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Jenn Sal
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Every year I look at the stockings hanging from the mantle and wish that I could make one for each child. I cannot knit, crochet, basic sewing only! 
Any ideas on how to make a christmas stocking with no talent?  I figure if I post this in January, I may be able to get at least one done by next Christmas! 
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Jennifer, Texas
Wife to Mark, Mom to Cora 13,Kade 10, Sarah in Heaven 12/05, Colette 7, Corin 5, & Kieran 2
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Fuzzy
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My family has made stockings, and I have been able to make them for my own family, and I am a basic sewer only too! I need to make another one for the next Christmas.
The "pattern" we have has a contrasting fabric on the inside that rolls to the top part where the name is. We cross-stitch the name to make it easy. I will see what I can do for a photo, as well as a pattern that may help. I *think* Jenn was the one who helped my mom figure out a pattern.
Sorry, I am just realizing this in not much help.
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 Fuzzy
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Mary G
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Jennifer,
You can use felt ... either wool felt or a soft acrylic ... and using your current stockings as a pattern, trace around. You can either punch holes around the edge of the stocking and over-stitch with a coordinating yarn or ribbon (or your kids could even do this part. Or you could just machine stitch and then turn right side out.
You can use fabric paints, glitter and glue, pre-cut felt pieces, whatever to decorate the stocking for each individual.
I used to do a cross-stitched cuff, but once I neared 40 (and couldn't see the silly holes anymore  ), I started knitting. So everyone has a unique stocking that the kids will take with them as they go on to their lives.
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marihalojen
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Marianna (13yrs old) made her stocking this year. She used old red velvet we had left over from her Felicity Cape from years ago and a pretty ribbon from Martha Stewart's Christmas Collections. She just pulled the wires out of the ribbon and used that as the cuff.
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Jenn Sal
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| Posted: Jan 09 2008 at 9:21am | IP Logged
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Quote:
So everyone has a unique stocking that the kids will take with them as they go on to their lives.
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That is why I have the desire to do this! I would love to crochet a beautiful one that's classic looking, but I know that's not in the cards.
Would felt hold up over the years?
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Jennifer, Texas
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stefoodie
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Here are ours: Hable-Inspired Christmas Stockings
Pic here
I guess it also depends on how heavy a load you want the stockings to carry. Ours are stitched together with blanket stitch only, but you could do a lining inside if you wanted it stronger, and/or machine-stitch.
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Mary G
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Jenn Sal wrote:
| Would felt hold up over the years? |
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If you get good quality felt or a nice weight flannel (which is what mom used and we've had those stockings for going on 50 years!) lasts very well. And we PACK our stockings for opening on Epiphany, so ours get a great workout and still hold up and look great (altho I do have some melted goop on mine from hanging just a tad too close to the fire 20 years ago!
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Barbara C.
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After not liking any of the ones I saw in the stores, I mentioned to my mom that I wish I had ones for my family like we had growing up. She can't sew much anymore due to her arthritis, but she found a friend to help her with most of the sewing.
Ours are red flannel like Mary said. A sewing machine was used to do the outside stitching. They are very simple with no cuffs. The thickness holds up well. And very simply embroidered on each one in green is "Merry Christmas" and at the bottom is each family members initials.
My mom originally made four and I broke the news about our second baby by telling her she'd need to embroider some initials on the fourth one. Now I've had to trace our stockings out so that she can arrange for a fifth one for the new bundle we're expecting.
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Jenn Sal
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Stef,
Those stockings are wonderful. What a great price compared to pre-made!
Looks like flannel may be the path of most resistant!
You are all making me feel like I CAN DO THIS...again! 
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Jennifer, Texas
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Mary Chris
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Here is a cute little design to stitch on your stockings wee wonderfuls
I picked up this sew simple at the grocery store a few weeks ago, there is a pattern for a stocking in it.
Making stockings for the family is on my wishlist of projects this year. I need to get moving on our Christmas Craft of the Month Club 
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Mary Chris
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Stef,
I tore apart the Garnet Hill catalog when it came and taped all the cute ideas into my December binder. That catalog was filled with inspiration. The sale prices look pretty good too! 
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Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
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mathmama
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Glad to see this thread as I have been thinking about the same thing. Thanks for the great ideas.
Beth
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kathleenmom
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I made some stockings with Wee Wonderfuls patterns on them . The girls are very into Fairies so I had fun with that. I have absolutely zero embroidery skills....sooo, this had to be really easy. It was. It was also very rewarding and as much as I love to knit...sadly, there was no time for knitting stockings this year.
Kathleen
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MaryM
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I have a stocking that is felt and is 40+ years old. It has held up well - it is made of wool felt, so if you go that route I know it can last. It is so very basic in design as well. The two stocking pieces are sewn together, but that is the only sewing. The rest is glued and like I said it has held up for 40 years (though it is missing a few sequins, I see.) The place where the name is printed is just a piece of white felt glued on and bordered with ric-rac and fringe (how 60's is that!). My mom just wrote my name with marker - you could do something much nicer and still not sew it (like using a pretty fabric paint-pen or glitter glue)
I've since used this as basic pattern and made the stockings for my kids for their first Christmas (or hopefully at least the second or third ). I didn't use felt though (since at the time I started, all I could find was the cheapo poly felt) - these are a heavier cotton/twill fabric. Flannel would be good too and I know that was mentioend. The nice thing about felt though is that it doesn't fray and can be sewn on the outside without having to finish or turn inside out.
The figures on the stockings are felt pieces I cut out (using either images from Christmas card or cookie cutters for pattern ideas) and sewed on. You wouldn't have to sew them on though. Another alterntive is to use WonderUnder - an amazing product that adheres cloth to cloth with heat from ironing. These stockings do have a rolled over rim for the name and the names are cross-stitched.
Stockings might indeed be a fun project for Christmas Craft of the Month, Mary Chris. I would help.
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Jenn Sal
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Thank you to all that posted beautiful pictures.
Good point about the flannel vs felt, Mary M.
I'm mulling this all over!
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Jennifer, Texas
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Hand Made Christmas Stockings
