• Dove & Hearts Christmas Stocking
• The Sun, the Moon & the Stars

Dove & Hearts Christmas Stocking

One of my favorite parts of the Christmas holiday is opening my stocking. Sometimes all I ask for is a stocking -- it means that much to me. Make this stocking as a surprise for your sweetheart or a keepsake for a child, and it can be used year after year. The original project was completed in country colors. Feel free to change the style of fabrics to suit your taste. Just imagine it made in hot pink and bright green with some interesting bead around the cuff. You could even make the dove more stylized.

Designed by Jodi G. Warner

Skill Level
Intermediate

Stocking Size
8 1/2" x 16 1/2"

Materials

• Scraps of the following fabrics: 2 red plaid (hearts), 2 contrasting cream-on-cream prints (dove, checkerboard), 1 black print (checkerboard) and 1 forest green print (center patchwork)
• 1 fat eighth beige print for background
• 1/3 yard medium green print for cuff, center patchwork and backing
• 3/8 yard red print for narrow borders, small squares and binding
• 1 square 7" x 7" red solid for piping
• 2 pieces 10" x 18" for linings
• 2 pieces thin batting 10" x 18"
• All-purpose thread to match fabrics
• Contrasting quilting thread
• Scrap lightweight fusible transfer web
• Scrap fabric stabilizer
• Green machine-embroidery thread
• 1 1/4 yards 1/8"-wide cord
• 1/4" black button
• Manila-folder-weight paper
• Basic sewing supplies and tools, and water-soluble fabric marker

Click here for stocking pattern templates

Instructions
Step 1. Cut beige print as follows: two squares 2 3/4" x 2 3/4" for D, one square 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" for E, one strip 1" x 7 1/2" for F, and one strip 2 1/4" x 7 3/4" for G. Cut E squares in half on one diagonal to make two E triangles.
Step 2. Cut two squares medium green print 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" for A, eight strips forest green print 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" for B, and six squares red print 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" for C.
Step 3. Sew B to opposite sides of A; sew C to each end of one B strip and sew to A-B as shown in Figure 1. Sew C to one end of one B strip; sew to the previously pieced unit as shown in Figure 2. Repeat to make a second A-B-C unit.

Step 4. Place pieced A-B-C units right sides together as shown in Figure 3. Make a template for piece X. Lay X on layered A-B-C units; draw a line along long edge of X. Remove template; stitch on marked line as shown in Figure 4; trim 1/4" away from stitching line. Press stitched section.
Step 5. Set D into pieced section as shown in Figure 5. Sew E to two adjacent corners and F and G to opposite adjacent corners to finish center panel as shown in Figure 6; press and set aside.
Step 6. For cuff checkerboard panel, cut one strip each of one cream-on-cream print and black print 1 1/4" x 13". Join strips along length; press seams toward black strip. Cut into ten 1 1/4" segments. Join segments as shown in Figure 7 to make a checkerboard panel.

Step 7. For toe checkerboard panel, cut two strips each of one cream-on-cream print and black print 1 1/4" x 11 1/2". Join strips in alternating order along length; press seams toward black strips. Cut into nine 1 1/4" segments. Join segments as shown in Figure 8 to make toe panel.

Step 8. Cut three strips red print 7/8" x 8 1/4" for H, and one strip medium green print 2 3/8" x 8 1/4" for I.

Step 9. Sew an H strip to the top and bottom of the pieced center panel; press seams toward H. Sew the toe checkerboard panel to the bottom and the cuff checkerboard panel to the top of the pieced section as shown in Figure 9; add H and I to the top. Press pieced section.
Step 10. Make a template for the dove, wing and heart using full-size patterns given. Trace four hearts, one wing and one dove onto paper side of a scrap of lightweight fusible transfer web. Cut out shapes leaving a margin around each piece. Fuse to wrong sides of fabric scraps as indicated on patterns for fabric colors. Cut out shapes on traced lines; remove paper backing.
Step 11. Fuse one heart to the wing referring to the Placement Diagram for positioning. Fuse three hearts on I, and the dove and wing with heart on pieced panel, again referring to the Placement Diagram for positioning.
Step 12. Cut pieces of fabric stabilizer slightly larger than the applique areas. Pin or baste against the wrong side of work directly under applique areas.
Step 13. Using all-purpose thread to match fabrics and a medium-width zigzag stitch, machine-applique around applique shapes. When applique is complete, remove basting or pins and fabric stabilizer along stitching lines around and within all appliques.
Step 14. Layer one lining piece with batting and pieced stocking front. Hand-quilt next to patchwork seams and applique edges and as desired using contrasting quilting thread.
Step 15. Cut a backing piece 10" x 18" from medium green print. Mark a 1" on-point grid onto the piece. Layer backing piece with remaining batting and lining pieces; pin or baste. Machine-quilt on marked lines with all-purpose thread.
Step 16. Sew the 1/4" black button on the dove as marked on pattern for eye. Transfer pattern for olive branch embroidery to stocking using pattern given and a water-soluble marker. Using green machine-embroidery thread, satin-stitch stem and leaves.
Step 17. Trace stocking outline on pieced stocking front using pattern givien.
Step 18. Cut 1"-wide bias strips from red solid; sew together on short ends to make one strip 45" long. Fold strip with wrong sides together, inserting cord along fold; machine-baste through fabric layers close to cord using a zipper foot. Trim excess seam allowance past stitching to 1/4". With piping pointing inward, position and baste on stocking front, stitching exactly over stocking front seam line. Taper piping ends into seam allowance at top opening seam lines.
Step 19. Lay stocking front over quilted back with lining sides out. Stitch around following basted piping outline; lock stitches at opening edges. Trim away excess to 1/4"; trim top edges even and overcast raw seam edges. Turn right side out.
Step 20. Prepare a 20" length of 3/8" double-fold bias binding from red print as follows: Cut a 1 1/2" x 20" bias strip from red print. Lay a 3/4"-wide strip of manila-folder-weight paper down the center wrong side of bias strip; press both raw edges over paper. Slide paper along strip to complete single-fold press of entire length. Align creased edges right side out; press for double-fold bias tape. Note: A 3/4" bias-tape maker may be used. Cut a 4 1/2" piece for loop; stitch folded edges together.
Step 21. Place loop ends together; machine-baste over seam at upper right side of stocking opening, loop facing down. Apply binding to top opening edge, beginning at center back. Fold one end under; overlap other end when they meet to finish.

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