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A Christmas Stocking for Fluffy

Free project instructions to make a fish-shaped Christmas stocking for a pet cat.

Make sure Santa knows your cat has been good all year by stitching an adorable fish-shaped Christmas stocking. Fill with toys and treats, and your kitty will have his or her own surprise on Christmas morning! See the Christmas Stocking for Fido project to make one for your dog, too!

With fun pet-themed fabric and an embroidery design you choose, you'll have a cute stocking to match your pet's unique personality.

Read on for instructions to make one for your pet!

Supplies Needed continued:

**Fabric glue

**Scotch tape

Supplies Needed:

**1/4 yard solid-colored fabric (for front; I used lightweight canvas)

**12" by 20" piece of quilted cotton fabric (for back)

**1/2 yard print cotton fabric (for inner lining)

**Medium weight cutaway stabilizer

**Temporary spray adhesive

**10" length of 1/4" wide ribbon (for hanger)

**Air-erase pen

Special Project Notes:

Finished Size: 10" wide by 18" high

Designs Used:
I used the large size of the Ring-a-ling Cat from the Feline Navidad Design Pack. The Santa's Claws Christmas Stack or the Happy Holidays Kitten would look darling on stocking as well.

To begin, download PDFs of the patterns. There are two separate pattern pieces: piece 1 and piece 2. Print the patterns. The patterns will print in seven separate parts on seven pieces of 8 1/2" wide by 11" high paper.

Cut out the pattern pieces and tape them together by following the instructions printed on the pattern pieces.

First, prepare the front of the stocking for the embroidery. Lay pattern piece 2 on top of the fabric (I used lightweight canvas), pin in the pattern in place, and trace the shape.

Remove the pattern and create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software. Arrange the template on the fabric how you want it. Leave at least one inch of space between the outer edges of the shape and the edges of the fabric.

Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, poke a hole in the center of the template and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points.

Remove the template and draw lines connecting the marks; the lines will be used for hooping.

Next, spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the first design by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, and embroider the design.

When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the embroidery.

Cut out the shape.

To prepare the fabric for the front inner lining, use pattern piece 2 to cut a piece of the print cotton fabric. Align the front inner lining and front embroidered piece together, right sides together, pin in place and sew a seam along the top edge only.

Flip the inner lining over and align the pieces together, wrong sides together. Press the seam with an iron and sew and then top stitch a 1/4 seam along the top edge only. Also, tack the pieces together along the side and bottom edges with a 1/8" seam.

Using pattern piece 1, cut one piece of the print cotton fabric (for the back inner lining) and one piece of the quilted cotton fabric (for the back).

Lay the back inner lining piece (print cotton) flat with the right side facing up. Align the assembled front piece on top of the back inner lining piece with the right side facing up.

To create the ribbon hanger, cut a piece of 1/2" wide ribbon to 10" long. Bring the ends together to form a loop and glue in place with fabric glue. Place the loop at the top center of the back inner lining fabric with about 1/4" of the loop extending out past the edge of the fabric and pin in place.

Align the back piece (quilted cotton) on top, wrong side facing up. Pin in place and sew a 1/2" seam along the outer edges leaving a 3" to 4" opening along one of the sides for turning.

Clip the seam allowance along the curved edges about every 1/2".

Turn the stocking right side out. Fold the fabric of the opening in 1/2", press, and pin in place. Press the seams. Top stitch a 1/4" seam along the entire outer edge of the shape.

Pets make us so happy all year round -- make sure they have a stocking for Christmas treats to show them how special they are. Make one for your cat, and one for your dog, too!

Click here for a printable version of these project instructions.