Heel & Toe Stocking

The homespun look of this stocking is reminiscent of those that hung from the mantels of yesteryear. A chenille toe and heel help create a cuddly setting.

• 1/2 yard of red print fabric
• Scraps of cream chenille
• Burgundy felt: two 2-1/4-inch-diameter circles and two 5/8-x-6-inch strips
• Pinking shears
• 1-1/2-x-14-inch bias strip of coordinating fabric
• 14-inch length of narrow cording
• Two 3/4-inch-diameter buttons

Stocking pattern

1. Use the stocking pattern to cut a front and back, reversing one of the shapes, from red print fabric.
2. Cut one 2-1/2-x-10-1/4-inch facing strip from the red print fabric. From chenille, cut one heel and toe. Pink the edges of the felt circles and strips.
3. Pin the heel and toe pieces wrong side down on the right side of the stocking front; baste. Center the felt strips over the inner edges of the heel and toe; sew down the center of the strips. Trim the strips even with the edges of the stocking front.
4. Sew the stocking front to the back, leaving the top edge open. Trim the seams, and clip the curves. Turn the stocking right side out.
5. Center the cording on the wrong side of the bias strip.
6. Fold the fabric over the cording, matching the long edges. Using a zipper foot, sew through both fabric layers close to the cording and baste the piping around the top edge of the stocking.
7. Fold the ribbon in half, forming the hanging loop. Aligning the raw edges, sew the loop to the top outside corner on the heel side of the stocking.
8. Sew together the short edges of the facing strip; press open the seam allowances. Slip the facing over the stocking with right sides together. Sew the facing to the stocking. Fold the facing to the inside of the stocking; press.
9. Cut a 1-inch-diameter circle from the center of each felt circle. Hand-sew small running stitches 1/8 inch from the inner cut edge of each circle. Pull the thread to tightly gather the felt, leaving a center small opening; knot. Position the felt circles on the stocking front with the buttons at the centers; sew to secure.