Custom Personalized Picture Christmas Stockings

Do you want your own special stocking to hang above the fireplace so that Santa is sure to drop off the right presents at the right place?

Make these customized Christmas stockings just the way you like.

Use any fabric remnants you have lying around. You don't need much material.

As a matter of fact, you can make even mini stockings with the excess material from this project.

I had a bunch of these microfiber car washcloths from the dollar store laying around. They make a good substitute for craft fur. I will use one for the fur trim around the top of the stocking.

I had microfleece fabric to use for the stocking. You can use anything, even quilt up any leftover scraps of fabric not large enough on their own. Working with stretchy fabrics is a little more challenging but we're always up for a challenge.

Print out the images you want to use as your patch. It can be anything.

Cover the front and back of the printed image with laminating plastic. This is a peel and stick clear plastic which is kinda soft and flexible. You could use ordinary adhesive clear shelf liner but that plastic seems a little thicker and the adhesive is not permanent. Running the image through a hot laminator process only gives you the stiff identification card feel which would not work here. The laminating plastic was pretty sticky so be sure to place it down over the image carefully at one end first and then smooth as you go to prevent bumps. Roll over the laminated image with a dowel or a pen, pencil, marker barrel to get out all the air bubbles and ensure the plastic is adhered well.

Cut and trim around the laminated image with a border to be used as the sewing surface to attach the patch to the stocking.

Sure, you could use the more professional methods of printing an iron-on transfer but that needs expensive iron transfer paper. Besides, my last remaining inkjet printer on the shelf has run dry and I'm afraid to experiment with my big color laser printer by running media through it which can damage the print drum.

Lay out your fabric double-layered for the front and back.

You don't need a real foot or shoe pattern, just eyeball an L shape.

Roughly cut out the stocking shape.

From one microfiber washcloth, I was able to cut it into 4 strips to use as the fur trim part of the stocking.

When cutting microfiber cloth, it is like craft fur but worse. There are tiny fibers that get cut loose and float into the air and stick to everything. Groom the cut edges after cutting to avoid spreading lint.

With everything sewing, you try to sew on the inside to have a clean presentable seam on the outside.

Paying attention to which is the good side of the fabric, match up where the fur trim goes on the stocking.

Fold over so that you can sew an inside seam on the bottom of the fur trim.

Then you will have to work it out how to sew an inside seam for the top of the fur trim. You will have to bunch up part of the top as you sew the top fur trim tube. You can then flip it inside out.

With the fur top finished, you can sew on a small hanging loop made from small strips of fabric.

Now that the fur top is attached to the stocking, we need to add on the picture patch.

You can hand sew but I used a wide zig-zag stitch on my sewing machine to "embroider" or "applique" the patch on to the stocking. Use the widest zig-zag stitch so as not to perforate the plastic to the point where it will tear easily. A wide straight stitch would also work. Go slow and easy when sewing around the curves so that you don't break the thread or needle. Lift the presser foot often and smooth out the fabric to prevent bunching.

Once the patch is attached, you can go around and seal up the stocking shape. I used the serger to run through the rest of the operation.

Hmm, seems like the Snoopy and Instructables Robot stocking shape is a little wonky. Sergers are not good at negotiating curves but they go fast. Oh, and it doesn't like thick layers of fabric or snagging on stretchy materials, almost had a few jams and broken needle. But hey, that doesn't matter, it was made with love.

Turn everything inside out for the finished product.

Of course, you can further personalize this by adding your name to the stocking. Use marker, fabric paint, glue and glitter, whatever you've got...

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!