If you want to make your own Christmas stocking for Santa Claus to fill this year, then this page will help guide you through the basic steps. You don't need to be an expert at the sewing machine, in fact you don't even need a machine to do it (but it is quicker).

After all, it hardly seems like Christmas unless you have a few Christmas stockings hung by the chimney. Even if you don't have a fireplace, Christmas stockings are almost required decorations. If you want to try your hand at making your own stocking this year, then this page will guide you on how to make Christmas stockings.

And once you have your stockings, it is time to go shopping for items to fill it (unless of course you are waiting on Santa Claus, then you simply have to spend this time being good). If you need some ideas, check out Mahalo's How to Choose Stocking Stuffers. You might also find How to Buy Gifts on a Budget, How to Choose the Right Gift, How to Ship Christmas Gifts, How to Wrap Presents and How to Make Christmas Crackers helpful.

You can use almost any material to make a Christmas stocking. Felt is a popular choice and good for beginners because it won't slip, snag or unravel.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings However, other choices you can use include:

1. Felted woolBaby Lock: Felted Wool Christmas Stocking
2. DenimEmbroidery Library: Christmas Stocking Project
3. FleeceEmbroidery Library: Christmas Stocking Project
4. Quilting cottonMcCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking
5. BurlapHGTV: Burlap Stockings
6. Old sweatersMarthaStewart.com: #Sweater Stocking
7. Wool blanketsMarthaStewart.com: #Blanket Stockings

The amount of material you will need depends on how large of a stocking you plan to make and the design of the stocking. For the average-sized stocking, you will need about 1/2 yard of material or two fat quarters.McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking

• After gathering your supplies, you will need to create a Christmas stocking pattern. If you have an old Christmas stocking, you can trace around it to create your pattern.Christmas For All: How To Make Christmas Stockings? You can also find several patterns online (See stocking templates).

• Below you will find a variety of Christmas stocking templates. Since you will probably be enlarging the pattern, you will need to print out the template onto several sheets of paper and then tape the pieces together.About.com: Free Pattern and Directions to Sew a Christmas Stocking, p.2

• • McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking
  • About.com: Stocking Pattern
  • Craft&FabricLinks: Free Christmas Stocking Sewing Pattern
  • Better Homes and Gardens: Four Christmas Stocking Projects
  • Embroidery Library: Stocking Template
  • MarthaStewart.com: Stocking Template | Stocking Template (small) | Sweater Stocking Template | Felt Stocking Template | Stocking Template 2 | Stocking Template 3 | Bird Stocking Template

• Alternative Shapes
• For some unique alternatives to the traditional Christmas stockings, check out these pages:
  • CraftsAreMe.com: Bare Foot Christmas Stocking
  • HGTV.com: Dog Christmas Stocking | Cat Christmas Stocking
  • FamilyFun Stockings: Dog Paw | Ballet Slipper | Bare Foot | Ice Skate | Elf Boot | Cowboy Boot | Fancy Boot

• Once you have your template ready, it is time to cut out your stocking pieces.

1. Use the stocking pattern to cut out two stockings from your fabric.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings Remember, you will want reverse the pattern for one of the shapes to ensure that pattern will be facing outward.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Holiday Santa Stocking
2. If using a lining fabric, repeat with the lining fabric.

• Adding decoration to your stocking is optional. You may want to skip this step if you are using a more elaborate fabric. However, if you want to decorate your stocking, you will find it easiest to do before you sew the pieces together. How you decorate the stocking should reflect the person it is for, so don't feel you are limited to Christmas images.Christmas For All: How To Make Christmas Stockings? Here are some methods you can use to decorate your stocking:

