Christmas Stockings

I love my kids and my grandkids and there are NO GIFTS that I can buy to express to them how much I LOVE them! Homemade gifts do allow me to express a bit of Mom/Gammie love. So last Christmas I decided to make matching stockings for the whole family and this year I made two more for the newest grandbabies. This was a fun project and can bring Christmas cheer to all of them each year.   

Supplies you need to make 2 stockings:
1/4 yard of 5 or 6 coordinating Christmas cotton fabrics
1 yard red fleece
2 yards Christmas design flannel (any coordinating colors)
1 package thin quilting batting (1 yard)
Red thread
5 inches 1/2 inch wide grosgrain ribbon (red or green)
Brown grocery bag

Cut each Christmas cotton into two 4 1/2 inch wide strips. Lay out the fabric strips side by side in a pattern that you like. Sew each strip to the one next to it right sides together with a 5/8 inch seam. Iron each seam after you sew it. You will end up with a large piece of strip quilted fabric. Make a pattern out of a brown paper bag, the size you want plus 5/8 inch larger for the seam. Cut out one red fleece for back of stocking, two flannel pieces for lining and one piece of the strip quilted fabric for the front and one piece of the quilting batting to put under the strip quilted front. Angle the pattern piece on the strip quilted fabric so that the strips will be diagonal when it hangs. Make another pattern piece the length of the top of your stocking doubled and 8 inches wide for the top cuff. Cut out one piece of red fleece with this pattern piece for the cuff.

Place the batting piece on the wrong side of the front. Sew strip quilted front with batting on the back to fleece back right sides together with a 5/8 inch seam. So the layer will be red fleece, right side of stocking and batting on the top. Trim seam and clip around curve of stocking toe. Turn right side out. Sew two piece of flannel lining together right sides together but do NOT turn right sides out. Insert the lining inside the stocking and rearrange so the lining fits snugly into the stocking. Take the red fleece cuff and sew short ends together. Fold in half lengthwise with seam inside. Take piece of grosgrain ribbon and fold in half, wrong sides together. Pin into seam at edge of stocking where you want ribbon loop to hang on your stocking hook. Pin cuff along inside of stocking with cut edge matching up to lining edge. Pin through all layers of cuff, lining and stocking front and back. Sew all the way around the top in a 5/8 inch seam. Trim seam close to stitching. Fold cuff over front and back of stocking.