My favourite part of Christmas has always been stockings. Perhaps it’s because we always were allowed to open our stockings first growing up – waiting until after breakfast to tackle the bigger gifts under the tree.

There’s simply nothing better than falling asleep while the stockings hang empty and waking up to the magic of those same stockings overflowing. So much excitement found in the little treasures are stuffed inside. And, of course, you can’t forget the orange stuffed in the toe!

So, considering the love I have for this tradition, it is a little remiss of me to have not crafted up stockings for my husband and myself far sooner. I’ve been promising him a new set of handmade stockings for, I don’t know, probably 5 years now. Of course, I have a handmade one I’ve been using since childhood, but he’s been making do with one we drummed up from somewhere for his first Canadian Christmas four years ago. So, this, this was the year!

If you too are longing for a matching set of Christmas stockings, here’s how you go about making felt stockings. It’s really so simple and you don’t need to be a whiz with a sewing machine – in fact, you could stitch the whole thing by hand. And if you’re not into simple, don’t do simple. Add a monogram as we did or go wild with whatever you fancy. Take these bare bones and add flowers and sequins and fur trim and all the bells and whistles!

The fact is, as long as you have a stocking shape you love and some good quality felt, you’ll be able to whip up beautiful handcrafted stockings.

Speaking of felt, I used lovely merino wool blend felt from Benzies Bazaar. But if you’re looking for pure wool felt, I’ve also heard wonderful things about Felt on the Fly. Either way, you want some lovely thick felt – not the flimsy stuff you find at the big box craft stores.

So, without further ado, let’s get making!

You will need:

• Felt in 2 or more colours (you’ll need a piece approximately 18″ x 18″ to make one stocking)
• Scissors
• Spray adhesive
• Needle & thread / Sewing machine

3. To make the monogram, choose a font which you like and print off the desired letter in a large font size. For these stockings, I used Georgia in size 300 pt.

4. Carefully cut the letter out of the paper. I allowed a thin border all around the printed letter as I cut.

5. Spray the front of the paper letter with spray adhesive. Place face down on the back of the piece of felt you’ll be using as the main letter colour.

6. Carefully cut around the paper letter. I again allowed a thin border around the printed letter as I cut. Peel off the paper letter and trim any rough or jagged edges seen on the felt letter.

7. Pin the felt letter (white)to a piece of felt in the desired background / outline colour (red). Sew the letter to the background. I prefer to do this step by hand – but feel free to machine stitch if you prefer / feel confident with all those twists and turns!

8. Cut around the letter you’ve just sewn to the background, ensuring you leave the desired width of border / outline. I left a very narrow red outline – but you could definitely go thicker.

9. Pin the finished letter to the front piece of the stocking. Stitch around. I attached my letters by hand – but, again, this step could be done by machine.

10. Once the letter is attached to the front of the stocking, it’s time to sew! Pin the two sides of the stocking together, right sides out.

11. Stitch around the outside of the stocking, keeping an even seam allowance. Make sure you leave the top edge open – otherwise how will you get all those delicious goodies inside? Try using a piece of washi tape in a bright colour to mark your desired seam allowance if you have trouble following the marks on your machine. I find the bright colour really helps me stitch straight! 

12. To make the hanging loop, cut a strip of felt in the desired colour. Firmly attach to the top corner of your stocking. If you’re worried about the loop stretching, make a reinforced loop by doubling the felt or use a piece of ribbon instead.

And that’s it! Your very own handcrafted felt stockings, ready to be hung & filled with all sorts of goodies come Christmas morn!

Are stockings a part of your holiday traditions? What do you hope to find in yours this year?

Looking for fun goodies to stuff in those stockings? Why not fill them with washi tape, origami paper & cute stationery? Omiyage is offering Oh My! Handmade Goodness readers 20% off until December 15th. Simply enter code OMHG20 during checkout.

Suzusan Shibori

During my time living in Japan, one of my favourite discoveries was shibori. I shouldn’t really say “discovery”, it was more of an introduction!

Just south of Nagoya, my Japanese hometown for 4 years, lies Arimatsu, a small town with a big reputation. Knowing my interest in art and craft, one of my students and her husband decided that a field trip to Arimatsu was in order. So off we went, one sunny Autumn afternoon, to discover the world of traditional shibori textiles.

Arimatsu is one of those rare Japanese towns where time has stood still. The historic town is famous for its kimono and textile wholesalers and shibori craftspeople. But how did this little town become so well-known?

While the shibori technique was likely brought to Japan from China in the 8th century, the town of Arimatsu has been in the business of shibori since it’s founding by 8 families in 1608. You see, there is a famous road in Japan, called the Tokaido or East Sea Road, between Tokyo and Osaka. Back when Arimatsu was founded, the feudal lords of Japan were required to travel to Tokyo (then known as Edo) each year via the Tokaido to swear their allegiance to the Shogun. Along the route were 53 government-sanctioned stops or “stations” where travellers could rest. Arimatsu was established as the forty-second station.

Hiroshige Blockprints of Arimatsu

Arimatsu, over time, became famous for high quality shibori textiles. But what exactly is shibori? Usually referred to as simply “Japanese tie-dye”, it is a form of resist-dyeing where fabric is folded, tied, twisted or wrapped to create patterns. Traditional indigo blue and white is probably the most well-known version of shibori, though it is available in a multitude of colours.

Shibori Images – Sri Threads

Want to see just how it’s done? Here’s a lovely video filmed in Arimatsu. The artisans in the film are Kitano Toyo-san, aged 92, Nakashima Suzue-san, aged 87, and Honma Tomeko-san, aged 85. Watch as they sit seiza and their nimble fingers tie the shibori patterns. The tied fabric is then dyed using indigo and finally you see the fabrics untied and the patterns revealed.

Arimatsu Shibori – Artisans at work

In traditional shibori practice, at least 3 artisans – masters in their own right – were involved. One to create the pattern and stencil the fabric, one to tie, and one to dye. It is slow, practiced work and a true cultural heritage. It is simply beautiful.

Every June, Arimatsu holds a Shibori festival – a celebration of the art and the town itself. People flock from all over (as is the case with most Japanese festivals) to take part. Here are a few images from this years festival:

Festival Images – Notjustnat

For more images of the festival, visit Notjustnat and BIG in JAPAN‘s recaps.

Of course, shibori exists outside of Arimatsu and outside of Japan. The techniques have evolved and have become not only techniques used in dyeing, but also in various fibre arts. But for me, the beauty of shibori will always exist as a reminder of a village where time stood still, where master craftsmen and women create with wise hands.

Should you want to try your own hands at shibori (I know I do!), visit Honestly WTF for a wonderful tutorial on three kinds of shibori dyeing techniques:

DIY Shibori – Honestly WTF

And, should you ever find yourself in Japan, why not take a trip to Arimatsu and discover shibori for yourself? See Japan as it once was, visit the Shibori museum where you can even try take a workshop in the craft, and marvel at tie-dyeing worlds away from groovy 60′s t-shirts!