Finishing at just 7½” high, this scaled-down stocking is an ideal addition to your holiday decorating. Use it as table décor, a napkin + utensil holder, an elegant place card or to adorn a gift box. 

It’s a real stocking, which makes it easy to slip a few trinkets, sprigs or blossoms into the open top. There’s also a looped hanger at the back seam – especially helpful when using it as a package topper.

S4H Seamstress Team Member, Michele Mishler very generously dipped into her vast library of amazing embroidery projects to share this seasonal favorite with our S4H visitors. The project is made “in the hoop” with just a single line of machine stitching to complete.

Our sample was sewn on 100% linen with two layers of tear away stabilizer. The custom Snowflake design is dense with lots tiny details; for best success, do not resize. In addition, the color sequence is digitized for the best possible registration; do not color sort. 

Although we absolutely love this mini stocking, Michele’s gorgeous Snowflake embroidery could be the perfect finishing touch for a wide variety of projects. The designs would look fabulous on any number of surfaces from garments and pillows to totes and more. Simply ignore the “in-the-hoop” steps below – and the final stocking outline step, then use the embroidery design as you would any other embroidery file. We thought it would look sweet on a set of mini pillows to decorate a guest room for holiday visitors.

You could even isolate a small trio of snowflakes to create matching napkins if using the stocking for your holiday table. Or, use the smaller snowflakes to create an instant festive outfit, adding it to a ready-wear shirt collar or cuff. This tiny trio is offered within all the main design files as an option.

You’ll find the files ready to download below in SIX major machine embroidery file formats: ART, EXP, JEF, PES, VIP, and VP3.

Of course we realize not everyone has access to an embroidery machine, but we hope this pretty design might inspire you to find out more about how interesting and affordable it can be to add machine embroidery to your sewing space. We recommend taking a look at the full selection of Janome machines at your local Janome dealer, from the top-of-the-line Janome Horizon Quilt Maker Memory Craft 15000 or the new Janome Continental M17 to one of our studio favorites: the Skyline S9 or the embroidery-only Memory Craft 550E. 

Sewing Tools You Need

• Embroidery Machine with hoops – this design requires a  hoop size of at least 5½” x 8″

Fabric and Other Supplies

• Scrap or ¼ yard of 44”+ wide silk dupioni, medium weight linen or similar for the exterior
• Scrap or ¼ yard of 44”+ wide coordinating cotton for lining
• Scrap or ¼ yard of ½“ ribbon; you need just 5”
• Tear away stabilizer as recommended for your machine, we used 11” wide OESD Ultra Clean & Tear
• 40wt embroidery thread and/or 40wt metallic thread
• Bobbin thread
• All-purpose thread to match fabric
• Seam ripper
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat
• Iron and ironing board
• Pressing cloth
• Straight pins
• Hand sewing needle 

Getting Started

1. From the main exterior fabric, cut a rectangle 12” wide x 9” high.
2. From the lining fabric, cut a rectangle 12” wide x 9” high.

At Your Sewing Machine & Ironing Board

1. From the format list below, select and download the embroidery files in the format for your embroidery machine. 
2. Send the embroidery files to your machine or load onto a USB memory stick to transfer. 
3. Set up the machine for professional style embroidery, with bobbin thread in the bobbin and 40wt embroidery thread/metallic thread in the top.
4. Hoop two layers of tear away stabilizer.
   
5. Fold the exterior fabric in half with the 9″ sides matching. 
6. With the fold facing to the left, center the folded rectangle in the hoop.
   
7. Without moving the lower layer, unfold the fabric.
   
8. Attach the hoop to the machine. If your machine has a baste function, baste the bottom layer of the fabric in place.
   
9. Select the embroidery file “Snowflake Stocking.”
10. Make sure the machine is threaded with the first color of 40wt embroidery. We used Metallic Gold.
11. Embroider the decorative stitch background.
    
12. The file will stitch several tall intersecting lines, finishing with a set of smaller lines that will appear across the finished “toe” of the stocking.
    
13. Re-thread the top with the second color, we used Metallic Silver, for the small snowflakes. Stitch the small snowflakes.
    
14. Re-thread the top with the third color, we used Rayon White, for the large snowflakes.
15. Stitch the large snowflakes.
    
16. When the large snowflakes are complete, fold the left edge of the fabric over the finished embroidery. The raw edges should align. 
17. Re-thread the top with the fourth color – the exterior fabric color, we used Royal Blue all purpose thread, for the stocking outline.
18. Stitch the stocking outline.
    
