It’s already November and Thanksgiving is quickly on its way!
I’m still in the process of gathering all of my perfect christmas decorations from across the internet, so each year around this time I start thinking about the next addition to the collection.
The thing that I struggled with last year, was the fact that all my decor felt like it was stiff and brand new right out of the box. Nothing genuine about it, so my rooms all felt like they were missing something.
This year I think I’ve found the perfect way to add a genuinely antique and “lived-in” feel to my holiday decor and turns out the idea has been around forever!
A brand new Farmhouse christmas stocking by repurposing old tattered quilts!
Antique quilts are amazing for their charm, coziness, and look in a home, but when you are making stockings brand new, it is near impossible to get that same feel with modern day materials.
Not to mention they take half the work out of making a quilted christmas stocking since you don’t have to actually quilt them yourself!
If you are looking for a super quick project that packs a huge holiday decor punch, this is the one.
So today I’m showing you how you can DIY the ultimate farmhouse christmas stocking that even HGTV would be jealous of … with no quilting required!
An Intro to Cutter Quilts
This is not a new concept – repurposing an old tattered quilt, however if this is a new amazing concept to you too then we are in the same boat!
So I have never had any quilt around, let alone the kind that was in the state that was cut-up-able. So this type of craft has never occurred to me.
While the steps to making a stocking are not new, incorporating a cutter quilt gives the same old stocking pattern immediate farmhouse charm that can’t be recreated in any other way but age.
Now that this world of cutter quilts has opened up, I’m addicted so I hope you are too!
So what exactly is a cutter quilt?
Exactly what it sounds like, an old antique quilt that was very obviously well-loved over the years, but now, well past it’s prime.
Fabric become “shattered” where it seams like its disappeared or broken into pieces exposing batting, seams start to unravel, binding is gone all together.
There may also be holes and cuts right through the quilt as well.
These quilts are often painstakingly hand stitched so it would be a shame to simply throw out such beautiful work!
Instead, you can save the salvageable parts and turn that tattered quilt into something like a beautiful farmhouse Christmas stocking full of character that can be continued to be used for generations.
Where do I find a cutter quilt?
Who knew there was a market for torn and beat up quilts?
Apparently there is!
My two go-to places for cutter quilts are Etsy and Ebay.
I try to start my searches on Etsy. Auctions aren’t always my thing, they take work and effort which in the end I may not even get the item.
After watching many quilts on ebay, it was obvious that this is definitely a market people are keeping tabs on, and definitely bidding up.
Etsy however, you can just browse through and buy like any other item. No competition.
Little to no work, and you have the makings for a beautiful farmhouse christmas stocking. You didn’t even need to quilt yourself!
If you are in the market for a cutter quilt that you can use for this tutorial, stay tuned afterwards, I included my three favorite Etsy shops where you can find cutter quilt pieces for your own project.
Materials needed
2 Cutter Quilt swatches (atleast 21”x12”)
2 Lining fabric swatches (atleast 21”x12”)
Printed pdf template
Tape
Scissors
Sewing machine
Thread
Farmhouse Christmas Stocking Tutorial
Assemble template
No one wants teenie tiny stockings on their mantle, so this template will have to be cut out and assembled to get the full size.
I reused a free pattern I found from Suzy Quilts here.
Once you have it printed and cut out, lay out the pieces and tape them together to create a single template.
There will be letters to match up at each cut so you’ll be able to easily find where each section should sit. All of the text should be face up.
Trace template and cut out pieces
Once your template is ready to go, lay out the four pieces of fabric for your stocking, two cutter quilt swatches, and two lining fabrics.
In order to make this stocking reversible we will need to trace two mirror images of each other.
one quilt swatch and one liner should be traced with the template face up, the second quilt swatch and liner should be traced with the template face down.
When you cut them out they should be able to be placed quilt top sides together and line up perfectly.
This part is important! If you trace four of the same side of the template, your stocking will show the backing of the quilt swatch, not the quilt top.
Assembling the outside
Time to start making pretty things 🙂
Taking your two quilt swatches now in the shape of a stocking, place them right sides together.
Starting at the opening of the stocking at the top, sew a line all the way around the outside of the stocking, stopping when you get to the opposite side of the top.
This stocking will likely see a good amount of wear and tear as a result of gifts being stored inside it, so it is a good idea to try and keep closer to a 1/2” seam allowance for added stability.
Assembling the liner
For the liner we will repeat the process, place your linings right sides together and sew a 1/2” seam allowance all the way around the outside leaving the top edge open.
For this time though, leave an opening about 3-4 inches wide at the bottom.
We’ll be making the stocking inside out to hide all of the seams so it will give us a place to turn it right side out afterward.
We’ll stitch it up later though.
Once you have the lining sewn together, set it aside for later.
Making the loop
For this tutorial I was lucky enough to score an entire cutter quilt to make multiple stockings out of so I had some left over fabric between the templates to make the loops out of.
