I made up this pattern myself and I was very pleased at how forgiving it is and how easy it was for me as a beginner. I made five total and after figuring out how to make the first one it only took me about an hour or less to make each one. It doesn't take very much fabric and though fur is expensive you don't need very much. I think each stocking ended up costing less than 2 dollars in the end. I picked coordinating fabric for each member of my family. I know Christmas is still far away but I wanted to put this out there in case anyone wanted to make some, since nobody wants to start Christmas projects at the last minute. I made the stocking pictured 2 years ago and made my fifth this month, which motivated me to finally write down the directions and get the post out. Text instructions are at the bottom of the post. I hope this tutorial makes sense!
2. Layer your batting and fabric in this order: batting, fabric print side up, fabric print side down, batting (4 layers total).
3. Pin pattern to your layers and cut out. Remove the pattern and reinsert the pins. Sew around sides but not at the top. (I just lined up the edge of the fabric with the edge of my pressure foot). You can trim the edges a bit if you want. **This is the only step where you have to be really careful about how you sew, because it's about the only part that where mistakes will be visually obvious in the finished product. Be very careful as you sew so that your lines are smooth, especially around the rounded corners of the stocking foot, because when you turn it right side out it will be very obvious if your curves are not smooth. The lining doesn't have to be perfect because it will be stuffed inside the stocking and no one will see the edges.
4. Two layers of stocking lining - lay out, pin pattern on and cut out. (I used a reversible ivory color fabric, but if yours isn't then make sure you sew with the right sides facing each other, since you will be stuffing it in the stocking and you want to see the right sides when you look inside your finished stocking.) Remove pattern and sew lining around sides but do not sew the top.
6. Turn the lining right side out.
7. Leave your stocking wrong side (batting side) out and stuff it into the lining.
8. I cut my fur 5 inches wide and cut a piece that stuck out about 1-2 inches on both ends after wrapping around the top of the stocking (my piece was about 17-18 inches long).
9. Hem one raw long edge of the fur (just fold over and sew with a big loose stitch or hand sew with a big loose stitch, use a needle to hand pluck out any fur that becomes matted down in the stitches on the visible side).
10. Pin fur to top with raw edge of fur on the top (make sure the fur side is facing/against the lining of stocking).
11. Make hanging strap (I cut my strap piece 2 inches by 8 inches and folded the sides toward the center then the whole thing in half again (pressing flat with an iron) and did a straight stitch to stitch them together).
12. Pin the hanging strap onto the side you want it against the lining, hanging straight down. I had my hanging strap stick out 2.5 inches.
13. Sew the hanging ends of the fur together, trim excess if necessary, and then pin the fur (with the hanging strap in between the fur and the lining) all the way around, pinning all 5 layers together. Sew all the way around. I just lined up the edge with the edge of my pressure foot. Thankfully this step does not have to be perfect because it all ends up getting hidden when you turn the stocking out for the final time. This project is VERY forgiving.
14. Turn stocking right side out, the strap should be sticking up now, and then fold the fur down.
15. Hang stocking and enjoy your work of art!
