Sweater Stocking Tutorial

I am so excited about this tutorial today. 

I have been having visions about sewing our own family stockings for awhile now. I found adorable stockings on-line after sorta giving up on my dream but they ranged from $15-$40 a piece!!! So I was determined to find an alternative that was equally beautiful. 

First, I headed out to Good Will, of course during Brinley's nap. I can't go anywhere with her if I really need to concentrate! After much searching, I found 3 great sweaters. One red cable and two super large cream cable sweaters. One of the cream sweaters was so big I am saving the rest to hopefully make another stocking for our family next year! Cross your fingers! 

Tips:

#1 sewing through sweater is a bit challenging because the fabric pulls. I tried sewing a zig zag on the first one but it pulled even more. Doing a tight straight stitch is good enough.

#2 Don't get flustered! Mine definitely look home-made if you look close enough, but from far away they look gorgeous!

Materials:

1 sweater per 1 stocking

1.5 yardinner lining fabric , (or more if you are doing more than 3 stockings). I got an adorable white on white polka dot in cotton.

ribbon, trimmings, rick rack, or anything else you may want to use to decorate the top

scissors, thread, and pins.

Okay. Here are some directions.

Take your Good Will or old sweater.

and an old stocking, or pattern of one you want to trace.

FIRST, have the sweater inside out. I placed the cheap stocking over the sweater and used my rotary cutter and just free handed the shape. And then pin immediately. 

Like I said, you can zig zag stitch it which would probably hold it together better over time, but when I did it on the red sweater, it pulled a lot. So straight stitch it. 

I did a free handed rotary cut for the lining too. Pin the fabric right sides together, and then sew again.

Now, keep the sweater stocking inside out and keep the lining INSIDE the stocking inside out as well. (this picture is WRONG. I had to do this process three times before getting it right. geez I was loosing my mind! You get the idea of how it should look like at least). Doing this keeps all the raw edges together facing each other so you can't see them. But if your not particular, but can have the inside lining the other way and you'll be fine. I just like the clean lines! 

Sew around but keep about 2-3 inch space open to pull the stocking out.

If you're still lost how to do this part, check out this link.

Now turn everything right side out through the section you left open along the top. Line everything up and tuck the raw edges of the opening inside and pin. Sew a top stitch all around the top of the stocking.

I folded the top of the stocking about 2-4 inches down.

You're now going to want to pull out any embellishments that you have. I had some great ribbon and lace my Oma left to my Mom and then she passed it onto me. I am sooo happy I used her beautiful vintage ribbon because we will always be reminded of Oma! 

Anyways, I just pinned the ribbon along the top and sewed round and round until I got to the top of the stocking. This part is a bit tricky because you are sewing through multiple layers. My sewing machine was moaning quite a bit but I kept up my speed and she powered through!

Here is the finished product for Brinley's stocking! I love it!!! After I was finished, I hand stitched a piece of rick rack on the corner to be hung. 

 Hanging up! So cute!

Here is mine. I LOVE it.

Here is Ryan's. He could either have glitter ribbon or ruffles. He picked the glitter ribbon :-)

The ribbon looks kind of tacky on camera, but in person it looks awesome. I tried to make his stocking as masculine as I could haha

And here they are together! I am so happy they all turned out! Each stocking is different but they all work together. I'm also really happy with the sweaters I was able to find and I loooove the different cable designs. I just wish we had a fireplace with a mantle :-( But this is still okay.

Cost of the entire project:

Sweaters: $15 ($5 a piece)

Lining: $2

Ribbon: $2

Total: $19.00!!