If you would like to make your own Ballard-esque Christmas stocking, here’s how to do it:

Materials:

• 5/8 yd ivory duck cloth
• 24″ x 7″ rectangle of leopard print cotton for ruffle
• 12″ x 2″ rectangle of leopard print for loop
• 12″ x 2″ rectangle of interfacing for loop
• 8.5″ x 4.5″ scrap of cotton fabric for embroidered name (optional)
• 8″ ball trim
• red and green scraps of felt/cotton/flannel/etc for accents (circles, bones for dogs, or fish for cats)

Directions:

1. Download pattern PDF and tape pieces together.
2. Cut out (2) stocking pieces (front and back) from duck cloth.
3. Cut out desired number of accents from red/green fabric and pin to front and back pattern pieces. Be sure to leave space on the front piece for the 8.5″ x 4.5″ rectangle if you are adding a name.
4. Use a zigzag or decorative stitch to attach accents to stocking. Trim any part that hangs over.
5. If adding a name, take your embroidered 8.5″ x 4.5″ rectangle. Press under 0.5″ on both the top and bottom. Pin to front of stocking and edge stitch top and bottom. Trim sides to match edges.                

1. Serge or zigzag the top of the stocking (both front and back pattern pieces).                 
2. Sew trim to the top of the FRONT stocking piece with a 1/4″ seam.
3. Place the front and back pattern pieces right sides together. Serge or sew around all sides, leaving the top open. Finish edges with a zigzag if you didn’t serge.
4. Turn stocking right side out and press well.
5. Take your 24″ x 7″ leopard fabric and sew short ends right sides together to create a tube.
6. Press tube in half, wrong sides together. Edge stitch fold. Finish raw edge.
7. Baste the bottom of the tube twice. Pull bobbin threads to create a ruffle the same perimeter as your stocking opening.          
8. Slide the ruffle over the stocking opening, aligning raw edges.
9. Sew ruffle to stocking with a 1/4″ seam allowance. 
10. Press ruffle up. Edge stitch in place. 
11. Now for the loop. Iron the 12″x2″ interfacing to the wrong side of the 12″x2″ leopard print fabric.
12. Sew long sides, right side together. Turn tube right side out. Press. Edge stitch sides.
13. Fold in half to make a loop and zigzag raw edges together. 
14. Pin loop to the inside of the ruffle. Box stitch.  
15. That’s it! (I just added this step because 20 steps sounds better than 19).

Enjoy! I’d love to see pictures Add ‘em to this flickr group!

How cute are they? But at $35 a piece, they’re too rich for my blood. I got all the supplies to make 6 stockings today for $20 (sister, brother-in-law, two dogs, and two cats).

Stay tuned for a tutorial