Hand Couched Christmas Stocking

One of the best DIY winter season projects is sewing your own hanging Christmas stockings. This simple pattern can be made by beginners and is easy to personalize for every member of your family so everyone can have their own special stocking. In this video, we’ll show you how to use a hand couching technique to make a fun candy cane themed stocking! We’ve included two patterns, one smaller one that we’ll demonstrate with in this video, perfect for gift tags, ornaments and decorations around the house, or a stocking for a pet. And also a larger one as a full-sized stocking.

Free stocking patterns (Small) Print this on 8.5” x 11” paper: https://bit.ly/3oC5WQc

Free stocking patterns (Large)Print this on 11” x 17” paper: https://bit.ly/3e6VlYP 

If you’d like a friend to craft along with, you can watch our YouTube video here:

Before you can get started, you’ll need to cut out your fabric pieces. Cut two pieces of outer fabric, and two of the lining fabric. If you’d like to use the same fabrics that we’ll be using, you can find them here: https://www.robertkaufman.com/search/?q=metallic

Mark a line about 2 inches from the top of the stocking with a disappearing fabric marker or piece of chalk. This is to mark the cuff of the stocking so that you don’t do any embellishment past this line.

At this stage, you can now begin embellishing one or both pieces of your outside fabric. We’ve selected a multi-coloured yarn, but you can also twist other strands of thread with it to add some variety of colour and interest to your couching.

If you’d like to use a red white and green variegated yearn like we are, you can find one for purchase online here: https://bit.ly/3jGc2eE

Select one of your pieces of yarn and measure it at a diagonal angle on your fabric. Cut it to the desired length. Place them on your fabric and pin them in place where you’d like them to go.

You can play with different colours and weights of thread to twist them with the yarn. Eleganza is an 8wt Egyptian cotton that comes in tons of solid and variegated colours. You can find Eleganza in our online shop here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/eleganza

You can also try Dazzle, an 8wt rayon thread with a single strand of metallic running through it. You can shop for Dazzle in our online shop here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/dazzle

Changing up your yarn and couching threads adds a whole lot more interest to your project than when sticking with the same threads, so don’t be afraid to get creative!

Next you’ll need your couching thread. We’ll be using this 20wt thread called D-Twist. It’s made from two twisted strands of rayon that give it a unique contrasting effect. You can find D-Twist in our online shop here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/d-twist

For this project, we’ll be using colour DT9020 Red/Gold. You can use a sharps needle with a hole large enough for this thread. To make the couching thread stand out a little more, we doubled up the thread on the needle.

Knot the end of your thread and bring it up from the backside of the fabric to hide the knot.  Continue doing this simple stitch all the way down the length of yarn to couch it down.

Another fun way to couch is to make little X stitches instead of a straight line. While pulling your yarn straight, take the stitch at an angle. Do the same in the other direction a second time to create an X. This is a fun way to play up your stitches and add some variety to your hand couching.

Don’t forget to tie off your thread at the end of each line of couching.

You can leave the extra run of yarn loose if they’re coming off the sides of your stocking as they will be secured when you stitch your stocking together in the next step. However, if you have some yarn that comes off the top of your stocking, you’ll need to tie it off behind the fabric and trim the excess as these pieces won’t be sewn over later.

Once your outside fabric is couched to your satisfaction, you can start assembling your stocking. Take one of your outside fabric pieces and lay the lining piece right sides together so that both the outside and lining fabric toes point in the same direction. It’s important to ensure you have the correct lining piece with the toe that faces in the same direction as the outside fabric.

We’ll be using our 40wt all-purpose polyester thread called Designer for construction. Sew along this edge on a ½” seam allowance. Do the same with the other outside and lining piece. 

You can find Designer in our online shop here: https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/designer

Take both of your sewn pieces and match up the front and back pieces with right sides facing together. To make sure the center seams match up, you can stick a pin through the center seams of each piece to ensure it’s lined up perfectly.

Snip a few notches on the toes of your stocking, being careful not to cut into the stitching. This will help the seam lay flatter.

Sew with a ¼” seam allowance, starting in the middle of the lining piece, and backstitching on both ends. Stop about 4 inches before your beginning stitches to leave a gap to turn your piece.

Using the hole you left, turn your piece right sides out. You can give it a quick press to help the seams lay flat. Topstitch the remaining hole closed to finish it up. Because we left the hole on the lining piece, you won’t see the top stitching once it’s tucked into the outside fabric.

We’re now going to create an embellishment for the cuff of the stocking and a hoop to hang it by. For the hoop, you can use a small piece of bias tape or make your own with a scrap piece of fabric. To make your own, cut a piece of fabric about 7 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Fold the two edges width wise to the center point and press.

Fold it again in half and press again to create a loop that is half an inch wide.

You can stitch it closed by sewing close to the edge.

For the embellishment, we’ll be using a simple strip of gift-wrapping ribbon. Carefully measure it to the circumference of your stocking and trim it about half an inch longer. Position it to start at the seam running along the back of the stocking and pin it into place. As you bring it back around, tuck the raw edge of the ribbon under and line it up snugly against the starting edge.

Take your loop and place it under the ribbon. When you sew it into place, you’ll catch the loop with your stitching so that it is secure. 

You can use any topstitching thread you like to sew the embellishment down, however we want something that will pop a little more. We’ll be using this thick 12wt thread called Spagetti as it gives a beautiful topstitched look.

You can shop for Spagetti in our online shop here:  https://shopwonderfil.ca/product-category/spagetti

 We’ll also be increasing the stitch length, so the stitches don’t sit too closely together.

Stitch all the way around both edges of the ribbon to secure it in place.

Your stocking is complete and ready to hang and fill with all kinds of goodies!  

Your stocking is complete and ready to hang and fill with all kinds of goodies!  

We hope you can enjoy making these easy decorations yourself! If you’d like to make your own stockings in some different shapes we’ve found some great DIY patterns for different stocking shapes! https://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/make-and-decorate/entertaining/diy-christmas-stocking-patterns-in-a-bunch-of-styles-pictures

If you’ll be making your own couched stocking, don’t forget to use the hashtag #wonderfil on Instagram and Facebook so we can see your lovely creations. You can find these threads and more in a shop near you, or on our online shop by visiting www.shopwonderfil.com. You can also sign up for our free newsletter to receive more educational sewing tips, tutorials, and free patterns. Register by clicking here! We’ll see you again next time!