DIY ELF STOCKINGS!!!

One of my favorite books as a child was a Little Golden Book version of the classic story, The Elves and the Shoemaker. I forced my mother to read it over and over until the binding split. What I loved the most, and wanted for my very own, were the curly-toed boots the little elves wore. These stockings are modeled after those very same elf boots. And they are just as cute as I remember.

This project is a bit advanced, but you don't have to be a shoemaker to make it happen. Read through the instructions first and study our helpful step-by-step illustrations and photographs. The trick is to feel confident working in three-dimensions. If you find yourself working in a fourth dimension … you need to take a break!

Our Citrus Holiday designs were made using Heather Bailey's delightful Pop Garden & Bijoux Collection. To learn more about how we created this non-traditional holiday palette, read our article: Citrus Holiday: A Lighthearted Living Room.

Sewing Tools You Need

• Any Sewing Machine (we recommend the Memory Craft 5200)

Fabric and Other Supplies

• Fabric for stocking body: ½ yard of 45" wide fabric PER STOCKING: we used Heather Bailey's Pop Garden & Bijoux in Pop Daisy Cream, Pineapple Brocade Canary, and Peonies Red (3 different stockings= 1 ½ yards total.)
• Fabric for stocking crown shape at top edge (4 cut pieces total): ¼ yard of 45" wide fabric PER STOCKING: we used Heather Bailey's Pop Garden & Bijoux in Mod Bead Green (3 stockings all in the same fabric = ¾ yards total).
• Fabric for monogram letter AND stocking hook: ¼ yard of 45" wide fabric PER STOCKING (this ¼ yard will provide enough fabric for all 3 stocking letters and hooks that we have made here). We used a red cotton sateen.
• Lightweight fusible interfacing for monogram letters: ¼ yard of 45" width fusing
• All purpose thread
• Matching thread color to monogram letter fabric for zig-zag embroidery stitch around letters
• Small contrasting color pom-poms to sew onto 6 total crown points: 6 pom-poms PER STOCKING
• Small amount of Poly-Fil to stuff into toe of stocking
• See-through ruler
• Pencil
• Iron and ironing board
• Hand sewing needle
• Scissors
• Tape
• Straight pins

Getting Started

1. Download and print the two patterns that make up the top and bottom of the stocking. Line them up along the horizontal dotted lines, tape the two pieces of paper together at this line, and cut out around darker, solid outside line. A ¼" seam allowance around the stocking edges and a ½" seam allowance at the top of the stocking have already been added to this pattern.
   • Pattern: Stocking Top Half
   • Pattern: Stocking Bottom Half
2. Download and print the pattern for the stocking crown, and cut out around darker, solid outside line. A ¼" seam allowance around the sides and points, and a ½" seam allowance at the top crown edge have already been added to this pattern.
   • Pattern: Stocking Crown
3. Using your see-through ruler and pencil, draw two rectangles 18" high x 12" wide on the ½ yard of fabric you are using for the body of your stocking. Cut out around drawn lines.
   
4. Place the two cut rectangles right sides together, lining up the raw edges. Pin the stocking pattern through these two layers of fabric, and cut around all edges. This is the front and back of your stocking, so if your fabric has a dominant design(s) as ours did, center your pattern piece to take best advantage of those design(s). Set the cut pieces aside.
   
5. Using your see-through ruler and pencil, draw four rectangles 8" high x 10 ½" wide on the ¼ yard of fabric you are using for the stocking crown. Cut around drawn lines.
   
6. Place two of the cut rectangles right sides together, lining up the raw edges. Pin the stocking crown pattern through these two layers of fabric, and cut around all edges.
   
