Saturday Sewing: Embroidered Christmas Stocking the MC8200 QCP and MC550E!

Today is Halloween……Yes, I know it is still 8 weeks until Christmas but you can never start too early! Here is a great personalized Christmas project to get you busy with Saturday sewing…….you have 7 Saturdays left (not counting today) to get it done in time!! Thanks Amanda. Ed. 

For me, Christmas Stockings are very important. In our house stockings are what we get to open as the parents are making coffee and hopefully putting some tasty treat into the oven to enjoy while the kids open all the gifts. Stockings are definitely my favourite part. Probably because of all the treats and surprises in them.

My Grandma made all of us grandchildren beautiful crochet stockings. I attempted to replicate these stockings for my kids but it just wasn’t the same as Grandma did. So, I decided that it was up to me to make my own special stockings. Today I’m going to share with you how I make my Personalized stockings. I don’t joke around, these stockings hold a lot of loot! I’m going to use my Janome Memory Craft 550E embroidery machine to personalize the stocking and the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8200 QCP to sew up the rest of the stocking.

When I started looking at stockings for inspiration, the first thing I noticed was that stocking shape and size is so subjective. I’m including a pdf of the stocking template shape I used but feel free to go wild and make your own shape and size. 

 

Supplies:

• Janome MC 550E
• Janome MC 8200 QCP
• Acufeed Flex Dual Feed AD foot
• 1/2m Exterior fun fabric
• 1/2m Batting (or scraps from quilts)
• 1/2m Lining
• 1/4m Cuff fabric
• Madiera Super Strong Stabilizer
• Coordinating thread
• Stocking Template

Embroidering the Cuff

Cut your cuff fabric to 23cm x 42 cm (9″x16.5″)

The hardest part of embroidering the cuff is making sure you get the writing in the right place. If you have enough fabric feel free to embroider first and cut second. If not fold your cuff lining up the two long edges first and press. Keep this piece folded and fold in half so the short edges are lined up and press and open back up.

Using a fabric safe marking tool, place a mark 5cm (2”) from the bottom and 10.5cm (4.125”) from the folded edge. 

Hoop your cuff with 1 layer Madeira Super Strong Stabilizer making sure to centre your mark.

Using your favourite font on your 550E,  set up your embroidery design on your machine.  For mine I used the Cheltenham font in size M with the RE20b hoop. I rotated the design 90 degrees so it would be oriented for how I hooped my fabric. Then I centred the design so when I went to stitch out the pattern I can line up the centre mark on my fabric with the centre point of the design. 

Baste your design in place using the basting function to make sure nothing shifts while stitching out.

Stitch our your name, remove from hoop, trim any stray threads, and trim back your stabilizer

Completing the cuff

Layer the rectangular piece of batting on the back of the embroidered cuff. Fold in half with short seams lined up with right sides facing. The batting will only take up 1/2 of the cuff width.

Sew along the short edge using the foot edge along the edge as the fabric as a guide. Fold the top 1/2 of the cuff down over the batting half with long edges touching and the side seam lined up. You may need to flip it inside out so you can see the embroidered name. 

 

Create your hang tab

From your main fabric cut a 10cm x 23cm (4″x9″)

Fold your piece in half with long edges lined up and iron. Open back up and then fold each long edge into the middle and press and then fold the whole thing in half to make a 2.5cm x 23cm (1″x 9″)tab. Top stitch along both long side of the tab 0.5cm (1/8”) from the edge

 

Assembly

With right sides facing place the exterior fabric together then add a layer of batting to each side so the exterior fabric is sandwiched in the middle.

Using your Acufeed Flex AD foot, sew around the outside of the of the stocking using the edge of the foot as a guide. Leave the top open. Clip the curves, turn right side out and give a good press.

Take your lining fabric and with right sides together sew around the outside leaving the top open.

Take the lining and insert it into the the exterior fabric/ batting unit. Make sure the toe and heal are lined up. 

Take the hang tab and line up the raw edge with the top of the stocking on the inside of the stocking centred on the seam on the back. Tack in place with a basting stitch

Insert the complete cuff inside the stocking with the embroidered name against the lining on the inside of the of the stocking. Make sure that the writing is inserted so the writing is right side up. 

Using the Acufeed Flex AD foot sew around the top of the stocking through all the layers. This is the perfect time to remove your accessory storage compartment and use the free arm.

Flip the cuff to the outside and press. Taadaa!

Quick and easy stockings for the entire family! I can’t wait to see the stockings you make! Make sure to tag @janomecanada on your social media so we can see them!

 

Stitch on!

AmandaBee