How to Sew a Christmas Stocking (Free Pattern & Tutorial!)
Sew a beautiful DIY Christmas stocking with my free pattern. Includes a brand new ruffle cuff variation and simple step-by-step tutorial to create your own festive stockings.
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I remember my childhood Christmas stockings with such fondness.
On Christmas morning, before the sun even thought about rising, my brother and I would find stockings waiting at the ends of our beds – bursting with little surprises to keep us happily occupied.
In hindsight, it was a clever trick to buy my parents a bit more sleep…
But it also gave us some of the most magical moments of the day — quietly unwrapping books and puzzles and, of course, the obligatory Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
Now that I have little ones of my own, I’ve loved carrying on that tradition — making each child their own special stocking to hang on Christmas Eve.
It started with a scrappy patchwork version made from leftover fabric, and now I’ve added a ruffle-topped one too (you can skip ahead to here for that version if you like).
I can’t tell you how exciting it is to put up your very own handmade Christmas stockings on Christmas Eve!
So today, I’m sharing the full tutorial— plus a free Christmas stocking pattern —so you can make your own DIY Christmas stockings.
Download the FREE Christmas Stocking Pattern
Fill in the form below to get the free pattern sent to your inbox.
The PDF download can be used to make either a normal stocking or a patchwork stocking like mine.
I’ve also now added a version with a ruffle – you can skip to here for those instructions!
IMPORTANT When printing your free stocking pattern, check your print settings carefully. You need to make sure you’ve set it to print at 100% (or ‘actual size’) and check the measurements of the boxes on the first page to ensure it’s printed at the right size.
Watch the YouTube Tutorial
If you’d prefer to watch a video tutorial, you can find the basic stocking tutorial on my YouTube channel here.
Or skip to here for the written instructions.
Tips for Sewing Patchwork
If this is your first time sewing patchwork , here’s how I typically join my pieces together in the quickly and efficiently:
- Once you’ve decided on the layout for your patchwork, pile the pieces for each row in order on top of each other.
- Then take one little pile to your machine and stitch them together in pairs without breaking the thread in between. This is called chain piecing.
- Once you have all your little pairs created, join the pairs together.
- Finally, join the rows together.
It’s best to sew patchwork with a ¼” seam allowance.
Make sure you’re pressing your seams as you go. Some people prefer to press seams to one side and alternate them so they can nest together, others like to press seams open.
When it comes to the quilting, I highly recommend using a walking foot, which will help to pull the bulky quilt sandwich evenly through the machine.
How to Make a DIY Christmas Stocking
Fabric Requirements
- ½ metre (yard) of main fabric, or 5 pieces of fabric/fat quarters for patchwork
- ½ metre (yard) of backing/lining fabric
- ¼ metre (yard) of batting
Supplies
- Free stocking sewing pattern (see above!)
- Sewing machine
- Thread
- Batting
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Rotary cutter
- Quilting pins or safety pins
- Iron and ironing board
- Walking foot (optional but recommended!)
- Erasable marker
- Trim eg piping, ribbon, faux fur (optional)
Step 1: Prepare your free Christmas stocking pattern
Download and print the free Christmas stocking pattern. Use the guidelines to tape or glue the pattern together and then cut out the stocking pattern pieces.
Alternatively, you could make your own pattern on a piece of large tracing paper.
Step 2: Cut your patchwork stocking pieces
If you’re doing patchwork, cut 35 three inch squares and sew them together with a ¼” seam allowance. Read the tips above if you need help with this.
Step 3: Cut the Christmas stocking pieces
Pin the pattern to the main fabric or patchwork fabric you’ve created, and cut one stocking piece using the stocking template.
Then cut two stocking pieces from your backing fabric and three of the cuff piece from your backing fabric.
Finally, pin the front stocking piece to some batting and cut out the shape, leaving a little bit extra around the edges.
Step 4: Make your quilt sandwich
Lay down one of the backing stocking pieces right side down. Place the batting on top, and then place the patchwork stocking piece on top, right side up.
Pin through all three layers ready to quilt.
