Needlepoint Christmas Stockings: Where to Begin

By Lauren McCarter

My auntie stitched needlepoint stockings, and I always knew I wanted to make them for my own children. They are lovely projects to return to a little at a time. If you’re hoping to hang yours up for Christmas, plan the stitching and finishing together, and leave yourself room to enjoy it.

Give the stitching and finishing their own time

A full-size needlepoint stocking is one of the bigger projects most stitchers ever take on. Depending on the design and mesh count, you're looking at tens of thousands of stitches, every one of them placed by you, which is exactly what makes a stitched stocking so special.

A full stocking can take months or longer, depending on its size, stitches and how often you pick it up. September can be a useful starting point, but it is not a promise of a December finish. My own Nutcracker stocking took longer than I first planned. Check your finisher’s deadline before setting a target.

Choosing a canvas: hand-painted vs printed

Printed canvases are often more affordable. The design is machine-printed onto the mesh, and the colours can sit slightly off the weave, so check that the design is easy to follow. A hand-painted canvas is a different experience: the design is painted directly onto the canvas, so you always know exactly which colour goes where. Each canvas takes time to paint. Every Matilda Stitch Co canvas is hand-painted, then sent direct from my Melbourne studio.

For a project you'll hang up every December for decades, choose a canvas you will enjoy stitching. Festive designs from the studio, like the gingerbread house canvas pictured above, are painted in small batches, so check current availability before planning your project.

How much thread will you need?

Stockings are large, and background areas drink thread. The exact amount depends on your mesh count and stitch choice, so if you're unsure, send us a photo of your canvas and we'll help you estimate.

For the thread itself, we stitch our stockings in Silk & Ivory, a 50% silk, 50% merino blend, made in Switzerland, that wears beautifully and gives that soft heirloom lustre. We keep 120+ colours in stock in Australia at A$11.95 a skein. For a classic Christmas palette, start with 11 Really Red, 25 Emerald and 02 White, then browse the full Silk & Ivory colour chart to round out your snow, sky and trim colours.

Stitches that work for stockings

You don't need a repertoire of forty stitches to make a beautiful stocking. Two will carry you a long way: continental for outlines, lettering and small details, and basketweave for the larger areas. Basketweave is worth learning because it distorts the canvas far less as you go, which matters on a big piece. Once you're comfortable, decorative stitches can add texture to snowy rooftops or a woolly Santa beard, but they're a bonus, not a requirement.

Lauren’s own Christmas stocking

Finishing options in Australia

"Finishing" means turning your stitched canvas into an actual stocking, with blocking, backing, lining and a hanging loop. You have two options. A professional needlework finisher (or a skilled sewist) will give you a beautifully constructed stocking, but finishing takes weeks, and pre-Christmas slots fill early, so book yours as soon as the stitching is done, or even before. The DIY route is achievable if you're handy on a sewing machine, and there's no shame in stitching the needlepoint yourself and handing the construction to someone who loves a bound seam.

Ask your chosen finisher when they need the stitched canvas and what preparation they require. Keep that date separate from your stitching plan, and allow extra time rather than rushing the final stages.

Caring for an heirloom

A stitched stocking can be kept for many Christmases. Between Decembers, store it flat or gently rolled, without hard folds, somewhere dry and out of direct sunlight. Spot-clean gently rather than soaking, and for anything serious, take it to a needlework-cleaning specialist or textile conservator. An ordinary dry-clean can be too harsh for wool and silk stitching. Silk and merino age gracefully if you let them.

Choose your next festive project

Choose a project you’ll be happy to spend time with. A stocking can become a family keepsake over more than one Christmas; a smaller design is a lovely option if you would like a shorter project.