Quilted, felted, hand-embellished—Christmas stocking decorating ideas have certainly evolved since the days when they were literally hosieryhung on a hearth.The centuries-old tradition of displaying socks in hopes that St. Nicholas wouldfill them with goodies—especially oranges, which were hard to come by in the wintertime—began in Europe. By at least 1823, the tradition had landed in the US, when the poem “A Visit From Saint Nicholas” (a.k.a. “The Night Before Christmas”) was published anonymously in a newspaper in Troy, New York. As the now famous poem goes, “The stockings were hung by the chimney with care….”
These days, stockings aren’t just hung with care, they’re crafted with expertise too. Much like theChristmas tree, holiday revelers now see these celebratory socks as a design opportunity. As such, we’ve checked in with some of our favorite crafters and gathered their unique takes on the gift-giving vessel. Here, you’ll find 21 stocking decorating ideas inspired by art, fashion, and nature—all with DIY directions so you can replicate them yourself at home.
1. Colorfully quilted stocking
An old-fashioned technique meets a modern color scheme in this vibrant quilted stocking by maker Sarah Rivero Khandjian ofSarah Hearts.萨拉解释说在她的博客上,这是一个理想project for anyone new to sewing, as it’s a small-scale project. Get all theDIY details on her site.