Free Quilted Christmas Stocking Pattern

Learn how to make a one-of-a-kind quilted Christmas stocking with this free sewing pattern and step-by-step photo tutorial. I’ll show you how to piece and sew a beautiful patchwork stocking that you’ll love hanging above the fireplace each year. Whether you make them for yourself, or to give as gifts, quilt stockings are certain to become cherished family heirlooms!

For Christmas this year, I want to make a matching set of quilted stockings for our family. Perhaps I should say a “coordinating” set instead since I’m sure everyone will end up choosing their own favorite colors and fabrics.

You see, that’s one of the great things about this creative project idea – you can customize these stockings with your own colors and patterns unique to your personal style.

Quilted Christmas Stocking Pattern

These stockings are a great size to hold small presents — but they aren’t huge quilts — so they don’t take too much fabric or time. As such, a quilted stocking is a quick Christmas sewing project that you can make in just a few hours. I find it to be a nice, relaxing project to work on before the real hustle and bustle of the holidays begins.

It’s easy to customize this quilted stocking pattern to suit your style. You don’t have to make half-square triangles like I did. You can create whatever type of patchwork strikes your fancy: scrappy log cabins, simple stripes, or intricate EPP blocks.

Or, to make this project even easier, you can use one or two spare quilt blocks you have left over from another quilting project.

Don’t forget to download my free, printable pattern template!

Here are the steps to make a quilted Christmas stocking.

1. Make the patchwork for the front of the stocking (and back of the stocking, if you like.)
2. Quilt the front and back pieces of the stocking with batting.
3. Sew the front and back pieces together to create the outside of the stocking.
4. Cut and sew the two lining pieces together.
5. Sew the outside and lining together, adding a hanging loop.
6. Turn the stocking right-side-out, and topstitch around the opening.

Quilted Stocking Pattern Ideas

For my stocking, I pieced a simple patchwork grid pattern of half-square triangles. I used a charm square pack of solid fabrics in a variety of pink tones.

If you want to replicate the design of my stocking, pair together contrasting colors of fabric from a 5″ charm square pack, and make about 30 3″ HST blocks. Then, arrange the blocks in a standard grid pattern, with all of the HST facing the same way.

That said, you can use almost any quilt block pattern that you like for the front of the stocking. I think these stockings are the perfect canvas to highlight log cabin blocks, star blocks, or improv piecing blocks. I encourage you to follow your creativity!

As you design your stocking, consider that the straight top portion of the stocking measures 8″ at the widest point. So, after sewing the side seams, you’ll have a finished measurement of 7.5″. You’ll want to keep that in mind when you are planning your blocks for the front.

Materials and Tools

To make this quilted Christmas stocking, you’ll need the usual line-up of quilting and sewing tools.

For the fabric, you can use quilting cotton, linen, or any other fabrics that you feel confident quilting.

You can use fabric from your stash, or purchase new fabric for this project. Most likely, you’ll want to use small amounts of many colors of fabric to make the patchwork for the outside of the stocking. For reference, I used less than one 5″ charm pack to make the HSTs for the front side of my stocking.

You’ll also need fabric for the lining. I designed the stocking pattern template to be 11″ wide by 18″ long, including the seam allowance. This means that you can cut both the front and back pieces from one fat quarter if you like.

(Likewise, if you want to use a solid fabric for the back of the stocking, you’ll need a fat eighth.)

Here is the list of materials that you’ll need for this project.

• fabric: New or scrap quilting cotton, or other fabric. I used less than one charm pack for the front of my stocking. And, remember that you can cut both pieces of lining from one fat quarter.
• batting: 1/4 yard of low-loft batting. I used cotton.
• ribbon: You’ll need 6″ of sturdy ribbon or matching bias tape for the hanging loop. I made a short length of double-fold bias tape from matching fabric, and stitched it closed to create my loop.
• pattern template: You can download my free pattern here.

You’ll also need basic sewing supplies, including the following:

• sewing machine
• matching thread
• cutting mat
• quilting ruler
• rotary cutter
• straight pins and curved basting pins.
• iron and ironing board
• hand sewing needle, optional
• fabric marker, optional

Pattern Instructions

Let’s make a quilted Christmas stocking!

Step 1: Make the pieced blocks for the outside of the stocking.

First things first, make sure to print out the free Christmas stocking pattern template. (Double-check that the 2″ square in the corner is to scale.) Cut out the template pieces and tape them together.

Now it’s time to start making the quilt blocks for the outside of the stocking. You can choose to make patchwork for just the front side of the stocking, or for both the front and back sides.

