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Embroidered Snowy Sweater Stocking

Embroidered Snowy Sweater Stocking

You don't need to run to the fabric store for this project ... just reach into your closet and grab an old sweater you already own! Restyle it into a keepsake Christmas stocking, adding embroidery and other trimmings to make it a one-of-a-kind holiday masterpiece.

Read below for these free project instructions!

Finished Size:
7 3/4 inches wide by 20 1/2 inches high

Project Tips:
If you do not have an old sweater handy, check your local consignment shop or thrift store. Sometimes you can find garments that are less expensive than fabric!

Choosing a Sweater for your Project:
Choose a sweater with a tight weave. Loose weave sweaters will not support the embroidery and also will not drape properly. Choose designs with solid areas (so they don't disappear into the sweater) for thicker ribbed sweaters like the one we are using. 

Supplies & Materials:

- One sweater

- 1/2 yard print cotton (for top cuff)

- Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer

- Lightweight fusible cutaway stabilizer or fusible interfacing (we used Floriani No Show Mesh Fusible)

- Water-soluble topping (we used Sulky Ultra Solvy)

- Temporary spray adhesive

- Air-erase pen (or other marking tool)

- Needle and thread for some hand sewing

- Decorative charm (optional)

The designs used in this tutorial include:


- Snowflake II 

- Snowflake III

- Snowflake V

To begin,  click here  to open a PDF of the stocking pattern. Then print the pattern pieces. There are three pieces of the stocking that will print on three separate pieces of paper.

Three white paper sewing pattern pieces labeled Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3, placed on a dark wood surface. The pieces include outlines and instructions for taping sections together.

Cut out each shape by cutting around the outer lines. Then, align Section 1 and Section 2 together and tape in place. We will refer to this portion as the "stocking pattern". Leave Section 3 separate for now. Section 3 will be referred to as the "top cuff pattern".

Paper sewing pattern pieces for a stocking labeled Section 1, 2, and 3 on a wooden surface. Section 1 and 2 form the stocking shape, Section 3 is a separate rectangular piece.

Cut out the front and back panel of the sweater by cutting along each side seam and along the shoulder and neck line.

Light gray ribbed knit fabric shaped with a rounded neckline and armholes next to orange-handled scissors on a wooden surface.

Now we will prepare the front piece of the stocking for the embroidery. Lay the stocking pattern in the center of the sweater material on the right side of the fabric. Pin in place, and trace the shape.

Hand tracing a stocking pattern pinned to blue striped fabric on a dark wooden surface, with handwritten tape instructions visible on the paper.

Remove the pattern. Create paper templates of the designs by printing them at full size using embroidery software (trim around the designs for easy placement).


If you don't have embroidery softwareWe also recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made with this link.).


 Position the designs where you want them - leave at least one inch of space between the edges of the designs and the edges of the shape. With an air-erase pen (or other marking tool), poke holes in the centers of the templates and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points of each template.

Hand tracing a six-point snowflake embroidery pattern with a pen onto light blue striped fabric, three paper snowflake templates aligned vertically.

Remove the templates and draw lines connecting the axis marks - these lines will be used for hooping.

Hand drawing pattern outlines on light blue fabric with dark blue stripes, using a pencil and a metal ruler on a wooden surface.

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the material for the first design by laying a piece of water-soluble topping over the area to be embroidered and hoop all the layers together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. We are embroidering on heavy ribbed sweater material so we are using a heavy weight water-soluble stabilizer (we prefer Sulky Ultra Solvy). Using a heavy weight water-soluble stabilizer as topping will prevent the stitches from sinking into the material and distorting the design. You may use a light water-soluble topping for smooth, light sweater material.

Embroidery hoop holding light blue fabric with faint purple drawn pattern lines, resting on a textured light surface. No embroidery visible yet.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the first design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design. After the design has finished, hoop and embroider the remaining designs as you did the first.

Close-up of blue snowflake embroidery in progress on white fabric with light blue stripes, held in an embroidery hoop under a sewing machine needle.

When all the designs have finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the back of the embroidery. Also, gently tear away the water-soluble stabilizer away from the embroidery. If there is any stabilizer remaining, spray or dab the embroidery with a little water and gently rub the stabilizer away.

Hand holding orange-handled scissors cutting white fabric pieces placed on a blue and white striped towel on a wooden surface.

To further stabilize the fabric for the sewing process, we ironed on a layer of fusible cutaway stabilizer to the back of the embroidered front piece (we used Floriani No Show Mesh Fusible). You may also use one layer of fusible interfacing. Doing this will prevent the stretchy sweater material from distorting while sewing.

Hand pressing a small, square fabric piece with a snowflake embroidery design using a white iron on a blue and white striped surface.

Cut out the shape.

Blue snowflake embroidery designs on white fabric marked with blue grid lines, cut in a stocking shape; orange-handled scissors on wooden surface.

To prepare the back piece, iron on one layer of fusible stabilizer to the wrong side of the remaining sweater material. Pin the stocking pattern on top of the stabilizer and trace the shape. Then, cut out the shape.


Hand holding a blue pen marking light blue and gray striped fabric under a paper stocking pattern pinned with yellow and red pins on a wooden surface.

