Quilted Stockings: Advice Needed
 

These are the stocking fronts I made yesterday.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=495681&stc=1
I really like them, but now I'm stumped. I'm not sure if I should quilt them with batting or just leave them as is and assemble them like a regular stocking. I'm afraid quilting them together with a batting will make them too bulky, but I like the idea of completeing the quilted look.
Any advice/opinion would be greatly appreciated.

I would probably use a very thin batting, such as Mountain Mist Quilt-Lite, and a very thin muslin that has been preshrunk for the lining. Quilting would make the stockings more stable so they can be hand washed later on without coming out mis-shapen.

I think they need to be quilted to have that fullness to them if you hang them up. You don"t want them to be limp and thin.

I've made many Christmas stockings and have always quilted them. I quilt the front, and the back is fleece. They are also completely lined. They are not too stiff and bulky.

Really cute!
I quilted mine too. Not too bulky at all, and added needed structure. I used warm and natural and, like quilt1950, I used fleece in the back (it stretches, more presents!!!) I didn't turn mine, I bound them. If you do use binding, remember to cut it on the bias to go around the curves.

PaperPrincess Could you show me a picture of a bound stiocking? I can't find one.

Well, here's the link to my stockings, but it was before I bound them. Let me look around and see if I have a photo of the completed item!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...s-t236883.html
Ok found one, sorry it's so blurry.:

i love the quilted ones with batting... they just seem so cozy

I used an 80/20 batting when I made my stockings. Otherwise they're limp when they hang. Your stockings are cute!

I like the quilted look also. You could quilt them to a pretty flannel or thin fleece, then use seam binding and you're done.

I also quilt the fronts of my stockings! then I use pre-quilted fabric for the backs of them and it works out great! You won't regret it if you do it this way.

Using a very light batting helps them hang better

Your stockings are beautiful and I would definitely use thin batting and quilt the front and back. We are using the stockings I made way back around 1981 (the colors of reds and greens I used are now back in style!!) and I made every mistake anyone could think of and they still look great. I'll try to make my story shirt.....

I began quilting in 1979 when I was pregnant with my son - we did everything by hand at that time. I found a stocking pattern with appliqués on the front - with a log cabin type pattern around. No problem - but I was not the most experienced sewer (I hated home ec). Not knowing squat about machine quilting it purchased the highest loft polyester batting I could find (still have the leftovers). Managed to,get through sewing the fronts - the machine appliqué is appalling but could be way worse. Couldn't find prequel red fabric for the backing decided to quilt it myself - here's where things really go off the rails! I cut out the stocking back fabric and a same size piece of batting - then I n my great wisdom I figured that the quilting stitch was small so I set my machine to the smallest stitch it would make, marked off a diagonal grid (that was good) with chalk and proceeded to stitch on the lines never noticing what was happening to the side of the backing. Getting the high loft batting under the machine foot was a pain but I managed to do it for the 3 stockings I needed. There is a way to sew tHe stockings together with the lining that is really easy - can't remember his to do it but this is where I noticed that the backing was quite a bit smaller than the front. The lining ended up stuffed in the toe as it was the size of the front and way too big for the back - didn't even have to finish sewing the opening closed as there was so much fabric. Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without those stockings and my husband and son do not know how I messed up - sometimes beginners go really wrong but everything works out in the end. And I haven't made a stocking since!

Someday someone will really wonder .......
Sandy in Mooresville, NC

You did a great job on the fronts, please show us the finished stockings!

I followed Missouri Star's tutorial and loved the result.

I haven't ever tried this so no advice, just wanted to say how pretty they are!

Eleanor Burns has a video for Christmas stockings.

For anything I want to quilt, and still be flat or thin, I have started using good old polyester felt. It is sold by the yard, and in smaller pieces. Works for me. I use it in coasters, the first mug rug, center pieces, etc.

I would quilt the stockings as they would be much more stable. When my kids were little my sister told me about a panel of 2 stockings that you could make for your door. Well, we really put a lot into our stockings, as the stocking was like another present that they could open until we all got up and started opening presents. I used only a muslin backing and the stocking (which was nearly 3 ft. tall), so until the stockings were filled, they were rather floppy. Since then, the stockings I made (had to make them smaller, too expensive to fill) were quilted, particularly the front where I used squares, then quilted them, they were much sturdier. This year I think I'll use some quilted fabric for the back, since a friend was cleaning out her stash and gave me two large pieces of quilted fabric, but I will also quilt the patchwork front. The quilting just makes them hang better when you hang them on your mantle, stairs or wherever you hang your stockings. I forgot to add that I really like your stockings with the pieced star block at the top, nice work, thanks for sharing them with us.

Here they are all finished! I ended up quilting the front and back and then putting a lining in. Thank you for all the advice!
http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=495971&stc=1http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=495970&stc=1

The stockings are very pretty, you did a great job!