Have you ever wondered how to make a Christmas Stocking? Learn how easy it is to cut fabric with your Silhouette Cameo 4 using the Rotary Blade and make these keepsake Christmas stockings.
Thank you to Silhouette for sponsoring this post.
Learn how to make your own Christmas stocking without you having to cut the fabric manually and precisely. Cameo 4's ability to cut fabric is amazing. I created these in a day and then adorned them with these personalized kid-friendly clay ornaments.
Supplies for your homemade Christmas stockings
- 2/3 yd. Each of Coordinating Fabric – Red Woven or Polka Dot
- 1/3 yd. Fabric for Cuffs
- 2/3 yd. Cotton Batting
- Shape #6094 and #6097
- Thread
- Sewing Machine
- Scissors
How to Cut Fabric with the Silhouette Cameo 4
To cut fabric with your Silhouette Cameo is fairly easy. Cutting felt is just as easy if you'd like to make some felt applique for your stocking. You need to have a few tools but ones that aren't usually laying around your home. You want to use a mat that has a strong grip because if you're using a textured fabric like these DIY Christmas Stockings then it will not stay in place and you'll have a huge mess on your hands.
Use a clean mat and then make sure your fabric is cut to the width of your mat. If you're cutting heavy, thick fabric – cut it to the length of your mat as well. Use a brayer tool or a rolling pin to make sure small parts are adhered to your mat.
For your design in Silhouette Studio, select the image and on Tool 1, select No Cut and then on Tool 2, select Rotary Cut. The blue lines will appear at where your blade will cut and where it will make its rotations for your cuts.
Take your Rotary Blade and adjust the blade cover so the blade is completely exposed. Place it in Carriage #2 and lock it in place. Insert your mat and press send. Stand back and watch the magic.
troubleshooting your Silhouette Rotary Blade
It's ok to practice beforehand using some scrap fabric. This will give you a bit of familiarity with your machine and the settings. You won't be a master your first time around, I certainly was not, but you will get it.
Using the Silhouette Rotary Blade is more sensitive than just using the AutoBlade because it needs to reset its axis. So your machine will feed in and out as it adjusts.
Finer details will mean that your project takes a little more time to cut and the longer it is in the machine the more I suggest using a new mat with a strong grip. You can also secure the edges using some masking tape to help hold it in place but the details in the middle may shift can cause errors.
The Rotary Blade is an additional item that will have to be purchased in addition to your Silhouette Cameo 4 but it is not an expensive tool and it's one that will last quite a while. Just remember to twist the blade cap over the blade so that it can stay sharp always.
How to Assemble your Christmas Stocking
DIY Christmas Stocking
- Cut All Your Fabric Pieces
I used the two shapes that were in Silhouette Studio to create the pattern. Insert the stocking image into your canvas and ungroup the image. Delete all images except for the base pattern of the stocking.
Use the top two points of your image to extend your shape and make it the length you want. The Elf Stocking has a width of 13.2″ and a length of 17.1″ and then I rotated it slightly so that it would fit on my 12″x24″ Cameo Mat.
The Red Stocking is sized at 13.4″x17.4″. You will want 2 outers, 2 inner,s and 2 batting shapes of each fabric. If you're using a fabric where the design is only visible on one side, be sure to lay your fabric on your mat the correct way.
I then made 4 rectangles to be the width of the top of the stocking and 4″ high. Your batting pieces will need to have the 4″ added on before you cut. You can just cut this part by hand because it may not fit on the Cameo mat.
- Prepare the Cuff of the Stocking
Take the cuff rectangles and sew the pieces right sides together to the top of each of the stocking pieces and press.
- Baste-Stitch the Batting
You will have two batting pieces that will need to be baste-stitched on to each front piece. Lay your batting piece flat and place the top stocking piece right side facing up. Use your sewing machine to apply a basting stitch all around the perimeter of your stocking. Stitch as close as you can to the edge just to hold the batting in place.
This is a weird part so just trust me that life will be easier if you do this. Because the Elf Stocking toe is topsy-turvy, it sucks to turn it out. Use your scissors and cut off the curl of the toe on the batting and lining piece.
- Create Your Stocking Tab
Cut a piece of fabric to 6″x3″. You're going to turn each of the long seams into each other to create a tab that will be attached between the two cuffs.
- Sew Your Stocking Pieces Together
Sew the tops of your stocking together at the cuff, just along the top seam. Then lay your pieces on top of one another right sides together. Use some binding clips or pins to pin all the way around the perimeter of all the pieces.
Sew the pieces all the way together. Start at the lining foot and go all the way around but leave about 3″ so that you can turn it out. - Turn Your Stocking Inside Out
Turn your stocking completely inside out and then give it a good press.
- Insert the Lining
Now that your stocking is pressed, you're going to want to make sure you close off the 3″ hole that you turned your stocking through. I just used a close seam and sewed it shut, no one will see it so no need to make it perfect.
Push the lining into your stocking and make it as smooth as possible and press again.
You'll see in the photo above how you can't tell that I cut out that batting. The toe wouldn't get that perfect point had I left the batting there. The rounded toes have no issue so those were good to go from the start.
I love how these air-dry clay ornaments turned out and they're perfectly attached using gorgeous ribbon. Check out how to make those here. Learning how to cut fabric with Silhouette has had its ups and downs but I hope that I've learned from my mistakes and can help you create and learn your new machine.
These heirloom Christmas stockings are going to last a long time and I couldn't be more thrilled with how well they turned out. I love cutting fabric using my Silhouette Cameo 4 and making the most darling Christmas crafts.
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