To prepare the fabric for the cuff, cut two pieces of the print cotton fabric by laying the top cuff pattern on top of the fabric, tracing and then cutting around the shape.

Blue fabric with a white swirling pattern is pinned with a paper pattern labeled "Section 3" using red, white, and yellow pins, on a dark wooden surface.

Lay the front and back stocking pieces with the right sides facing up. Align one of the short ends of the cuff pieces with the top edges of the stocking pieces with the right sides together. Pin in place.

Two unfinished light blue stockings with blue snowflake embroidery, one folded back to show a darker floral lining, pinned at the top on a wooden surface.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the pinned edges only.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching blue fabric with a white leaf pattern, held in place by red and black pins under the needle.

Flip the cuff pieces up over the top edges of the stocking pieces, press in place with an iron, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the seam edges.

Close-up of a sewing machine foot stitching a blue fabric with white snowflake and floral patterns, alongside a knitted textured fabric with similar blue and white tones.

Align align the assembled stocking and cuff pieces together with the right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/2 inch seam along the side and bottom edges - leave the top edge open for turning.

Long stocking-shaped fabric piece pinned to a table. Features three embroidered snowflake designs on light blue striped fabric, with a blue cuff dotted with small white snowflakes. A hand with a ring is holding the stocking at the toe.

Cut slits about every 1/2 inch along the curved edges of the seam allowance. Be careful to not cut any of the seam stitching. Doing this will allow the stocking to be shaped properly after turning.

Close-up of a hand using scissors to trim the frayed edge of a sewn fabric piece with blue and white stripes and a floral print, on a wooden surface.

Turn the stocking right side out. 

Light blue quilted fabric stocking with darker blue embroidered snowflakes in three sizes, laying on a brown wood table with a hand touching the toe.

Now we will prepare the pattern for the inner lining. Align the bottom edge of the top cuff pattern with the top edge of the stocking pattern and tape in place.

Paper pattern for a stocking laid flat on a wooden table, divided into three sections labeled Section 1, Section 2, and Section 3, with instructions to tape sections along edges.

Lay the inner lining pattern on top of two layers of the print cotton fabric (fabric should lay with the right sides together) and pin in place. Trace the shape.


Paper stocking pattern pinned to blue fabric on a table, with a person's hand tracing around the pattern using a pencil or pen.

Remove the pattern, pin the fabric pieces together inside the shape, and cut out the shape (cut through both layers of the fabric). Sew 1/2 inch seams starting at the top corners and stopping at the bottom leaving a 7 inch opening.

Hand holding a partially sewn stocking made from light blue fabric with a swirling snowflake pattern, laid flat on a wooden table.

Insert the outer shell portion of the stocking inside the inner lining with the toes and top edges aligned. Pin the top edges in place.

Hand holding a partially sewn blue fabric stocking with a marbled white pattern, sitting on a dark wood surface. Pins visible on fabric edge.

Sew a 1/2 inch seam along the entire top edge.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching blue and white marbled fabric held by red and blue-headed pins. The presser foot and needle are visible.

Pull the outer shell out from the inner lining through the opening.

Two Christmas stockings laid out on a wood grain surface; one white with blue embroidered snowflakes and ribbed texture, the other blue with a white leafy pattern.

Turn the fabric of the opening in 1/2 inch and press in place. Also press the seams of the inner lining.

Blue fabric stocking with white snowflake and swirl patterns being ironed on a light blue ironing board, with a white iron visible.

Insert the inner lining inside the stocking leaving 7 inches outside of the stocking - this will become the folded cuff. Press the top edges of the cuff and top stitch a 1/4 inch seam along the entire top edge.

Blue and white fabric piece with embroidered dark blue snowflakes, placed on a wooden table next to a 12-inch metal ruler and a hand with a ring.

Roll the cuff down until the top edge meets the bottom edge. Tack the cuff in place by hand sewing a few stitches at each side seam.

A hand stitching fabric with light blue snowflake and swirl patterns on a wooden surface. Two fabric pieces sewn together along the edge.

Now we will prepare the loop. Cut a piece of the print cotton 2 inches wide by 7 inches high. Fold the short ends in 1/4 inch and press. Then, fold the long edges in to meet in the middle of the fabric and press.


Hand holding a folded strip of blue fabric with white snowflake patterns on a wood grain surface.

Fold the long folded edges together, press, and sew a seam around the entire outer edge of the loop.

Hand holding a thin folded strip of blue paper with a white star pattern on a brown wooden surface.

Wrap the ends around the top right side seam, pin and sew in place.

Hand holding a blue fabric piece with a tab sewn on it, fabric has white swirling snowflake-like patterns, against a wooden surface background.

Add sparkly charms and decorations by hand sewing them in place. We added this charm in the center of the top cuff.

Close-up of a hand holding a needle stitching blue fabric with white snowflake and swirl patterns, featuring a small metallic silver square design.

The stocking is complete! Hang it on the mantle and enjoy for many years to come

Light blue fabric stocking with a darker blue cuff embroidered with a small snowflake, three larger blue snowflakes vertically embroidered on the main body, and a hanging loop.