You may remember me piecing some little Christmas trees last year, for my festive version of Homely Joys. My test block has spent the last twelve months sitting on top of my works-in-progress trolley (which is *ahem* rather overloaded) whispering "go on...make me into something..." and I've finally taken the hint. The vertical design of the block is perfect for the side of a Christmas Stocking and - more importantly - a stocking is an achievable project in the manic run-up to Christmas.
You will need...
1 Christmas Tree block (the tutorial is here)
½ yard fabric for the outer (the background fabric in your block)
½ yard lining fabric
2 8½" x 18½" pieces of fusible batting
4½" piece of ribbon (for the hanger)
Stocking 'foot' template, which you can download here
Washable pen/chalk pencil to draw around the template
To prepare the template you will need to add the 'leg' of the stocking to the 'foot' - as shown on the printable PDF - by cutting a 7" x 11½" rectangle from A4 paper, then sticky-taping the two pieces together. I folded over the top of my template by ½" when I cut my outer back piece.
Cutting...
1. From the outer fabric cut as shown, below:-
{The diagram shows how you can cut the background pieces for the Christmas Tree block from the same piece of fabric* You will also need 3 4½" print squares for the branches and a 1" x 2½" scrap piece for the trunk}
2. From the lining fabric cut as shown, below:-
Please read through the pattern before you begin. Fabric is always placed rights-sides-together and joined with a ¼” seam allowance unless otherwise noted.
Preparing the front of the stocking...
3. Join a 1¾" x 8½" outer piece to each side of your Christmas Tree block, pressing away from the tree; then join the 3½" x 7" outer piece to the top and the outer 'foot' to the bottom, again, pressing away from the tree.
4. Trim you fusible batting to size and fuse to the wrong side of the stocking front and quilt as desired. I chose to outline my tree, then add a simple crosshatch design to the background.
Quilt the back of the stocking in the same way.
Assembling the Stocking...
5. Lay the quilted back outer, right sides up, and position the piece of ribbon - folded in half - ½" away from the edge, as shown. Pin in place.
6. Join the lining pieces to the top of the matching outer pieces, pressing towards the lining.
7. Lay out the front and back pieces, right sides together, and pin together, marking a 6" opening in the lining.
8. Sew around the edge, starting and finishing at the opening with a few back-stitches. Clip the corners and make little cuts in to the seam allowance around any curves - taking care not to snip through your stitching - then turn right sides out.
9. Press lightly and slip-stitch or machine-stitch the opening closed and gently push the lining into the outer stocking.
10. Press around the top - your lining should be peeking above the edge - then top-stitch.
11. Hang by the chimney with care...
The pattern would also work perfectly well without the pieced front. You might use pre-quilted fabric, a fragment of a vintage quilt or left-over pieces of furnishing fabric instead. Anything with a bit of body to it, really.
Whilst not compulsory, I would strongly advise playing your favourite Christmas music, sipping hot chocolate and nibbling the odd mince pie to keep you going while you sew ;-)
Happy Christmas,
Nicola xx