The stocking is the first thing a child sees on Christmas morning — make it worth looking at
Before the presents are opened, the stocking is already hanging by the fireplace, full of promise. It is also one of the easiest Christmas makes: a simple shape, a little trim, and a fabric that does the talking. The three fabrics most people reach for are felt, fleece and velvet, and they make very different stockings: felt is the classic craft fabric — crisp, colourful and easy to cut; fleece is the soft, cosy choice — warm and forgiving; velvet is the luxurious one — rich, deep and unmistakably festive. Here is how they compare, and which one suits the stocking you have in mind.
Felt stockings: the classic craft choice
Felt is the fabric most Christmas stockings are made from, and for good reason. It is stiff enough to hold its shape, so a felt stocking hangs neatly even when it is full. It cuts cleanly with scissors and does not fray, so there are no raw edges to finish — cut a shape, glue or stitch it, and it is done. That makes felt the best choice for decorated stockings: appliqué shapes, embroidered names, sequins, buttons and pom-poms all sit neatly on a felt surface.
Premium acrylic felt comes in Christmas colours — deep reds, forest greens, cream, gold and white — and it is sold by the yard, so one cut covers several stockings. A felt stocking is a craft project first and a container second: it holds small gifts well, but it is not stretchy, so do not overfill it. If you are making stockings with children, felt is the obvious pick — safe to cut, easy to glue, and the results look good even in small hands. Our Premium Acrylic Felt is the same felt used in our Christmas crafts with felt guide.
Felt’s one limit is that it is not soft: a felt stocking looks wonderful on the mantel, but it is not something you would cuddle. It is also the least washable of the three — spot-clean felt stockings rather than machine-washing them, and keep them dry.
Fleece stockings: soft, warm and child-proof
Fleece makes the cosiest stocking of the three. Anti-pill polar fleece is soft on both sides, warm to the touch, and it stretches slightly, so a fleece stocking holds more than it looks like it should. It is also the most forgiving fabric to sew: it does not fray, it does not slip under the machine, and a wobbly seam disappears into the pile. For a first sewing project, fleece is the easiest of the three to work with.
A fleece stocking is the one to make for a baby or a small child: soft enough to be held and hugged, tough enough to survive being dragged around the house, and machine-washable when it inevitably ends up sticky — wash in cold or warm water on a gentle cycle, tumble dry low, skip the fabric softener. Fleece comes in Christmas reds, greens and snowy whites, and printed patterns that do the decorating for you: a printed fleece stocking needs no appliqué at all. Our Anti-Pill Polar Fleece is sold by the yard in a 58 to 60 inch width, so a single yard makes several stockings with fabric to spare.
Fleece’s only weakness is structure. It is soft and floppy, so a fleece stocking does not hold a crisp shape the way felt does — it slumps a little when it is empty. A simple fix is to add a felt cuff or a cardboard insert for display, or to line the stocking so it holds its shape better.
Velvet stockings: the luxury mantelpiece
Velvet makes the most beautiful stocking of the three — and the most grown-up. A deep burgundy or forest green velvet stocking with a cream faux-fur cuff is the stocking on the cover of the Christmas catalogue, and it is the one that makes a mantelpiece look finished. Velvet’s pile catches the light, so the stocking changes colour as you walk past it.
Velvet is also the most demanding fabric to sew: it slips under the machine, shows every pin mark, and a seam pressed the wrong way crushes the pile. Use a walking foot, pin inside the seam allowance, and steam rather than iron. The result is worth it for a stocking used year after year: velvet ages well if it is stored properly, hung rather than folded and kept out of the sun. A velvet stocking is a keepsake — the one you embroider with a name and bring out every December. Our Premium Velvet includes soft stretch velvet in 49 colours, and our Velvet Fabric collection covers royal and silk rayon velvet too.
Velvet is not the choice for a child’s everyday stocking: it is the least washable of the three — dry-clean or spot-clean it gently — and too precious to be dragged around the house. Make velvet stockings for the mantelpiece, and felt or fleece stockings for the children.
Felt, fleece and velvet stockings at a glance
Look: felt is crisp and colourful, fleece is soft and casual, velvet is rich and luxurious. A felt stocking looks handmade in the best way; a fleece stocking looks cosy; a velvet stocking looks expensive.
Ease of making: fleece is the easiest to sew, felt is the easiest to cut and glue, and velvet is the hardest — it slips, shows pin marks and needs steaming rather than ironing.
Durability: fleece survives children and the washing machine; felt holds its shape for years if kept dry; velvet lasts for years too, but only with gentle handling and proper storage.
Cost per stocking: felt is cheapest, fleece is in the middle, velvet is most expensive — but a single yard of any of the three makes several stockings, so the difference per stocking is small.
Which stocking should you make?
Making stockings with children: felt — safe to cut, easy to glue, and the results look great. Making a first stocking on a sewing machine: fleece — forgiving, it does not fray, and it washes well. Making the stocking for the mantelpiece photograph: velvet, in burgundy or forest green with a cream cuff.
Or make all three: a velvet stocking for the adults, felt stockings for the children to decorate, and a fleece stocking for the baby is a Christmas display that tells the whole story — and every one of them starts with a yard of fabric and an afternoon of making.
Shop felt, fleece and velvet by the yard at ValentinaTextile.com
There is still time to make this year’s stockings before Christmas, and the fabric is the easy part. Browse the Felt Fabric collection and the Minky & Fleece collection at ValentinaTextile.com, order by the yard in one continuous cut, and make a stocking that will be hung again next year — and the year after that.
Frequently asked questions
Which fabric is best for a Christmas stocking?
Felt is best for craft and decorated stockings, fleece is best for children’s stockings because it is soft and washable, and velvet is best for a luxury mantelpiece stocking. Many families make all three — one for each use.
How much fabric do I need for a Christmas stocking?
One stocking needs roughly half a yard. A single yard makes two to three stockings, and buying by the yard in one continuous cut keeps the colour consistent across the set.
Can I wash a felt Christmas stocking?
Spot-clean felt — water and agitation can distort the fibres. Fleece stockings can be machine-washed on a gentle cycle, and velvet stockings should be dry-cleaned or spot-cleaned gently.
