Christmas in July Hop: Stocking Tutorial!
I'm over at Windham's blog again this week, taking part in their Christmas in July blog hop. If you've followed my blog at all, it should come as no surprise that I chose to make a stocking; I've made stockings for my immediate family, all of my nephews and nieces, as well as my sister and brother-in-law and sister-in-law and brother-in-law (see them here). Each family's stockings use different color palettes and have a slightly different look as I've experimented with various designs. One thing they all have in common? Color! So I was excited to work with the Glisten collection by Whistler Studios. It's all gold and silver with metallic accents--a little more sophisticated than what I've used for stockings in the past.
I couldn't stop with just one stocking, though, so I created a second one (fat quarter bundles are great for making multiple stockings!) and am sharing the tutorial here, on my blog. Enjoy! Be sure to scroll down to the bottom of my post to find out how you can win a fat quarter bundle of Glisten! And don't forget to visit Windham's blog to see my second stocking tute!
Here's a look at the Glisten fabrics:
Materials:
10 fat quarters*
1/2 yard of lining fabric
12" x 22" piece of batting
12" x 22" piece of fusible interfacing
Fabric chalk
*You'll only use a strip or two from many of these fat quarters, so you'll have plenty left to make additional stockings or some other Christmas project!
Let's get started!
Download the template here. You'll have to assemble the three pieces to make the full stocking shape. Then you can decide which way you'd like your stocking to face--I've seen them both ways!
Lay the stocking template on the batting piece and trace it. This will help ensure that your fabric strips cover the entire stocking shape.
We'll be assembling this stocking front using improv strip piecing, with the batting as the foundation. I'll list the strip widths I used to piece the stocking front, but you can also use whatever strip widths you'd like--especially with the improv piecing--yours won't look exactly like mine. The lengths are approximations--just make sure your strip is long enough to cover the stocking outline. Reserve one full fat quarter for the stocking backing.
Cut one 3-1/2" x 12" gold strip and one 2-1/2" x 12" white/silver snowflake strip. Layer the gold strip right side up on an angle, making sure it covers the bottom of the stocking outline by at least 1/4". Layer the snowflake strip on top, right side down. Pin, and then stitch through all three layers.
Press the strips open.
Add a third strip (mine is a 2-1/2" x 14" fussy cut gold snowflake strip). Here's what the fabric looks like:
I cut the snowflake strip you see here at the bottom to use on the stocking but I love the little houses too!
Lay the strip right side down on a different angle than the snowflake strip. Tip: Always aim for a little more angle than you start with. You want the end result to look like angled improv strips and not strips that you might not have sewed straight!
My next strip is a 4" x 14" ornament strip. Set it on a different angle than the previous strip.
Add a 2" x 12" gold strip, and then a 4" x 12" fussy cut reindeer strip, continuing to vary the angles and trim excess seam allowance.
Here's a look at the fabric with the reindeer and sleigh on it:
My last three strips are a 2-1/2" x 12" gold snowflake strip, a 2-1/2" x 12" silver strip, and a 4" x 12" gray strip. Tip: Cut your last (top) strip wider than you need it. This gives you some wiggle room to make your stocking slightly taller or to simply square up the stocking top.
Lay the stocking template on top, making sure the strips cover all the areas under the template. (The stocking shape doesn't have to line up exactly with your original drawn line--that was just a guide.) Pin the template and cut out around the shape.
Your stocking front will look something like this:
Following manufacturer's directions, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the fat quarter you've reserved for the stocking back. Lay your stocking front on top, right sides together, pin in place, and cut around the stocking shape. You could use the template as well, but I like to use the stocking front to eliminate any possibility of cutting out the backing shape with the stocking toe facing the wrong direction! :)
With the front and backing still right sides together, sew around the stocking with a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving the top edge open. Turn right side out.
Fold the lining fabric in half right sides together. Pin the stocking template on top (direction doesn't matter here!) and cut out the shape. Sew around stocking edge. Leave wrong side facing out.
I cut the stocking binding and loop from the same fabric--the metallic gold. Cut a 2" x 9" piece for the loop and a 2-1/4" x 22" piece for the binding. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise wrong sides together as you would for a quilt. Press the 2" x 9" loop piece in half lengthwise wrong sides together, then open up and fold each long raw edge in to the center fold and press again. Refold on main seam to enclose all raw edges and stitch down the middle. This is your hanging loop.
Tuck the lining inside the stocking so wrong sides are facing. Line up the top edges of stocking and lining, and pin, aligning the seams of both layers. Fold the loop in half and pin raw edges to the lining, just to the back side of the non-toe side seam.
Stitch back and forth with a scant 1/4" seam allowance to secure the loop (this will all be covered up in the next couple steps). Pin the binding in place, matching raw edges, like you would a quilt. Arrange binding strip so the seam will be on the back of the stocking, near a seam, where it will be least visible.
Stitch the binding to the stocking layers from the inside of the stocking. This may seem strange, but trust me, it's much easier! Join the raw ends of the binding with a straight seam rather than the traditional angled seam--it's just easier on a project this small.
Fold the top of the stocking down for easier access and hand stitch the folded edge of the binding to the stocking lining.
After the binding is secure, fold the loop up and stitch back and forth several times where the loop is folded. This will make it more secure and point it in the right direction.
Don't forget to head over to Windham's blog to see their entire Christmas in July blog hop and my second stocking tutorial!
And last but not least, here's a little behind-the-scenes look at my "photoshoot"!
Now for the giveaway!
For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of Glisten, like Windham on Facebook, follow their blog using Bloglovin' and leave a comment here with an idea of what you would do with this bundle. Giveaway is open through Friday, July 24th at 11:59 pm EST.