1. Attach embossed velvet using fabric adhesive.MarthaStewart.com: Embossed Velvet Stockings
2. Cut tree shapes out of green felt, decorate them with glass buttons and sew them onto the stocking.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings
3. Cut out flower shapes in felt and use a button for the center (and to attach to the stocking).MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings
4. Cover buttons with felt and attach.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings
5. Cut shapes out of felted wool and sew them onto the stocking.Baby Lock: Felted Wool Christmas Stocking
6. Machine embroider or use glittered dimensional fabric paint to write a name onto the stocking.About.com: Free Pattern and Directions to Sew a Christmas Stocking, p.7 HowStuffWorks: How to Make Christmas Decorations - Making Christmas Stockings
7. Sew "patches" on the heel and toe of the stocking using a coordinating fabric.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Felted Wool Christmas Stocking
8. Stamp images onto the stocking using fabric ink.HowStuffWorks: How to Make Christmas Decorations - Making Christmas Stockings
9. Glue ribbon in stripes or a pattern.HowStuffWorks: How to Make Christmas Decorations - Making Christmas Stockings
10. Attach a small picture frame for a special picture.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Holiday Photo Stocking
11. Cut out shapes from cardboard and paint them before attaching.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Holiday Joy Stocking
12. Use embossed scrapbook stickers to decorate the stocking.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Holiday Santa Stocking

• To sew the stocking using a sewing machine, use a size-fourteen needle and 100-percent-polyester thread for the best results.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings If you want to line your stocking, read that section first. Otherwise, once you have your pieces of fabric cut out, here's how to sew the pieces together.

1. Place the pieces so that the right sides are facing each other and the edges should match up evenly.Christmas For All: How To Make Christmas Stockings? (Ugly or lined sides facing out.)

2. Pin the pieces together.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings

3. Sew around the stocking (except for the top) leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance.McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking Remove the pins as you go.

4. Cut notches about 1/8 inch from the edge at the ankle, toe and heel. This will ensure that the curves lie smoothly.MarthaStewart.com: Christmas Stockings

5. Turn the stocking so the right side is facing out.

• If you want your stockings lined, there are two ways you can do it.
  1. Stitch the linings to the stocking fabric before the front and back are sewn together.Craft&FabricLinks: Free Christmas Stocking Sewing Pattern
  2. Stitch the lining pieces together as you would the other pieces. Then, insert the lining into the stocking before attaching the cuff and sew the pieces together at the top.Embroidery Library: Christmas Stocking Project Baby lock: Felted Wool Christmas Stocking
• If you decide to use the first method, you will need to do it before sewing the pieces together.

1. Fold the cuff piece so that the wrong sides are facing each other and pin the short ends together.About.com: Free Pattern and Directions to Sew a Christmas Stocking, p.5

2. Stitch the short ends of your cuff section together using a 1/4 to 1/2 inch hem stitch and remove the pins.McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking

3. Turn the cuff right side out and baste the raw edges together.McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking A basting stitch is a longer version of the basic running (in and out) stitch used to temporarily sew the fabric together until you use the sewing machine.

4. Slip the cuff into the stocking and match the cuff seam to the top of the stocking.HGTV: Burlap Stockings

5. Insert the hanging tab in half so that the short ends meet. The hanging tab can be an extra strip of material or a piece of ribbon.MarthaStewart.com: Blanket Stockings Then, place the tab between the stocking and cuff seam.HGTV: Burlap Stockings Use a pin to hold it in place.

6. Pin the cuff and the top seam together.

7. Sew the two edges together using a 1/4 to 1/2 inch half seam.HGTV: Burlap Stockings

8. Turn the cuff to the outside.McCalls: Sew an Easy Stocking

• If you don't have a sewing machine, you can sew the stocking by hand. You will need a large-eye sewing needle and embroidery floss that matches your fabric.FamilyFun.com: Classic Stocking Then blanket-stitch (also known as whip stitching) the pieces together instead of machine sewing them.Better Homes and Gardens: Make a Felted Wool Christmas Stocking Whip stitching is done by inserting the needle through the same side of the fabric each time, which wraps the thread around the ends of the two pieces of fabric.Lit'l Brown Bird's Free Tutorial: Hand Sew Felt Tutorial - Whip Stitch If you like, instead of whip stitching, use a basic running (in and out) stitch.YouTube: How to Sew a Christmas Stocking Together

• If you already know how to sew and are looking for some more advanced stockings to sew, check out some of these pages:
  • Singer Sewing Co.: Holiday Stocking
  • Husqvarna: Christmas Stocking
  • Better Homes and Gardens: Four Christmas Stocking Projects
  • MarthaStewart.com: Handkerchief Stockings
  • MarthaStewart.com: Carpet Stockings