Crewel Christmas Stocking

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Mollie of Wild Olive shares this gem from her childhood. It’s a crewel stocking, stitched lovingly by her mother for her first Christmas back in 1979. I still have a stocking that my aunt made for me when I was a kid. It’s covered in felt cutouts and is adorned with loads of sequins and beads. Do you still have a handmade stocking from your childhood? Tell us about it in the comments!

28 thoughts on “Crewel Christmas Stocking

  1. Kelly says:

    My grandmother made a stocking each for both of my sisters and I when we were born – either cross-stitch or needlepoint, with our names on them, and a felt back half of the stocking. They are especially valued as she died when my youngest sister was only 2 years old. I’m not at home for Christmas this year (only the second time), and I will miss the row of five stockings up on our mantle (otherwise photos would be included). I love my stocking, and will take it with me when I have a home of my own.

  2. Anjuli A. says:

    yes, my mom made me (and my two siblings) each our own personalized red velvet stocking when we were babies. mine has a snowman sewn on, and she hand-embroidered all his details and some snowflakes around him, and my name embroidered in a gold cord. my sister got an angel and my brother got an evergreen tree. my mom still hangs these on the wall every christmas!

  3. Laurel says:

    The entire family on my Dad’s side (all 16 of us) have identical knitted stockings with our names and birth-years on them that my great-grandmother, Pudgie, made. Two years ago I was looking for a pattern to knit my boyfriend a stocking because he didn’t have one. While I was looking online I found the pattern Pudgie used! It came in a set of 6 patterns, so I bought them all. When they came, I was going through them and realized that one of the other ones was the pattern that my Mom’s grandmother used to knit hers too! It was a great surprise to us all as Mom’s stocking is about 3x larger than any of ours. I am excited to have the family pattern because now I can continue the tradition that Pudgie started and knit the family stockings.

  4. Mary says:

    My great-grandma made a bunch of stockings (I think before I was born) in anticipation of a large extended family, so all four of my family’s stockings match – the pattern, not the colors. This is my last Christmas before I get married, and I am already wondering what I am going to do for a stocking for my future husband since there are no more extra stockings and my great-grandma has passed away…

  5. Elizabeth says:

    My brother and I have the same stockings as Mollie! Amazing! They were never the stockings we used at Christmas, but they definitely were an important part of the holiday decor. My grandma also knit personalized stockings for everyone in the family – these hung up at her house on Christmas Eve, or whever the family gathered there.

  6. Mandy says:

    Awwww, that’s so cute! My *mom* has a stocking that her mom (mom? Aunt? Grandma?) made when she was little — and I’m 30. It’s a gloriously delicate thing, felt and sequins and gold paint, with the body of it comprised of see-thru red mesh — which has a rip in it now. (My dad’s got one too, made by the same loving hand, though his was made after they got married.)
    We still hang it on the fireplace every year — and Santa even puts things in it, though the majority of the stocking contents get set tactfully beneath it. Take that, themed Christmas trees — for our family, Christmas is all about nostalgia.

  7. Marybeth says:

    My mom crocheted stockings for us, but because she used the wrong wool the stockings ended up three times the size they were supposed to be (seriously, as an adult I can fit mine on comfortably and they reach my knee!). As a result, Santa left us three times the goodies! I always look at the cute stocking patterns and think, “yeah, they’re pretty, but where do all the treats go?”

  8. Nellie says:

    My Grandma knitted my stocking along with my two older sisters, it’s funny because each of ours is a little different. It’s all the same pattern with a giant Santa face and our names knitted at the top, but each of the stockings green background is a little different shade. My sister Mandy has a lime green, my oldest sister Corey has a teal colored one and mine is a forest green. I love how unique and wonderful they are. My Mom has carried on the tradition with Corey’s four kids and even making stockings for the husbands in our family. I love them and am always happy to see them go up this time of year.

  9. stockings! says:

    My mother knit my brother, sister and I each a Christmas stocking when we were born. She taught herself to knit, and to read the patterns, and improved with each stocking. By the time my youngest brother was born she had it down to an art. They’re even more beautiful to me now that I’ve learned to knit.

  10. Ashley says:

    Oh-I unpacked this one yesterday! Except, of course, mine says “Ashley”, though the year is the same! It’s one of the only crafty things my mother ever attempted, and one of my favorites!

  11. Molly says:

    My grandmother made my stocking out of red felt and lots of sequins and baubles, and now my mom makes them for any new member of the family. I love that our whole family has stockings that look alike but are customized for each person – it sounds like lots of other people have the same kind of tradition, too, which is really nice.
    I just wrote about them here, if you’d like to see pics: http://charlottesfancy.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/family-friday-our-christmas-stockings/

  12. MDP says:

    Yes! I have the same one too! Same year! (That must have been the pattern in 79.) I think my grandmother made it

  13. Vickie Howell says:

    This stocking is so, freakin’ cute! Now, I’m feeling guilty that I haven’t made my little Clover a “1st Christmas” stocking. :(
    –Vickie

  14. Johnna says:

    My grandmother made all her grandkids felt stockings when we were born. Our side of the family is the crafty side, so we really appreciate homemade things and still use these stockings every year. The felt has worn through in places, so Santa just leaves a pile of goodies sitting on top of each stocking on the “stocking table.” Who needs a mantle?
    My sisters and I have carried on the tradition with all of our kids having cross stitched, needle pointed, or knitted stockings depending on the favored craft of the Mommy.

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