A TOUCH OF SPARKLE-Christmas stocking
Monika Hanauer’s superb stocking will add a touch of elegance to your Christmas decorations. The shadow
trapunto gives the central poinsettia a soft appearance which she enhanced with beads. The lace borders give a
touch of elegance and sparkle, and the bold-coloured seed beads bring out the floral design.
MATERIALS
• 50cm x 70cm (193¾ in x 27½ in) rectangle of white cotton batiste
• 50cm (5/8 yd) solid white fabric • 10cm (1/8 yd) solid red fabric • DMC Tapestry Wool: 1 skein each o f 7043, 7107
• DMC Stranded Embroidery
Cotton: 1 skein each of medium red (304), bright green (700)
• DMC Metallic Stranded Thread:
1 skein f light gold (5282)
• White Nymo Thread
• 20mm (¾ in) lace:
40cm (½ yd) white
• No 7 crewel needle
• No 18 tapestry needle
• Beading needle
• Mill Hill Seed Beads: 1 packet each o f Victorian gold (02011), rich red (03049)
• Mill Hill Pebble Beads: 1 packet of ruby (05025)
• 30cm x 40cm ( l l 7/8 tin x 153 3/4 in) rectangle of Pellon
• 15cm x 25cm (6 in x lO in) rectangle o f Avalon Plus Stabilizer
• 35cm x 50cm (14 in x 20 in) rectangle of medium-weight iron-on interfacing
• 2B pencil
• Tracing paper
• Sewing machine thread: white, red
• General sewing supplies
FINISHED SIZE
28cm x 44cm (11 in x 17 ¼ in)
STITCHES USED
Running stitch, stem stitch
PREPARATION
Trace the stocking back, front, cuff and toe patterns from the pattern sheet onto tracing paper and cut them out.
Cut the batiste into two 35cm x 50cm rectangles, put the Pellon rectangle between them and baste them together in a grid pattern. Overlock the edges to prevent them fraying. Trace the embroidery design from the pattern sheet onto
the Avalon Plus with the pencil, then tack it in place on the batiste with the right-hand edge of the design 9cm from the side edge of the fabric and the lower edge 19cm from the bottom.
EMBROIDERY
Quilt around the edges of the poinsettia petals with one strand of medium red (304) and small running stitches, then do the same on the holly leaves with bright green (700). Remove the Avalon Plus with water then let it dry.
SHADOW TRAPUNTO
This is worked with 7107 tapestry wool for the poinsettia flower and 7043 for the leaves. Turn the fabric
over, thread the tapestry needle with wool, then insert the needle on the tip of one of the poinsettia
petals. Pass the needle through the Pellon, but not through the bottom layer of batiste, and bring it out at
the base of the petal. Trim the wool as close as possible to the fabric, then use the tip of the needle to lift
the top layer of batiste – this will allow the end of the wool to disappear between the layers. Add more wool to both sides of this stitch following the edges of the petal, but don’t overstuff it. Hold the fabric up to the light to see if
there are any gaps. Do the same for the other petals then work the leaves.
HIGHLIGHTS
Stem-stitch the centre of the poinsettia petals with one strand of medium red (304) and the holly leaves with one strand of bright green (700).
CUTTING
From the embroidered batiste, cut:- one stocking front with the paper pattern.
From the solid red fabric, cut:- one cuff and toe with the paper pattern.
From the solid white fabric, cut:- three stocking backs with the paper pattern.
From the interfacing, cut:- one stocking back with the paper pattern.
CONSTRUCTION
Overlock the edges of the embroidered batiste, then sew the toe and stocking pieces to it with right sides facing and a 1cm seam allowance. Press the seams towards the red fabric then hand-sew the lace over the seams. Attach the
Victorian gold (02011) and rich red (03049) seed beads to the lace with the beading needle and Nymo thread, see the photograph for colour placement. Add Victoria gold (02011) seed beads to the centre of the poinsettia and
groups of three ruby (05025) pebble beads to the base of each set of holly leaves.Fuse the interfacing stocking
piece to the wrong side of a solid white stocking back piece, then stitch this piece to another solid white stocking back with right sides facing, leaving a 1cm seam allowance and an opening on one side for turning. Clip the curves
but don’t turn it the right side out.Sew the front and leftover back stocking piece together, then clip the curves and turn it right side out. Put the stocking in the lining, then sew the top edges together with the seams and raw edges
aligned. Turn it right side out through the opening, then slip- stitch it closed. Put the lining in the stocking and press it lightly. Make a twisted cord with the 7107 tapestry wool and the light gold metallic thread (5282). Cut two 60cm lengths of tapestry wool and one of light gold metallic thread. Lay them together then fold them back so the ends meet, forming a loop. Put the loop over a hook and twist the threads in one direction until they begin to
kink. Take the loop off the hook, put it with the cut ends and let the cord twist up on itself. Starting at the back seam with a 7cm tail, slip-stitch the cord around the top of the stocking. Make a loop with the cord for the hanger then let
the tails hang down the back seam with the starting tail. Wrap another thread around the loose ones to form the top of the tassel, then secure it with thread and let the tails form part of the tassel. Trim the wool ends and thread to 4.5cm, then unravel the metallic strands.