For my stocking, I made 30 half-square triangle units using fabrics from a standard 5″ charm square pack, using the “4-at-a-time” HST method to cut my blocks.

With the “4 at a time” method, a 5″ charm square will give you four 3.18″ unfinished HSTs, which you can trim to 3″ square. After they’re sewn on all sides, they’ll be 2.5″, which is just the right size for the stocking template.

Don’t feel limited by my choice here, though. This stocking is the perfect project to showcase a star block, a couple of log cabin blocks, or some beautiful English paper piecing blocks.

Whichever type of quilt block you choose, try to make the finished patchwork piece slightly large than the pattern template. That way, when you trim it, it will be the perfect size.

When you’ve finished piecing the front, it’s time to trim it to size. Trace the pattern template onto the front piece, and cut it out.

Flip the template over, and cut out the back piece.

Important tip: Make sure to flip the template to the reverse side before cutting the back piece for the stocking.

Step 2: Quilt the front and back pieces.

Next, you’ll quilt together the patchwork layer with a layer of batting (just those two layers, without the usual third layer of backing fabric.)

Cut two batting pieces, a little larger than the pattern template. It’s okay if the batting pieces aren’t cut perfectly because you’ll be trimming them later.

Baste the front and back pieces of the stocking to the front and back batting pieces. You can baste with large basting stitches, basting spray, or pins.

Quilt the two pieces in whatever design you choose. I decided to do a variation of outline quilting, where I quilted about a 1/4 inch from the seam to “outline” each block

Remember, in this step, you are just quilting the patchwork and the batting together — without backing fabric. We’ll add the lining in a later step.

(If you want to add a monogram or personalized embroidery to your stocking, you can add it at this time.)

After you’ve finished quilting, trim both stocking pieces to size using a rotary cutter or fabric scissors.

Step 3: Sew the front and back pieces together.

Now, you’ll sew together the front and back pieces to make the outer layer of the stocking.

Pin the front and back pieces together. Sew along the edges of the stocking with a 1/4″ seam allowance. Clip or notch the curves to eliminate bulk and create a smooth edge.

Turn the stocking right side out. Use your fingers or a blunt tool (I like a bamboo knitting needle!) to make sure the curves are smooth.

Step 4: Cut the lining pieces and sew them together.

Fold the lining fabric in half, right sides together, and place the stocking template on top. Trace the template, and cut the lining pieces. This will give you two mirror-image lining pieces.

Place the two lining pieces with the right sides together. Sew along the edges with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Leave the top open. Leave a 5″ gap open along the bottom, too. (In a later step, you’ll use this bottom opening to turn the stocking right side out.)

Important tip: Remember to leave an opening in the bottom of the lining so you can turn the stocking right side out at the end

Step 5: Attach the lining.

Now that you have the outside and the lining pieces ready, it’s time to attach them.

Place the quilted stocking inside of the sewn lining, which should still be inside-out. Take care to line up the side seams and the top edges. Secure the pieces with pins.

At this point, you can insert a piece of folded ribbon to create a hanging loop. You can use a sturdy ribbon, or in my case, a piece of self-made bias tape.

Line up the raw edges of the folded ribbon with the top edge of the stocking. Align the ribbon with the side seam on the “heel” side of the stocking.

In the photos, you can see the ends of the hot pink bias tape sticking out at the seam.

Sew around the opening with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Then, turn the stocking right side out. Pull the quilted outer layer down through the gap that you left at the bottom of the lining.

Keep going, turning the lining right side out as well. (At this point, it should look like two stockings placed end to end, attached in the middle.)

Find the gap at the bottom of the lining pieces, and use your fingers to fold the raw edges in. You can use pins or clips to secure the opening while you sew it closed.

Thread a hand-sewing needle with matching thread, and stitch the opening closed with an invisible ladder stitch. (If you prefer, you use your sewing machine to sew the opening closed. Sew a straight stitch as close as you can to the edge.)

Step 6: Topstitch

Lastly, you can topstitch around the top of the stocking, if you like. This extra bit of stitching will help keep the lining inside of the stocking. Plus, it gives the stocking a more polished finish.

And there you go! I hope you’ve enjoyed this tutorial on making a quilted Christmas stocking. Now I’m off to go make 4 more!

Remember to download your free template! Just tell me where to send the email!

Explore more Quilting and Sewing

If you love quilting and sewing projects, I think you’ll also enjoy:

• 35 Free Baby Quilt Patterns and Tutorials
• 25 Jelly Roll Quilt Patterns You’ll Love to Make
• 50 Free & Easy Quilt Patterns for Beginners
• How to Make a Hair Scrunchie

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