Katie from Leave you in Stitches is back again, and this time, she's brought us a sweet tutorial on how to make a patchwork or stripwork version of our free stocking pattern. Love this scrap buster!

~~~~~~~~~~~

I always have the best intentions of making my kids all kinds of Christmas crafts, but I end up overextending myself on other projects and running out of time. All these years of sewing, and I haven't made them stockings! So, I jumped at the chance to change up the adorable free stocking pattern that Robin created for Pattern Revolution. I had all kinds of ideas, but when I saw the pattern, I just loved the shape of it and wanted to keep it the same. In the end, I was inspired by fabric. I have a Rubbermaid tub full of scraps and I went digging for my favorites, which turned out to be a mix of feminine pinks and blues. So, I decided to make a shabby chic patchwork stocking for my little girly girl!

And, because I have far less boy fabric pickings, I went with a stripwork design for the boys' stockings. I'm going to show you how to make the patchwork stocking, and then later give measurements to make the stripwork version. We will be making a patchwork piece of fabric on which to cut out the front piece of the stocking. After that, you will follow Robin's pattern to finish your stocking.

STEP 1
Cut out 60 squares that measure 2.75". EEK! I know, that's a lot of squares. You are going to need 10 rows of 6 squares each. You could whip 'em out with a rotary cutter, I am sure. I just never got the hang of it ;)

I arranged my squares into 10 piles of 6, accounting for the pattern I used (yep, 1 pile is missing).

STEP 2

Using a 1/4" seam allowance, start sewing the squares together. You will be sewing 6 of them together to make a single row (and you will do this 10 times!). This is when you need to crank up the Christmas tunes, or pick a new series to watch on Netflix, anything to get your mind off of the repetitiveness. I am partial to audiobooks, because it's the only way I get my "reading" in.

I used my serger, but you can use your sewing machine as well. We will be topstitching the seams later, and the back of this piece won't show.

STEP 3

Topstitch! This will make your piece lay nice and flat when you cut the pattern out. On each of your 10 strips, topstitch the 6 squares you have sewn together.

STEP 4

Now, you will sew your 10 strips to each other, along the long ends, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Don't forget to keep your pattern in mind, if you have one.

STEP 5

Topstitch again. I'm pretty anal about topstitching, but it really will make for a professional looking stocking when you are done. Pottery Barn's got nothing on this stocking! This time, you will be topstitching along the lengths of all the strips you have sewn together.

STEP 6

Almost done with the patchwork portion! Give it a nice press, so everything is flat and pretty looking.

STEP 7

Now you have a piece of fabric from which to cut out the front stocking piece. Of course there are scraps that you won't be able to part with, after all that work. I have enough to make Lilah a cute patchwork headband. Definitely enough for the doll twirl skirt I am using to teach her to sew. Cut out one stocking piece for the front (the back of my stocking is a solid coordinate). Then proceed to cut out and follow directions per the pattern.

My kids love the fact that they have their very own stocking, with their name on it! Because it's lined and interfaced with fleece, it feels like a very high quality stocking. We will be keeping these forever. Here are the dimensions to cut for the stripwork stocking (lot's less sewing for this one!)

10 strips measuring: 2.5" x 13".
Follow along at step 4 to construct your stripwork piece.

Happy sewing, and Merry Christmas!