New Pattern—A Cottage Christmas Stocking

Christmas will be here before we know it! The stores everywhere (on this continent and across the pond) are laden with all sorts of holiday items.  We thought we'd join them with a new pattern that you can make to grace your Christmas fireplace mantel.  

Introducing our Cottage Christmas Stocking!

This stocking pattern came about as I (Kara) found out that my guild, the Black Forest Quilt Guild, has a yearly stocking exchange. The Christmas style here in Germany tends to be a little bit more subdued, so I decided to make a stocking out of wool and in a limited palette. The inspiration for the cottages came from the lace curtains hanging in our sunroom. 

This wasn't your run of the mill exchange; they do it in a white elephant/yankee swap style. I was warned that I needed to wear good running shoes because it could get a little crazy. They weren't kidding! Ladies were running everywhere and the stockings were changing hands faster than you could blink.  When it was all said and done, my good friend Lisa came away with my stocking, and I couldn't have been happier!

Lisa with her hard-fought-for stocking!

You can purchase the pattern on our website as either a paper copy or a digital one. As with all our patterns, each one comes with a detailed set of instructions, including the threads we used. When I put together the first stocking, I didn't take pictures of how I assembled it once the appliqué and embroidery were finished. There are written assembly instructions in the pattern, but we thought it would be good to show you how in pictures. 

Once your appliqué is finished, pin your wool pieces, right sides together.
(This is a demo stocking for assembly purposes)

Sew together starting at one side going down and then back up the other side.
Do not sew across the top and do not turn.

Sew the two lining pieces (right sides together) in the same way,
but leave a 3" opening between the heel and toe.

Wool and lining pieces sewn.

Once both are sewn, clip the curve above the toe.

Turn the lining fabric so the right side is out.

Fold the velvet ribbon in half, wrong sides together, and pin
inside the wool stocking at right seam with the two ends at the top.

Put the lining inside the wool stocking, right sides together,
match the edges and pin. 

Sew completely around the top.

Once sewn, pull out the lining.

Find the opening and turn the whole stocking right sides out.

Slip stitch the lining closed, tuck back inside the wool stocking,
and poke out the edges.

Ready to hang!

Hopefully our assembly instructions will be helpful to you as you put together your stocking. The pattern is now available on our website, www.needleseyestories.com.

We may not be ready for Christmas music yet, but it is fun to stitch Christmasy things at this time of year. Even though the holidays are fast approaching, it's not too late to stitch a little bit of Christmas!