Are you keen for some Christmas themed sewing?

This cute stocking tree decoration might fit the bill. On its own, it is super cute but times it by twenty-three and you'll have yourself a cute handmade advent calendar. My Mum did this for my girls about five years ago and they are still a firm favourite in our house. 

1. Find some fabric scraps. Christmas fabric is a great option, but red or green etc would also work. 

2. Draw around the template and cut two of your main fabric and two of your lining fabric. I did my main fabric and my lining fabric in different colours so that there was a contrasting cuff at the top of the stocking (green is the lining, red is the main fabric). 

Click here for the stocking template. 

3. This is where you can decorate the main fabric of your stocking. If you are making an advent calendar add numbers, or if it's a tree decoration you might like to add somebody's name or some festive trims.

My mum cross-stitched our numbers on, but there are lots of different options. If you've got an embroidery machine then you could use that. Alternatively see if you can source some felt numbers and glue them on (a real time saver!!).

4. Now you will need to cut the tie that you will use to hang your stocking up. You can use ribbon, binding, ric rac for this - whatever you might have to hand. I made mine about 6cm long, but you can make it as long or short as you would like - it will depend on where you would like to hang it. Fold the tie in half and position on the right side of the lining fabric, aligned with the raw edge of the fabric and 1cm from the top, like in the picture below.

This is an idea of how it will look when it is turned to the right side.

5. Put the lining fabric right sides together (with the tie sandwiched in between) and sew around the outside. Remember to leave a gap to pull through later (this is marked on the pattern).

6. Repeat for the main fabric, but do not leave a hole this time, sew all the way round.

7. Trim the seam allowances and clip the curves. 

8. Turn the lining only to the right side and place the two stockings right sides together by placing the lining inside the main fabric stocking.

9. Sew around top to sew the two stockings together. Use a 1cm seam allowance. Be careful not to catch the tie. This is a little fiddly. I like to sew from the inside of the stocking as shown in the photo.

 10. Pull the stocking out so that both it looks like the photo below. You should see only the wrong side of the fabric at this stage.

11. Turn the stockings to the right side through the opening that you left in the lining fabric. You will need a tool to help you with turning the stocking to the right side. I find a chopstick is good option. Make sure the main fabric stocking is turned out well. I like to give them a press too. They should now look like the photo below:

12. Stitch the hole in the lining stocking back together - you can do this by hand or a quick few stitches on the machine. 

13. Push the lining stocking back inside the main fabric, leaving a cuff and the tie at the top of the stocking. You'll need your chopstick or other turning tool here again. 

14. And there you have it! Follow these instructions for any size stocking. Happy Christmas sewing!!