Tutorial - Finishing a Christmas stocking
Posted: Tue Jan 04, 2011 10:50 pm
Had some requests for this as I did my son's Christmas stocking in the SAL thread. Click on pictures to make them bigger.
So: After finishing the stitching of the Christmas stocking, wash and block it. Also, you'll want to have a backing fabric (I used felt) and I strongly recommend using a lining fabric to keep any chocolate or candies further away from your stitching.
1. Run a basting thread along the outside edge of the stocking shape if needed. (My pattern had a clear edge around the vertical sides, but not at the bottom.)
2. Use a clear or quilter's ruler to mark out a one-inch border from the edge of the stitching.
3. This, for me, is the most nerve-wracking part... cut out the stocking around the one inch border you've marked. This will become your template for tracing out the pieces you need for the lining and the back.
4. Use the cut out to trace out the lining fabric. You will need one piece right side up...
...and one piece wrong side up. This way, both sides of the lining will be showing right-side-up when the stocking is finished. I did my wrong-side-up piece by flipping my stitching and tracing onto the fabric (the sparkly side).
Here's a picture of what all 4 pieces should look like when you're done. If there's one side of your backing fabric that you want to show, be sure you trace the fabric so that the side you want will be out.
5. Now you're ready to start putting the pieces together. Load your sewing machine with the thread color you want to use - I used white. To sew your first seam, pin your stitching and matching lining shape together, back sides facing out.
Run a straight seam across the pins, using your stitching as a guide. After sewing, remove the pins and flip the fabrics so the seam is hidden. The right side of your stitching should be up and the back should be the right side (sparkly side, in my case) out. If your seam feels bulky, you can trim it down.
6. Repeat the process with your backing fabric and backwards lining piece. You'll see in the picture that I measured an inch down from the top and marked it with a pencil to give me a guide line for the seam. Before you sew, make sure that the sides you want will be facing out after you sew and flip.
After sewing:
7. Before you put it all together, use an easy-to-see color to baste the shape of the stocking on your stitching-and-lining piece. I used dark brown. This is an important step as you will be unable to see your stitching when you do the final assembly on the stocking. After I did the brown basting, I took out the blue thread. Here's what the basting looked like from the front...
...and from the back.
Note that the sparkly side of the fabric is up as this will be the inside of the stocking.
8. Now comes the moment of truth! Put your stocking pieces together, lining sides out. Following your basting line, sew a straight seam all the way around the stocking. GO SLOW to make the curves smoother, and whatever you do, don't sew across the top or you'll sew your stocking closed! Here's what it looks like when you're done. You can see that it has some thickness to it.
9. At this point, you have two choices - either trim down the seams and THEN turn it inside out to see the finished product, or try to turn it inside out without trimming first. The second option is a LOT more challenging, but it's the only way to go if you suspect that you may need to redo part of your seam. I trimmed first, and I wish I hadn't. It gave me a lot less fabric to work with when I wanted to redo the toe. Keep in mind that this is just a check for you to make sure the shape is the way you like. Also, keep in mind that with a 1-inch piece of 4 layers of fabric all the way around, it will look a little lumpier than it really is. When you feel content that your stocking is the shape you want it and you're satisfied with your seam, then you can cut the seam down to 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The shape of the stocking will look much better if you press the seams open. Here's a picture of my trimmed-down seam with one side pressed open.
10. Turn the stocking right side out for the final time. Really get your fingers into the seams and press on it to make sure you've got the shape you want. If you aren't happy with the way a curve looks, a simple trick is just to poke it with your finger from the outside. It gets rid of the "sharp" look. You can iron it to reinforce if you need to. There you have it - a finished stocking!
View of the inside:
If you want to add a hanger, you can loop some ribbon and hand stitch it to the inner seams at whichever corner you want to hang it from.
Please feel free to post or OM if you have any questions or if I can clarify a step for you. Happy stitching!
So: After finishing the stitching of the Christmas stocking, wash and block it. Also, you'll want to have a backing fabric (I used felt) and I strongly recommend using a lining fabric to keep any chocolate or candies further away from your stitching.
1. Run a basting thread along the outside edge of the stocking shape if needed. (My pattern had a clear edge around the vertical sides, but not at the bottom.)
2. Use a clear or quilter's ruler to mark out a one-inch border from the edge of the stitching.
3. This, for me, is the most nerve-wracking part... cut out the stocking around the one inch border you've marked. This will become your template for tracing out the pieces you need for the lining and the back.
4. Use the cut out to trace out the lining fabric. You will need one piece right side up...
...and one piece wrong side up. This way, both sides of the lining will be showing right-side-up when the stocking is finished. I did my wrong-side-up piece by flipping my stitching and tracing onto the fabric (the sparkly side).
Here's a picture of what all 4 pieces should look like when you're done. If there's one side of your backing fabric that you want to show, be sure you trace the fabric so that the side you want will be out.
5. Now you're ready to start putting the pieces together. Load your sewing machine with the thread color you want to use - I used white. To sew your first seam, pin your stitching and matching lining shape together, back sides facing out.
Run a straight seam across the pins, using your stitching as a guide. After sewing, remove the pins and flip the fabrics so the seam is hidden. The right side of your stitching should be up and the back should be the right side (sparkly side, in my case) out. If your seam feels bulky, you can trim it down.
6. Repeat the process with your backing fabric and backwards lining piece. You'll see in the picture that I measured an inch down from the top and marked it with a pencil to give me a guide line for the seam. Before you sew, make sure that the sides you want will be facing out after you sew and flip.
After sewing:
7. Before you put it all together, use an easy-to-see color to baste the shape of the stocking on your stitching-and-lining piece. I used dark brown. This is an important step as you will be unable to see your stitching when you do the final assembly on the stocking. After I did the brown basting, I took out the blue thread. Here's what the basting looked like from the front...
...and from the back.
Note that the sparkly side of the fabric is up as this will be the inside of the stocking.
8. Now comes the moment of truth! Put your stocking pieces together, lining sides out. Following your basting line, sew a straight seam all the way around the stocking. GO SLOW to make the curves smoother, and whatever you do, don't sew across the top or you'll sew your stocking closed! Here's what it looks like when you're done. You can see that it has some thickness to it.
9. At this point, you have two choices - either trim down the seams and THEN turn it inside out to see the finished product, or try to turn it inside out without trimming first. The second option is a LOT more challenging, but it's the only way to go if you suspect that you may need to redo part of your seam. I trimmed first, and I wish I hadn't. It gave me a lot less fabric to work with when I wanted to redo the toe. Keep in mind that this is just a check for you to make sure the shape is the way you like. Also, keep in mind that with a 1-inch piece of 4 layers of fabric all the way around, it will look a little lumpier than it really is. When you feel content that your stocking is the shape you want it and you're satisfied with your seam, then you can cut the seam down to 1/4 to 1/2 inch. The shape of the stocking will look much better if you press the seams open. Here's a picture of my trimmed-down seam with one side pressed open.
10. Turn the stocking right side out for the final time. Really get your fingers into the seams and press on it to make sure you've got the shape you want. If you aren't happy with the way a curve looks, a simple trick is just to poke it with your finger from the outside. It gets rid of the "sharp" look. You can iron it to reinforce if you need to. There you have it - a finished stocking!
View of the inside:
If you want to add a hanger, you can loop some ribbon and hand stitch it to the inner seams at whichever corner you want to hang it from.
Please feel free to post or OM if you have any questions or if I can clarify a step for you. Happy stitching!