Dare to Make It: Holiday

How to Embroider a Festive Polarfleece Stocking

Jennifer Stern, contributor

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My Boyds Bear has found a very cozy home in this fleece stocking!

Jen Stern

The chenille cuff is a nice contrast to the plain white fleece.

Jen Stern

Use the pattern that you can download to cut out the fleece stocking.

Jen Stern

My Boyds Bear has found a very cozy home in this fleece stocking!

Photo: Jen Stern

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Stockings can add so much more to your holiday decorating than just hanging them off the mantel. This fleece and chenille stocking has already become a cozy home for one of my Boyds Bears, and it will hang on the inside of my front door from now until the end of January...sort of a kickoff to my holiday doo-daa! I made pastel stockings to hang from my daughters' bed posts all year long...a home for a surprise or treat to celebrate all kinds of stuff!

Embroidering on fleece is easy if you know how. The challenge with working with fleece is the nap of the fabric. Stitches tend to sink in and disappear. To prevent that, all you need to do is put a piece of wash-away stabilizer over the top of the area you are going to embroider. This allows the stitches to settle nicely next to each other and not get distorted. If you are going to embroider a design that has a lot of filled-in areas, you can use a piece of tulle instead of wash-away stabilizer. The tulle can be trimmed away from the outside edge after the embroidery is complete, but it will stay permanently behind the stitches, offering long-term protection.

To make my stocking, I chose a swirly design that does not have a filled area. These kinds of designs are perfect for fleece because you don't have to worry about the nap poking through! I got my design from Embroidery Online...I love the convenience of shopping for embroidery designs online—five minutes after I pick one out, I've already paid, downloaded, and imported it to my machine. If you want to use my stocking pattern, click here.

Here's what you'll need:

• Stocking pattern
• 1/2 yard fleece
• 1/2 yard lining fabric
• One 4 x 19-inch piece of contrasting fabric for cuff (I used chenille)
• Embroidery design of your choice
• Soft n' Sheer cuta-way stabilizer (such as OESD's Polymesh)
• Clear wash-away stabilizer (such as Sulky's Solvy)
• Embroidery threads of your choice
• All-purpose sewing thread

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To Do: Felt Club Holiday 2008, this weekend!

Comments (9)

JenniferStern writes: Wow, thank for all the comments...I appreciate all the feed back, and thank you Arvid10 for trouble shooting the printing issue! As far as finding the design on embroideryonline.com, the design is swirl dot FB117. If you put that info in the search it will come up! Happy Sewing and Happy Holidays to all!
Posted: 10:15 pm on December 8th

redandredder writes: On clipping inside or outside curves, I use a craft knife and start at the seam and cut toward the ouside. The seam never gets cut and this goes much faster than using scissors to clip. My tip was published in Threads a few months ago. Pam
Posted: 12:39 pm on December 7th

arvid10 writes: Strongimpression: Here's how I do it. Block out what you want, with your cursor over the blocked text right click. In the dropdown menu that appears left click copy. Then open write mail and right click in the message area. Left click and select paste. Print as you would print any email. I find this works for the most stubborn files.
Posted: 12:41 am on December 1st

strongimpression writes: I love this stocking but I am having trouble printing the directions. I can print page one without problem, but the last 4 pages will not print. Does anyone have any suggestions? Thank you, Lorraine
Posted: 1:50 pm on November 30th

lizashcryscas writes: Hi,
Please tell me where top find the embroidery designs you used. I love your stocking.
lizashcryscas
Posted: 9:16 pm on November 29th

llhanner writes: I really like the stocking and you instructions are great! I have been trying to find the designs that you used with no success. Can you tell me what to look for on Embroidery Online?
Posted: 5:01 pm on November 29th

granitatogo writes: This is a lovely design, like snowflakes swirling. the stocking is more suitable for my grown up daughters! I've been looking for such a pattern! I'm going to make three or four of these so I can tuck our favorite little bears into them. It does look cozy!
Posted: 3:21 am on November 29th

JenniferStern writes: Thank you so much, happy holidays to you as well!
Posted: 7:19 pm on November 21st

susanar writes: I really love this. The one you have made is beautiful. I can picture a lot of options with this pattern. Your instructions were excellent. Good luck with all your projects and have a Wonderful Holiday.
Posted: 12:19 am on November 20th

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