Quilt As You Go Christmas Stocking Tutorial

For the past several years, this Quilt As You Go Christmas Stocking Tutorial has been one of my most popular posts. It was one of the tutorials in my monthly Christmas on a Budget series back in 2011.

The photos were taken at night so they were a little darker than I would have liked and while it did the job of showing how to make this style of quilted stocking, it’s been wanting a complete update.

To that end, I’ve spent the past few days making new stockings and taking brighter, better photos. I’ve also updated the instructions to make them as clear as possible.

I hope you’ll enjoy making one or more of these Quilt As You Go Stockings! They really are super easy to make and a great way to use up scraps and strips of fabric.

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All the instructions you need to make beautiful Quilt-As-You-Go Christmas Stockings are right here in this post. But I realize that it might be more convenient for you to have a copy that you can download to your computer to print out and have beside you as you work. You can purchase the ad free Printable QAYG Christmas Stocking Tutorial PDF file for only $5 from my shop. It has this complete step-by-step tutorial with all the accompanying photos plus the stocking template.

How to Make a Quilt As You Go Christmas Stocking

Print out the Christmas stocking template (available for free in my pattern shop.)

Please note: If you have pop-ups blocked, you will need to temporarily disable them in order for the download button to work. 

Tape the pattern together by matching the circles. Cut out the paper pattern.

To make the quilt as you go stocking pieces:

Pin the pattern to a double layer of batting. 

Cut out leaving 1/2 inch extra all the way around.

Cut two stocking shapes from a white (or light colored) fabric and two from lining fabric to coordinate with your stocking this time cutting along the edge of the paper pattern.

Place the one white fabric stocking piece on each of the batting pieces. 

These will form the base upon which you’ll quilt-as-you-go.

Make sure to have the stockings pieces be mirror images of each other. You wouldn’t want to do all the quilting only to discover that you have quilted one of the bases on the wrong side.

Next, go through your stash of Christmas fabric leftover from other projects and cut strips of varying widths from 1 ¼” to 2″ and between 9″ and 12″ long.

If your fabric strips are a bit longer that’s okay. You can trim them down after sewing the strip to the base.

You’ll also need to cut a 2″ X 6″ strip of fabric to make the stocking hanger.

Place the first strip right side facing up, matching the long edge with the top of the white fabric part of the stocking base. Baste across the top of stocking to hold the strip in place.

Lay the second strip right sides together along the bottom of the first strip. 

Sew along the strips to the stocking base using a ¼” seam allowance.

Flip the second strip towards the bottom of the stocking and press well.

Lay a third strip right side together with the second strip. Sew across the bottom of the strips. 

Continue in this manner until you have covered the entire fabric part of the stocking base.

To give the finished quilting a more varied look, you may wish to place strips on a slight angle before sewing.

Then as you get closer to the heel and toe, angle the strips even more to follow the shape of the stocking.

Remember to flip and press each strip after it’s sewn in place so they lay nice a flat, ready for the next strip to be added.

Repeat the above steps for the second stocking base.

Place the paper pattern piece on top of the quilted stocking base; lining it up as best you can with the fabric base. Pin pattern piece in place and cut out.

Repeat with second quilted stocking base.

Baste along the toe of the stocking to prevent the fabric from shifting when the quilted pieces are sewn together..

You’ll have two quilted stocking pieces that look something like this.

Pin the quilted stocking bases right sides together and sew using a 3/8″ seam allowance.

If you have one, switch your presser foot for a walking foot.

If not, simply use lots of pins to hold the pieces together and slow down as you sew.

Trim seam allowance to ¼”.

Notch the outside curves and clip the inside curves, as pictured.

Turn the quilted stocking right sides out.

To sew the lining:

Pin the lining pieces right sides together.

You’ll need to leave a 4″ to 5″ opening on the back of the stocking for turning the stocking right.

I’ll explain how I do this so that I have nice crisp edges for closing the lining after the stocking is turned right side out.

Use two pins, placed side by side, to indicate where you want the opening.

Starting at the top of the stocking sew using slightly more than 3/8″ seam allowance. Backtack at the beginning of the seam. At the first set of double pins, backtack then adjust your stitch length to a longer basting stitch. Sew to the second set of double pins. Backtack and reset your stitch length for regular sewing.

Complete the seam all the way around to the other side of the top of the stocking. Backtack at the end of the seam.

Trim the seam, notch and clip the seam allowance as you did with the quilted outside of the stocking. Leave the area around where the opening will be untrimmed.

Press the seam allowance open along the untrimmed area.

Flip the stocking over and press the other side.

Remove the basting stitches and set the lining aside.

To make the hanging loop:

Fold the 2″ X 6″ strip of fabric in half lengthwise.

Open the pressed strip, fold one long edge to the center. Press.

Repeat for the opposite side.

Fold in half again and press well.

Topstitch close to the edge along both long sides of the stocking hanger.

Pin the stocking hanger loop to the right side of the back of the quilted stocking.

Baste in place.

Insert the quilted stocking into the lining right sides together, matching seam allowances. Sew all the way around the top of the stocking using a 3/8″ seam allowance.

If you have a free arm sewing machine, sew on the outside.  But if you don’t, then it’s easiest to sew around the inside for this seam.

Sew over the area with the hanging loop a second time. The loop holds the weight of all the goodies that Santa brings so you want it to be secure.

Turn the stocking right sides out through the opening in the lining.

Hand sew the opening closed using an invisible stitch (aka the ladder stitch.)

Push the lining down inside the quilted stocking. Press upper edge. 

Topstitch ¼” from the top edge of the stocking.

Admire the finished stocking.

Both sides are equally pretty so you could display it either with the toe facing left or right.

I do hope you enjoy making your own Quilt As You Go Christmas stocking.

Please do take a photo, post it on your favorite social media and tag me so I can come see. I’m @supermomnocape on Instragram, @1SuperMomNoCape on Twitter and @1SuperMomNoCape on Facebook.

If you’d like to see what yours might look like in blues, reds and silvers, check out these three beautiful quilt-as-you-go stockings,with each side different for a total of six more examples to inspire you.

Get the ad free PDF?

All the instructions you need to make beautiful Quilt-As-You-Go Christmas Stockings are right here in this post. But I realize that it might be more convenient for you to have a copy that you can download to your computer to print out and have beside you as you work. You can purchase the ad free Printable QAYG Christmas Stocking Tutorial PDF file for only $5 from my shop. It has this complete step-by-step tutorial with all the accompanying photos plus the stocking template.

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