Feltstock–Last Minute Gift Free Project!

We’re on the Christmas home stretch here and I don’t know about you, but I’ve given up on the idea of still having time to knit gifts for people. This is where my longtime love for felt comes in. Personalized stockings make great prezzies for everyone, from co-worker to grandma! The supplies are inexpensive (averages out to about $10 each), each one is bound to be unique, AND one can be made in about an hour! Free-style your own design or for the knitter in your life , use the patterns I’ve provided for both the stocking outline and the appliqués seen here on the needle & yarn version. Here’s the scoop:

MATERIALS
1/4 yard felt (found at the fabric store)
Felt squares (found at the craft store) in 3 colors
Stocking & appliqué patterns
Lite Iron-on Adhesive
Iron
Contrasting colored thread (I used metallic silver)
Scissors
Sewing Machine (I used my new Janome)

DIRECTIONS

Cut
Using pattern provided; cut out 2 of the stocking body pieces and a 1/2″x 8″ rectangle (will act as stocking loop) from the main color of felt. Cut out knitting needle, topper and yarn appliqués (or desired shapes) from felt squares.

Iron
Trace around appliqués onto iron-on adhesiveand cut out. Following directions on package, iron adhesive onto appliqués and then onto stocking body front. This step is just to help out with the sewing process, so don’t worry if your edges aren’t perfectly stuck down.

Sew
Machine sew appliqués onto stocking body front. Get creative and use the machine for decorative stitching–instead of always sewing around the perimeter of appliqué, try sewing “Xs”, zig-zagging, loop-d-looping or spiraling with the stitches. If you’re adding additional accouterments like ric-rac, ribbon or buttons–this is also when you’d want to attach those.

Once you’re happy with how your stocking front looks, place it (with wrong-sides facing) on top of the stocking body back. Fold loop piece in half length-wise, and insert it between the front and back pieces, at the upper right corner. Using a 1/4″ seam allowance and starting where the loop is, sew around the perimeter of the stocking. Snip remaining threads.

Hang. Take a bow for your craftiness. Enjoy.

Happy holidays!,
Vickie