How to Make Primitive, Skinny Christmas Stockings

Skinny stockings can be made using a variety of materials in different prints.

These easy-to-make skinny stockings can add primitive charm to your Christmas mantel. They can be made using a variety of materials in different prints. The finished stocking is made to look primitive with a staining recipe so it takes on that look of yesteryear. These stockings can be personalized by pinning name tags on with rusty safety pins.

Things You'll Need

• Christmas print material/fabric (two pieces of 4- x 34-inch for one stocking)
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine
• Poster board
• Yard stick
• Scissors
• Pencil
• Water
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla
• Instant coffee
• Jute string
• Sewing needle

Instructions

1. Lay the poster board on a flat surface to make your pattern. Using the yardstick to measure, draw a long, skinny rectangle 33 inches long by 3.5 inches wide. Cut out the pattern. Measure 23 inches down the rectangle and draw a line straight across this point. Use the scissors to cut the bottom 10 inches off the rectangle.

2. Connect the 10-inch strip to the 23-inch strip by attaching it at a 45-degree angle at the bottom (this will be the foot of the stocking). Tape or staple it back to the leg part of the stocking. Use scissors to round the sharp corner where the heel would be. Round the two corners at the bottom of the stocking to make the end of the pattern look like the toe of a stocking.

3. Place the right sides of two pieces of material together on a flat surface, and lay your stocking pattern on top of the material.

4. Transfer the pattern onto the material with the pencil.

5. Cut the stocking out, making sure to cut through both layers of material.

6. Sew the two pieces together with right sides facing with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

7. Turn the stocking so that it is right side out. The top of the stocking will remain unfinished. There will be no hem.

8. Heat 2 cups of water to boiling in a small saucepan and add 1/4 cup instant coffee, 1/4 cup ground cinnamon and 1 tbsp. vanilla. Allow this to cool completely and stir well.

9. Dip each stocking into the staining material with tongs, thoroughly saturating each part of the stocking. Squeeze the excess material from the stocking and lay on a flat surface on an old towel or sheet to dry.

10. Sew a loop onto the dry stocking with a piece of jute.

Tips & Warnings

• Make primitive name tags with card stock dipped in the staining solution. Pin these to the top of the stocking with a rusty safety pin.