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Christmas stocking

Sew a stocking to bring out year after year. The measured template, cutting chart and steps are all here.

SewingCritic team · Updated 2026-11-04

An illustrated Christmas stocking

Free pattern · Make it your own

Finished size
15 in high; opening 5 in flat; angular toe
Skill
Confident beginner
Time
Allow 2–3 hours (planning estimate)
Seam allowance
0.5 in, included in cut sizes

Drafted from measurements by the SewingCritic team. We have not yet photographed a sewn sample.

What do you need?

Medium woven cotton outer and light woven cotton lining. No batting or cuff in this draft.

Matching thread; clips; ruler; paper and tape for four template tiles.

Check the needle and thread chart

Fabric to buy, by nominal width
Size / fabric44 in58 in
Standard · lining0.5 yd16 + 2 = 18 in; round up to 1/4 yd0.5 yd16 + 2 = 18 in; round up to 1/4 yd
Standard · main0.5 yd16 + 2 = 18 in; round up to 1/4 yd0.5 yd16 + 2 = 18 in; round up to 1/4 yd

We reserve 2 in of width for selvedges. Place pieces left to right in chart order, starting a new row when the next piece does not fit. Each row uses the longest piece in that row. Add 2 in handling to the total cut length, divide by 36, and round UP to the next 1/4 yd. Pieces do not rotate. No shrinkage allowance is included. Prewash before measuring usable fabric. Directional prints can need more.

Which pieces should you cut?

All sizes are inches. Cut single layers unless the instructions say otherwise. Seam allowance is already included.

Exact cutting chart
PieceQuantityWidth × lengthSeam allowance
Standard
Outer template bounding box (main)210 × 16 inIncluded
Lining template bounding box (lining)210 × 16 inIncluded
Hanging loop (main)12 × 8 inIncluded

Stocking: the rectangle sizes are bounding boxes for the template. Draw coordinates in inches from the top left: (0, 0), (6, 0), (6, 9), (10, 12), (10, 14), (8, 16), (0, 16). Join in order and close. This outline includes 1/2 in seams. Cut mirrored pairs.

6 in top · grain ↓10 × 16 in bounding box

How do you lay out the pieces?

These diagrams use the chart dimensions and keep the grain parallel to the long fabric edge. Rectangles do not rotate. PDF large-format pages are 100%; for home printing use the chart. The stocking also includes four Letter-size template tiles.

Standard · lining

Lining template bounding box10 × 16 inLining template bounding box10 × 16 in44 in fabric · 42 in usable · grain ↓ · 16 in cut length
Lining template bounding box10 × 16 inLining template bounding box10 × 16 in58 in fabric · 56 in usable · grain ↓ · 16 in cut length

Standard · main

Outer template bounding box10 × 16 inOuter template bounding box10 × 16 inHanging loop2 × 8 in44 in fabric · 42 in usable · grain ↓ · 16 in cut length
Outer template bounding box10 × 16 inOuter template bounding box10 × 16 inHanging loop2 × 8 in58 in fabric · 56 in usable · grain ↓ · 16 in cut length

How do you sew it?

  1. Print or draft the template

    Print the four tiled PDF pages at actual size, 100%, with no fit-to-page scaling. Measure both the 1 in and 2 cm squares. Tape matching grid edges. Or draw the listed coordinates in inches on squared paper; connect in order and close the shape.

    Measure seam allowance from the raw edge to the stitch line

  2. Cut mirrored pairs

    The solid template line is the cut line and includes 1/2 in seams. Cut two outer and two lining pieces as mirrored pairs. Align the straight long leg edge with the fabric grain. The stocking points right when viewed on the paper. Cut the 2 × 8 in loop strip.

  3. Make the loop

    Press the long strip in half, open, fold raw long edges to the centre, then fold closed. Edge stitch. The strip is 1/2 × 8 in. Fold short ends together and baste to the outer back edge 1 in below the top, raw ends flush with cut side. Keep the loop inside the stocking shape.

  4. Sew outer and lining

    Place each pair right sides together. Sew around sides, heel and toe with a 1/2 in seam; leave top open. Leave a 4 in turning gap on the long straight side of the lining. Use short stitches at the inner ankle; clip into that concave corner almost to the stitch line, then trim convex corner tips.

  5. Join the top

    Turn outer right side out. Leave lining inside out. Put outer inside lining, match top edges and seams, then sew the top with a 1/2 in seam. Check the hanging loop is clear of this seam.

  6. Turn and press

    Turn through the lining gap, close that gap and push lining into outer. Press the top and edge stitch 1/8 in from it. Keep the loop outside. This angular stocking uses straight template segments; no added cuff.

What can you change?

Piece the outer panels before cutting the template. Do not scale the print unless you recalculate all yardage and seam allowances.

What could you make next?

Which sources did we use?

  1. SewingCritic original measurement draftsoriginal draft; arithmetic, no sewn sample · read 2026-11-04