lasts several years. You can also use your fabric of choice to create your own hand sewn decorations or to create the body of the stocking. Instead of limiting yourself to fabric, why not try different materials like denim, leather, suede, velvet and fleece. A denim Christmas stocking will hold up for several years and it’s a fun way to add a twist to your holiday season.
Third, use some cookie cutters to trace out the different shapes you want to decorate your stocking with. How about using a Santa Claus cookie cutter to cut out the body of the first hand sewn decoration? Once you cut it out, you can stitch a black belt onto him with some leather fabric. Then you can use some cotton to create a beard and his hair. Don’t forget to add his hat once you have created the hair. Use some beads to make the buttons on his coat or you can use miniature buttons. This is a perfect hand sewn decoration to add to your Christmas stocking.
Fourth, once you have added a variety of different characters to your Christmas stocking, decorate the rest of the Christmas stocking. Cut out the letters to spell the name of the person the stocking will belong to from felt or another fabric. Glue the fabric onto the top of the stocking or add it to the body of the stocking to give it a new look for the holiday season. Use some ribbon and bows to decorate the body of the stocking as well. If it doesn’t have a loop for hanging, make one out of the ribbon or felt. In order to properly sew it onto the stocking, you will need access to a sewing machine. You can hand stitch it, but it will not be as tight as the sewing machine stitching and it could give out when you add all of the presents to the stocking. Pick up some bells and other decorative items to add to the stocking from your local craft store.
Fifth, if you really want to get creative with your stocking, try using some foam cutouts for the stocking. You will need a glue gun in order to properly secure the foam to the stocking. It will add character, but the foam will not be as flexible as fabric when you stuff the stocking so there is a chance it may come off. However, it is great for a child’s stocking.