Each year I like to make a new stocking charm for my kids to decorate their stocking.  The idea is really simple and fun and jazzes up the stockings a little bit.  Candy canes, initials, dolls, bears, whatever comes to mind.   With kids out of school this week, this is a quick project that they would love and it might buy you a few minutes of peace.

  I like to think of these as kitchen counter crafts.  They require very little time and supplies that you probably already have.

Felt

Scissors

Embroidery floss

Needle

A bit of poly-fil stuffing

Begin by drawing a simple shape that is about 3-4 inches high and at least an inch wide.  Cut it out and use it as a pattern. The simpler the shape, the easier it will be to sew.  You can always embellish later.

Place it on the felt and cut around. You will need a back and a front.  For this tutorial I am using the letter C and a star.

If you are sewing a shape that has an inside and an outside (like this letter C) begin sewing on the inside.

Continue to sew around the edge and a bit up the outside curve.

Once you have an inch or two stitched on both sides, you can begin to gently stuff.  I like to take small tufts of poly-fill and push it through a little bit at a time.  A chopstick works well for this, as does the eraser end of a pencil.  Continue to stitch and stuff until complete.  Tie off. 

Cut a length of floss to thread through the top of your shape and hang!

The steps are pretty much the same for a shape such as a star.  Begin by inserting the needle on the inside corner of one of your shape.  (This way the knot will be hidden on the inside). 

Continue sewing around the shape.

Once most of the shape is stitched, begin to stuff.

Stitch to close.  Then either sew a ribbon from the top or a length of floss.  Tie and hang with pride.

Which shape will you make first?