Stuffable Origami Stockings

Stockings...the epitome of a cozy Christmas night gathered 'round the fireplace. The staple of the Christmas holiday just after a well-decorated tree plentiful with presents beneath. But stockings can be expensive, tacky, or cookie-cutter...wouldn't it be nice to easily create your own AND save money doing it!?

Enter in: stuffable origami stockings. Strong and durable, light weight and adorable, these stockings will definitely add a pinch of cheer to any home decor. Let's begin.

To make origami stockings for decoration only:

• Paper grocery bag, origami paper, newspaper, or any paper product to your liking
• Scissors

To make sturdy, stuffable stockings for actual use:

• Paper grocery bag, origami paper, newspaper, or any paper product to your liking
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks
• Scissors

NOTE: For the stuffable stockings, the majority of it is origami. I just use the hot glue for attaching a base, and giving more strength to the stocking. ;)

Cut a large square from the bag by following these steps..

1. Lay the bag down so one of its wider sides is facing up.

2. Cut straight down the length of the bag. Make it as long or short as you want--this will determine the size of your stocking. (Keep in mind, the stockings I made were smaller and the size that I cut out of the bag was larger, as you can see in the pics. Use this information to gauge the size you want.)

3. Fold the "flap" you just created into a triangle by pulling the tip (that you just cut) down to the opposite corner. However far down you made the first cut line will determine how far you can pull the flap over.

4. Now cut on the final two sides using the lines created by the folded-over flap.

5. Open it up. Keep the side you want to see on the outside of the finished piece facing up.

You now have a square and are ready to begin.

1. Fold up the bottom (side closest to you) about an inch.

2. Turn over the piece, and fold the new bottom (the side now closest to you) up to meet the line of the first piece you folded. Crease both sides well.

NOTE: Whatever side of the bag you want to see on the outside of the finished piece, make sure that side was facing UP when you began folding in #1 of this step.

1. On the right side of the bottom piece, fold a triangle down to meet the very bottom line.

2. Do the same thing on the left side. You should have what you see in picture number two.

3. Turn the whole thing around.

4. Fold down the right triangle's top point to the furthest line from you.

5. Do the same thing on the other side. The new triangles you just created WILL overlap.

6. Turn the whole thing on it's side (as seen in the last picture of this step).

1. Pull the two ends in toward each other.

2. Slip the back end into the top end to get a "seam" like you see in the second picture.

3. If you are doing the origami strictly for decor, you will not complete the next part of this step.

4. If you are going to stuff these stockings, use hot glue to glue the seam together. This will add strength and stability to the finished piece.

P.S. Don't mind my <hairy> glue gun (lol), it's seen a LOT of DIY projects! hahaha ;D

1. Rotate the "tube" around until you find the flap in picture one.

2. Sliding your thumb under this flap, pull up and out.

3. You will achieve what looks like the final two pictures in this step.

4. If you are not stuffing these, you are finished here. If you want to hang your decoration, go to the last step.

5. If you are stuffing these, continue with the 'ible. ;)

1. Place the stocking on your paper or bag as seen in picture one.

2. Trace the circumference of the "tube" from the inside.

3. Cut out the base circle you just made, adding a little around the edges.

TIP: It's better to have excess to trim away, then to not have enough to glue down.

4. Glue the base to the stocking bottom, trimming the excess away.

TIP: I found it easier to add a little glue to the rim of the "tube" and press on the base (working my way around the entire circumference of the circle), than to put all the glue on the rim at once. Sometimes with the latter, the glue hardens too quickly, or it seeps down between the folds.

1. Cut out a piece from your bag or paper that is long enough for your specific stocking size (both proportionally, and to have enough length to properly hold up your stocking).

2. Roll it up as seen in the pictures. Hot glue the last roll down.

3. Hot glue the two ends of this hanger together to form a loop.

4. Lastly, glue the hanger to the inside of the stocking.

TIP: Test the tentative positioning of your hanger on your stocking before gluing it down permanently. Remember that when the stocking is stuffed, it will weigh down and forward. Take that into consideration when placing your hanger (so your goodies won't fall out).

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YOU'RE DONE! Easy, right?! Show us your adorable stockings in the comments below.

You can also use these stockings in SO MANY ways! You could fill them like a gift bag and hand them out for Christmas. Maybe you will use yours as a pencil holder on your desk at the office? Or as a makeup or nail polish holder? Maybe to hold little candies for your next Christmas party? Or maybe dub one "Naughty" and one "Nice," and put gross and yummy Jelly Bellies in each, respectively, for your guests to enjoy? The possibilities are endless! Feel free to decorate your stockings in any way you want to, too.

Stay blessed, and have a very Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays! :D