If you don’t have enough leftovers available from your swatch to do the same, you can use scraps of your lining material, ribbon, or whatever you feel matches well.
Cut a piece 3.5” by 6.5” for a scrap of fabric or quilt.
If you are using a piece of ribbon, cut a length 1.5”x6.5” and skip the remainder of this section.
If using a scrap of fabric or quilt, fold the piece in half the long way, right sides together.
Sew down the long open edge of the scrap to make a tube with a 1/4” seam allowance
Using any tool you can find, flip the tube inside out so the right side is facing out. Take the tube to the ironing board and press the tube flat so the seam lays on the edge.
Taking the tube back to the sewing machine, top stitch along the long edge of both sides of the tube to secure it flat.
Set aside the loop until final assembly.
Assembling all the pieces
Take the quilted layer and flip it so it is right sides out.
Take the lining and flip it so it is inside out.
Gently nest the quilted layer inside of the lining layer so the right side of the quilted layer and the right side of the lining layer are facing each other as seen in the first photo above.
Take your loop and fold it in half, gently place it pointed down between the two layers of the stocking until the edge of the loop is just above the edge of the stocking layers. Pin it in place.
Pin the lining to the quilted layer around the opening of the stocking and sew to secure the lining to the outside.
You may have to remove the sewing machine deck for it to sew comfortably. Be sure to secure your stitches at the start and end.
When you’ve got it close up, turn the entire stocking inside out using the hole at the bottom of the lining so all of the right sides are out.
Closing up the hole
Remove the pins and using the hole at the bottom of the lining, pull the quilted layer through the hole, turning the entire stocking right side out.
Find the hole in the lining and gently turn the seam allowance in. You can ironing the seam allowance down if necessary.
With a needle and thread, use a ladder stitch to close the seam.
Not sure what a ladder stitch is? You can find a great tutorial by The Treasurie here!
Be sure to knot your thread at the start and stop, and sink it between the layers so there isn’t any thread loose inside the stocking.
When you finish, tuck the lining inside!
Finishing touches
Only one step left! Making sure that lining stays inside.
Now that you have it tucked inside, head to the ironing table and iron the top opening to create a nice sharp top edge to the stocking.
To make sure that edge stays crisp, top stitch around the open edge of the stocking keeping about 1/2” seam allowance.
Not only will it give the stocking a finished edge, but it will also keep the lining from rolling out on its own.
Start on the backside of the stocking, and work your way around the front, being sure to go slow and take extra time when you get to the area with the loop.
There will be a lot of bulk there and your sewing machine will have a tough time getting through it at high speeds.
Back stitch when you reach the beginning again, and you’re officially done! Time to hang it up!
By the way, this quilt left me with 8 stockings! They are now for sale in the Quilting Wemple Etsy shop while supplies last, if you liked how these stockings turned out be sure to grab one for yourself!
What is the standard size of a farmhouse Christmas stocking?
The standard size of a christmas stocking is about 20”, but playing with the scale of a stocking can often give fun character to your christmas decor.
Shorter smaller versions can be great for smaller living situations and apartments while larger versions can fit more things!
While the standard version sits about 20” feel free to alter your template and make it your own!
What fabrics are best for a farmhouse Christmas stocking?
The most popular fabrics for christmas stockings are as follows:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Knitted
- Velvet
- Felt
- Wool
There are a few fabrics CAN be used but aren’t ideal for farmhouse christmas stockings:
- Jersey or anything stretchy
- Silk or anything super delicate
Stretchy fabrics will distort in shape after a few years of use, and delicate fabrics are prone to ripping and cutting from box corners making them less than ideal options for your stocking.
That being said, everything is relative to how you use them. If your stockings are purely decor, and you use some other method as a stocking, use any fabric you like!
Curious what other methods you might use as a stocking? My family growing up always used a large paper bag with names written in permanent marker as a stocking. We had stockings out every year but never actually used them for anything other than a few pieces of candy! Paper bags fit more stuff 😛
Our three favorite Etsy shops for cutter quilt swatches
While you can find whole cutter quilts for sale much more readily on Ebay, I’m not exactly a fan of doing the whole auction thing, give a stranger money, and hope it’s what I was looking for.
I’m a fan of the guarantee, it’s either in stock or it’s not, and I can make a single transaction and know it will be showing up at my door so Etsy is typically my go to for stuff like this.
I have a few favorites I’ve found will browsing the internet for cutter quilt pieces and while none of these Etsy stores are not exclusive to cutter quilts (they include other forms of fabric and undamaged quilts for sale), if you navigate to their “cutter quilt” or “quilt pieces” section you’ll find everything you need!
What are good things to put in a stocking for a quilter?
There are tons of great options to put into a stocking for a quilter, here are a few of my favorites:
- Disposable quilting supplies like my favorite seam allowance guides
- Sewing machine cleaning kits
- Handmade tools from Etsy
I recently posted a huge list of 30+ gifts for quilters that they’ll actually use, if you are looking for more holiday gift ideas for your favorite quilter be sure to check it out!
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