7. Repeat this step for the remaining two fabric rectangles, so you have cut four total stocking crown fabric pieces.
8. Using the provided pattern downloads of alphabet monogram letters, print out the file(s), cut out the letter(s) you would like around the outside line, and set aside.
   • Letters Pattern: A-L
   • Letters Pattern: M-W
   • Letters Pattern: X-Z
9. For each monogram letter you desire, cut out a square of the fusible interfacing 2½" wide x by 2½" high, and fuse this square to the WRONG side of the fabric you are using for the monogram letters. Cut out this newly fused 2 ½" fabric square. The fusing makes the letter stiffer, and therefore, it's much easier to work with than plain, limp fabric.
10. Place the cut-out monogram letter pattern onto the RIGHT side of a fused fabric square, trace around the letter with a fabric pencil, then cut out the fabric letter.
11. Using your see-through ruler and pencil, draw a rectangle 7" high x 2¼" wide onto the fabric you are using for the stocking hooks. Repeat this step for each stocking you are making. Set aside.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

1. Pin the cut-out fabric letter at the center of one of your four stocking crown pieces. Using a matching thread color to the cut-out fabric letter color, applique around the outer edges of the cut-out letter using a short-stitch-length zig-zag stitch. Be sure the width of the zig-zag is wide enough to secure the raw edges of the cut-out letter to the stocking crown piece. Go slowly! Appliquéing a more intricate shape, such as these letters, is a more advanced technique than appliquéing a simple circle or square. Stop as often as you need to, with your needle in the DOWN position, and adjust your fabric so you are stitching in as straight a line as possible. You might want to practice on a scrap piece of fabric if you are new to appliqué.
2. Pin the right side of this stocking crown piece with the letter to the right side of a second stocking crown piece, and sew a ¼" seam allowance along the left and right sides of the crown. Repeat this step with the remaining two stocking crown pieces. On the ironing board, press these ¼" side seams flat and open. You will now have two sewn stocking crown "circles"- one circle with a letter (this will be the crown showing on the outside of the stocking), and one circle without a letter (this will be the inside lining of the crown).
   
3. Turn the stocking crown circle WITHOUT the letter inside out, so the right side of the fabric is now facing to the outside and the side seam allowances are facing to the inside. Now slide this circle inside the other circle with the letter. You now have the two circles facing right sides together.
4. Pin these two circles together so their side seam allowances line up, as well as all the crown points. Sew a ¼" seam allowance around all the edges of the crown points, leaving the top of the crown open.
   
5. Clip the seam allowance away from the crown points, and turn this now single crown piece inside out- see photo
   
6. Using a dull point, like a knitting needle or the closed end of a pen, gently push out all the crown points and press them flat. Set crown aside.
7. Find the 7" high x 2¼" wide rectangle(s) you made for your stocking hook. Follow the step-by-step instructions below to create the finished stocking hook(s). Set hook(s) aside.
   
8. Find the front and back stocking pieces you cut out. Place them right sides together, matching up all raw edges. Stitch a ¼" seam allowance around the side and bottom edges of the stocking. LEAVE THE TOP OF THE STOCKING OPEN.
9. Clip the seam allowance away from the stocking toe point. Then, being careful not to cut through your seam, clip into the seam allowance about every 1" - 2" all around the outer seam of the stocking. This allows the fabric to "give" a little and will help make the curves smoother when the stocking is turned inside out.
   
10. Turn the stocking inside out through the open top. Take a small amount of the polyester fiberfill and stuff the toe point to desired fullness.
    
11. Find your completed stocking hook(s). Fold hook in half to make a loop, lining up the raw edges so the loop is facing down inside the stocking, and edgestitch the hook to the inside left edge of the stocking. Stitch very close to the edge - approximately 1/8".
    
12. Slide finished crown, with the letter facing out, inside the stocking, lining up the top raw edges and the side seams. The toe of the stocking should be facing to the right.
    
13. Pin the crown to the stocking top and sew a ½" seam allowance around the entire top edge.
    
14. After sewing the ½" seam, flip the crown to the outside of the stocking - almost as if you were turning up the cuff of a sleeve. Press the edge of the seam flat.
    
15. Using your hand sewing needle and thread, sew a pom-pom onto each of the six crown points.

Hints and Tips

If you intend to use the stocking for more than decoration, and intend for Santa to fill it with heavy objects (like gold and silver coins, because you've been very, very good), you should consider reinforcing the stocking seam. After sewing the ¼" seam around the outside stocking edges (step #8 above), sew another ¼" seam directly on top of the first ¼" seam, to give extra strength.