19. Remove the hoop from the machine and the stocking from the hoop. Trim ¼” from the line of stitching around the perimeter of the stocking.
20. Remove excess stabilizer.
    
21. If you basted the upper edge of the stocking as we did, remove the basting stitches. 
22. Turn the stocking right side out. Smooth the seam all around and press. We always recommend using a pressing cloth when pressing embroidered items.
23. Open the file “Stocking Lining.”
24. Find the stocking lining rectangle. As you did above with the exterior fabric, fold the rectangle in half so the 9″ edges match. 
25. Hoop two layers of tear away stabilizer. 
26. Also as you did above, with the fold facing to the left, center the folded fabric in the hoop.
    
27. Place the hoop on the machine. Start the embroidery. There is only one color: the stocking outline in a thread to best match the fabric.
    NOTE: When this outline is stitching, there will be 2” of basting stitches at the bottom of the stocking along the arch. This is correct and will be used later to turn the stocking to the right side.
    
28. When the stocking outline is complete, remove the fabric from the hoop. As you did above with the exterior, trim the perimeter of the stocking lining ¼“ from the line of stitching. 
29. Remove the excess stabilizer. If you basted the upper edge of the stocking lining, remove those stitches. Keep the stocking lining wrong side out.
30. Find the ribbon. Cut ONE 5” length.
    NOTE: The loop may also be made of matching exterior fabric, which was our choice. Cut a strip 5″ x 2″. Fold each long edge of the strip to the center and press. Fold in half again and edge stitch end to end.
    
31. Fold the 5″ length of ribbon in half and pin it to the upper edge of the quilted stocking. The flush raw ends of the ribbon should be centered over the back seam of the stocking. Pin and/or baste the ends in place.
    
32. The stocking lining should still be wrong side out. Slip the exterior stocking into the stocking lining so the two layers are now right sides together and the toes of both layers are pointing the same direction.
    
33. Align the upper raw edges of the two layers and pin in place, sandwiching the ribbon loop between the layers.
    
34. Re-set your machine for ordinary sewing, sew around the upper edge with a ¼” seam allowance.
    
35. Remove the pins. 
36. Remember the basting stitches we talked about above, the ones along the bottom of the stocking lining? Now is the time to clip those basting stitches along the arch, just on the stocking lining, to open up 2″ inches that will used for turning.
    
37. Pull the toe of the exterior stocking through this opening to gently turn the entire stocking right side out.
    
38. With the lining still extending from the exterior, pin and then hand sew the opening in the lining closed.
    
39. Push the lining down into the exterior, smoothing the lining into the toe. A long, blunt tool, such as a knitting needle, chopstick or point turner can help you reach in to smooth the layers and the perimeter seam. 
40. Roll the upper seam slightly toward the lining and press well – again, we recommend using a pressing cloth.
    

Thread Chart

Click button below to download the full color PDF thread chart showing sizing, stitch count, and thread color changes for each of the designs. As mentioned above, it requires a hoop size of at least 5½” x 8″.

IMPORTANT: This download consists of TWO 8½” x 11″ sheets.

Download instructions (for .zip files)

All elements are provided in your choice of SIX file formats: ART, EXP, JEF, PES, VIP, and VP3.

Each file is provided as a .zip file to download.

First, click on the Blue Icon from the list below that is the appropriate file format for your embroidery machine. This is the .zip file you want to download.

For Windows users: Select “Save As” to save the .zip folder where you’d like it on your computer. Navigate to that folder. To unzip the file, you will have to right-click on the folder and select “extract.”

For Mac users: The .zip file should automatically download to your “downloads” folder or a location you have previously defined. If not, then right-click (or control-click) on the link and select “Download Linked File”. Save the .zip file to your computer. To unzip the file, double-click the file. Your files will be unzipped into the same folder as the original .zip file.

NOTE: Our thanks again to Sew4Home seamstress team member, Michele Mishler for her digitizing and designing expertise and for sharing this creativity with us!

COPYRIGHT
All material (projects, artwork, text, patterns, photos, embroidery designs, etc.) on Sew4Home is protected under the copyright laws. The design and graphic files themselves, or any part thereof, cannot be sold, duplicated, resold, traded or shared in any way, in any digital format, and are for use by the original purchaser only. You may use them for personal use on physical products, but manufacturing of products made from our original design for mass production or commercial use is strictly prohibited. Please contact sew4home.com for additional details.