MAKE A… SNOWFLAKE STOCKING

If you don't have a plain stocking you can make one using red fabric and a commercial sewing pattern, adding fur trim and a Kraft paper star finished with a stitched name using the alphabet provided

Just one motif is needed to turn a plain stocking into something special.

Step1

TAKE some waste canvas – the grid may look complicated, but is really simple to use. The blue lines appear every five holes – these help with counting. Stitch the design from the centre out using the larger canvas holes, taking care not to leave gaps where the points of the crosses meet.

Step3

CHECK whether your thread is colourfast before you begin stitching. Once you are satisfied, you can use a water spray to dampen the canvas, which releases the starch. Wait a short while, until the canvas becomes slightly sticky.

Step 2

CHECK that you have fully completed the design, as once the threads are removed you will not be able to add a stitch easily. Cut away some of the excess canvas from around the design. Don’t go in too tight or you won’t be able to get hold of the threads to remove them.

Step 4

USE a pair of tweezers to carefully remove one canvas thread at a time. Pull slowly, so that if you have snagged a thread, you will not distort the stitching. To remove, simply use sharp scissors to release the canvas from your stitches.