DIY Pet Christmas Stockings: A tutorial

The holiday season is right around the corner! This year I’m adding a pet theme to my Christmas decorations. We love getting presents for our pets and I thought they could each use a stocking.

If you’re hanging stockings for family members, you shouldn’t forget our four-legged friends. After all, they’re part of the family too! What better way to make them feel special than with their own Christmas stocking?

For all the pet lovers out there, here’s a DIY plan to craft the perfect stocking for your beloved pet.

Materials:

Fabric. You can use any festive fabric. I used remnants from my stash of Christmas fabrics.
Sewing machine.
Fabric Pen or paints
Thread
Cotton batting (optional)
Scissors
Iron

I made several different stockings, so I will outline instructions for each.

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Instructions for the dog stocking:

Trace a template of your Christmas stocking pattern. You can do this on a paper bag, piece of paper, or a scrap piece of fabric. Play with it until you get a shape and size you like.

Cut various fabrics into 2 1/2-inch strips. The number of strips you need will be determined by the size of your stocking.

Sew the strips of fabric together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. You will sew them right sides together with the seam along the long edge of the fabric pieces. If your fabric strips are long enough you can just continue to sew strips together. Because I was using scraps I had to stagger the strips at one end to accommodate the toe of the stocking.

Place the template on the strips and trace around it then cut along the traced line.

If you want to add any decor to the front of your stocking, now is the time to do it. You could add dog ears, a dog paw, a dog face, or your dog’s name. I cut several dog bone shapes from a contrasting fabric and sewed them to the front of my stocking. You could also use fabric glue for this step.
Choose a fabric for the back of the stocking. Use the stocking template and trace and cut the backing fabric.
Now it’s time to add the top cuff to the front and back panels. Again I chose a contrasting fabric. The size of your cuff depends on the size of your stocking. I cut 2 identical pieces, the same width as the top of the stocking and 3 inches long.
Press a 1/2-inch fold along the bottom of the cuff piece for both the front and the back of the stocking.
Sew the right side of one cuff piece to the wrong side of the front stocking and sew the right side of the second cuff piece to the wrong side of the back of the stocking.

Flip the cuff pieces over to the right side of both the front and the back and press flat.
Sew a seam along the very edge of the cuff piece to attach it to the front of the stocking and do the same on the back.

Place the front and back stocking pieces right sides together and sew a 1/4-inch seam along the edges, leaving the top of the stocking open.

Turn the stocking right-side out.

Add names to your stocking using a paint pen or you can stitch them on.

Instructions for the cat stocking:

Trace a template of your Christmas stocking pattern. You can do this on a paper bag, piece of paper, or a scrap piece of fabric. Play with it until you get a shape and size you like.
Place the template on the fabric and trace around it then cut along the traced line. Do this for both the front and back of the stocking.
If you want to add any decor to the front of your stocking, now is the time to do it. I made a cat face with contrasting fabric. I made a triangle nose and ears on a white face and added whiskers made from broom bristles (you could use a fabric pen).

I decided to quilt the front of the cat stocking. To do this I cut a piece of cotton batting using the stocking template. I used topstitching thread and joined the batting to the back of the front of the stocking using simple diagonal lines.

Now it’s time to add the top cuff to the front and back panels. Again I chose a contrasting fabric. The size of your cuff depends on the size of your stocking. I cut 2 identical pieces, the same width as the top of the stocking and 3 inches long.
Press a 1/2-inch fold along the bottom of the cuff piece for both the front and the back of the stocking.
Sew the right side of one cuff piece to the wrong side of the front stocking and sew the right side of the second cuff piece to the wrong side of the back of the stocking.
Flip the cuff pieces over to the right side of both the front and the back and press flat.
Sew a seam along the very edge of the cuff piece to attach it to the front of the stocking and do the same on the back.
Place the front and back stocking pieces right sides together and sew a 1/4-inch seam along the edges, leaving the top of the stocking open.
Turn the stocking right-side out.
Add whiskers. I used broom bristles, but you could use a fabric pen.

Variations to consider:

For the stocking cuff, use faux fur, an old sweater, or any fabric that complements your pet’s fur or coat color. Attach it to the front of the stocking.
Add a personal touch! With embroidery threads, stitch your pet’s name onto the front of the stocking. Whether it’s “Santa Paws” for your dog or a simple design that matches your cat’s fur, the goal is a personalized Christmas stocking.
For the final flair, consider using fabric paints or adding Christmas decorations like a paw print, ensuring it’s a special Christmas stocking.

Pet Christmas stockings are a great way to show your furry friend that they’re on the “nice list” this year.

They also make great gifts for friends and family who are pet lovers. They can be personalized with your pet’s name. It’s a fun way to get into the holiday spirit.

If you liked this, check out the dog Christmas ornaments.