Christmas Stocking Embroidery Patterns Free: Beginner Hoop

Size: design about 4.2 x 4.2 in (11 x 11 cm), for a 6 in (15 cm) hoop

Fabric: a 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm) square of cream or natural linen or linen-cotton, washed and pressed

Threads: DMC 6-strand embroidery floss, one skein of each colour; use 2 strands throughout. Lengths are the 2-strand thread you stitch with, with spare, cut in 18 in (45 cm) pieces:

- DMC 321 Red: about 61 in (155 cm)

- DMC 414 Dark Steel Gray: about 24 in (61 cm)

- DMC 699 Green: about 20 in (51 cm)

- DMC 729 Medium Old Gold: about 11 in (28 cm)

Notions: 6 in embroidery hoop, size 7 embroidery needle, water-soluble fabric pen or a light pencil, scissors

Stitches: running stitch, backstitch, straight stitch, detached chain (lazy daisy), French knot

Transfer

Print the template page at 100% (actual size) and measure the 1 in scale square; if it is not exactly 1 in, check the print setting. Tape the template to a window, centre the fabric over it and trace the stocking, the cuff and its loop, the heel and toe lines, the holly leaves and berries, the stars and the ring with the pen.

Put the fabric in the hoop so it is drum tight, with the screw at the top.

Stitch guide

Running stitch: Bring the needle up on the line, go down 1/8 in further along, come up again 1/16 in on, and repeat, so you get even dashes with gaps between them.

Backstitch: Bring the needle up one stitch length along the line, go down at the start of the line, then come up one stitch length ahead of your last stitch and go back down into the end of it, so the stitches touch.

Straight stitch: One single stitch: come up at the inner end of the line and go down at the outer end, keeping the thread smooth and not too tight so it lies flat.

Detached chain: Also called lazy daisy. Come up at the base of the petal, go back down in the same hole leaving a loop, come up at the tip of the petal inside the loop, and go down just outside the loop to tack it in place.

French knot: Come up where the knot goes, wrap the thread twice around the needle, hold the wraps snug with your other hand, and go down right next to where you came up, pulling the thread through slowly.

Order of work

1. Stitch the dotted red ring around the design in running stitch. DMC 321, 2 strands.
2. Backstitch the stocking outline in red in one line: from the bottom of the cuff down the back of the leg, round the heel, along the sole, round the toe and back up the front of the leg to the cuff. DMC 321, 2 strands.
3. Backstitch the cuff in grey as one rectangle across the top of the stocking; leave the inside unstitched, the fabric is the white fur. DMC 414, 2 strands.
4. Backstitch the small grey hanging loop, starting and ending on the top edge of the cuff near its back corner. DMC 414, 2 strands.
5. Backstitch one green curved line across the heel, from the back of the leg to the sole. DMC 699, 2 strands.
6. Backstitch one green curved line across the toe, from the top of the foot to the sole. DMC 699, 2 strands.
7. Work the two holly leaves on the cuff as green detached chains (lazy daisies), one pointing left and one pointing right. DMC 699, 2 strands.
8. Add three red French knots between the leaves for the holly berries. DMC 321, 2 strands.
9. Work each of the three stars as six gold straight stitches out from one centre point (18 stitches). DMC 729, 2 strands.

Finishing

1. Rinse the fabric in cool water to remove the pen lines, roll it in a towel and press it face down on a soft towel.
2. Put it back in the hoop centred, tighten the screw, and trim the fabric to 1 in outside the hoop.
3. Run a running stitch around that edge, pull it up at the back like a drawstring, and tie off.

Counts: 43 running stitch dashes in the ring, 1 backstitched red stocking outline, 1 backstitched grey cuff and 1 grey loop, 2 green backstitch lines (heel and toe), 2 lazy-daisy holly leaves, 3 French-knot berries, and 3 stars of 6 straight stitches each (18).