Step 5: Quilt the front of the stocking
Draw on guidelines for quilting with an erasable marker. Sew along each line to quilt the front of your stocking.
Step 6: Assemble the stocking
Take the remaining piece of backing fabric and lay it on top of the quilted piece, right sides together. Sew around the edges of the stocking with a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance, leaving the top open.
If you need to, trim off any excess batting. Finish the raw edges with a zig zag stitch or serger.
Step 7: Assemble the cuff
To assemble the cuff, lay down one of the cuff backing pieces right side up, then one right side down, then the cuff batting piece and finally another cuff backing piece right side up.
Sew down the short side seams of the cuff with a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance. Then press and finish the raw edges.
Step 8: Attach the cuff
To attach the cuff, slide it over the stocking so that the right side of the cuff is facing the wrong side of the stocking. Make sure that the side of the cuff with batting is aligned with the quilted front of the stocking.
If you’d like a hanging loop at the top of the stocking, add a 15cm piece of ribbon or trim (pointing down) between the two pieces before you sew.
Sew around the top of the stocking with a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance, press the seam and finish the raw edges.
Step 9: Finish the cuff
To finish the bottom of the cuff, either fold back and hem the top edge, or attach a trim.
The Perfect Rustic Stocking: The NEW Ruffle Cuff Christmas Stocking Tutorial!
There’s something about Christmastime that makes me want to add bows and ruffles to everything.
So naturally, I had to make a version of my free Christmas stocking pattern with a sweet little ruffle!
This version adds a soft, gathered frill to the top edge of your stocking. It’s playful, it’s pretty, and best of all, it’s super easy to do.
If you’ve already made the main stocking (instructions here!), you’re halfway there. Just follow the extra steps below to add a ruffle cuff that’s charming, cheerful, and sure to make your mantel feel extra special.
Supplies
- Everything on the supplies list for the main stocking tutorial
- 125 cm strip of 1.25” bias tape (optional if you’d like to add flat piping)
- 50 cm strip of 1.5” bias tape
Step 1: Cut your free christmas stocking pattern pieces
Cut all the pieces of your stocking pattern, but instead of cutting the normal cuff pattern pieces, cut 2 of the ruffle cuff piece.
Step 2: Assemble the stocking
Assemble the main stocking parts as shown in the instructions above (though you can skip doing the quilting if you like!)
For this version of the stocking, I also added flat piping around the edge of the stocking.
To do this, cut a long strip 1.25” (3cm) wide, press in half lengthwise, and then pin it in between the front and back pieces of the stocking (with the folded edge facing into the middle of the stocking) before you sew them together.
Step 3: Assemble the ruffle cuff
Take the two ruffle cuff pieces and fold them in half lengthwise. Press in place.
Lay one ruffle piece on top of the other and sew down both short side seams. Press the seams and finish with a serger or zig zag stitch.
Set your machine to its longest stitch length and sew two rows of stitching 0.7cm and 1.5cm away from the long raw edge of the cuff, leaving long tails of thread at the start and end.
Step 4: Attach the cuff
Pull gently on the threads to gather the fabric. Adjust the length until the top edge matches the top edge of the stocking.
Slide the cuff over the top of the stocking, with the right side of the stocking facing the wrong side of the cuff. Sew around the top with a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance.
Step 5: Finish the top
Trim any excess batting from the top of the stocking to remove some of the bulk.
Turn your stocking inside out, unfold the bias tape and pin it to the top edge. If you’d like to add a hanging loop, insert it between the bias tape and the cuff, pointing down.
Sew the bias tape in place with a 1cm (3/8″) seam allowance.
Flip the bias tape up and over to the other side and topstitch it close to edge, enclosing the raw edge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enjoy your new stockings, and Merry Christmas!
You can find more Christmas craft projects over here.
I entered in the wrong email address, can you please resend the pattern to the correct email?
I’m afraid I can’t manually resend the pattern, but if you pop your correct email address into the sign-up form, it’ll automatically send the download to you!
cute pattern
Thanks!!