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Nothing looks better at Christmas than a row of stockings lined up along a fireplace, eagerly waiting to be filled with goodies, and it's even better when you get to discover what’s been hidden in them on Christmas Day. I ran out of time for this make last year so I’m making sure I get it made with plenty of time to spare, as my current stockings are starting to look a little bit threadbare! I was very lucky to receive some of The Craft Cotton Co. fabric for this make - the Stripes and Stars Fat Quarters. I love the colours of this Fat Quarter set; the greens and reds are just perfect for Christmas. I opted to do a striped patchwork effect for the stocking, with quilted detailing on the patchwork joins. I also opted to do a roll over top for the stocking as I like the effect it creates and I think it’s nice to see a little of the lining, especially when the fabric looks so nice! You will need: Pencil Paper Pins Ruler Needle and thread Sewing machine The Craft Cotton Company's Stars and Stripes fat quarter set, green plain -dyed polycotton and Heritage wadding First, make the stocking template: Make a stocking template the size you would like – the bigger you make it the more presents you can squeeze into it! Cut two templates of this stocking - keep one template whole to do the lining, wadding, and wadding lining fabric, and with the other template, cut it into strips, mine were 4cm wide. Make sure that you number these pieces; otherwise it can get a bit confusing putting them all back together! Now cut out the fabrics: Cut out the lining fabric, wadding, and wadding lining fabric using the whole stocking template. Now using the same whole stocking template, cut out the main stocking fabric (make sure you leave a 5mm seam allowance when cutting out). The layout of fabrics I chose for the strips is shown below: Now to sew the strips together. Do this by placing two pieces right sides together and sewing down the seam. Once you have sewn them all together you should have one striped piece for the front and another for the back. Adding the quilting detail: Layer one piece of wadding, one piece of the lining fabric, and on piece of the striped outer stocking fabric pieces as shown: Sew the detail you would like (as shown in the picture below). I chose to sew along the stripe joins for this and alternated between a straight stitch and a pre-set stitch on my machine that looked like a line of snowflakes. Now to make the hanger: Pick one of the fabrics to make the hanger and cut a strip of 24cm x 6cm - I chose to use the green snowflake. Next, fold the strip in half length-ways with right sides facing and sew along the bottom and up the side leaving the top unsewn. Now just turn it the right way out and you have your hanging strip. Before sewing the front and back together, fold the strip in half to make the loop and pin to the back piece with the ends of the loop hanging 1cm over the edge of the back piece. I chose to place this 10cm down from the top edge to give enough space when the top edge is turned back over. Now sew the front and back together: Pin the front and back pieces together with right sides together - the loop will be on the inside. Now sew the whole way around but leaving the top edge unsewn. Turn the right way round. Finally, making the lining: Take the front and back lining pieces and place them right sides together - sew around this leaving the top edge unsewn. Leave the two pieces right sides facing together. This lining can now be inserted into the stocking. To attach to the stocking, fold the top of the stocking inward by 1cm and fold 1cm of the stocking lining outwards and slip stitch the two edges together. Roll the top back over and you now have your stocking! © By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company 2015 #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #patchwork #christmas

Start up the Christmas spirit early with this gorgeous patchwork quilt! Guaranteed to keep you warm and snug over winter and to make your house look extra Christmasy this year! 'I do love Christmas and I always love making Christmas themed goodies, but for me there is nothing better than getting under a Christmas quilt with my four babies, a Christmas movie on the telly with a hot chocolate and marshmallows! I hope you have enjoyed this little project and have a lovely Christmas!' Click here to see the tutorial. By Leigh-Anne Jones at Scrappy At Heart for The Craft Cotton Company 2016 #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #christmas #patchwork

If you want a small and simple project for the upcoming winter events, especially Bonfire Night, then this will be a great craft for you. Cute little hand warmers are simple to make but effective in keeping the cold away. All you need to do is heat your hand-warmer up for 30-50 seconds in the microwave and then have nice toasty hands for a good hour or two! You will need: Pins Paper (10cmx10cm) Pen Ruler Rice Sewing machine or a needle and thread The Craft Cotton Company’s cotton print Firstly, make your template: First, make your paper template. Mine was 10cm x 10cm. On the template, put 4 dots in each corner, 7mm away from the edges. Draw around the template on the wrong-side of the fabric and cut out two of these. If you are using a sewing machine: If you are using a sewing machine, place the template on the right-side of the pieces of fabric. Puncture the paper where the dots are and leave a mark on the fabric. Draw a light line connecting the dots around the edge of the fabric. Pin the pieces wrong-sides together so that the edges line up. Get a pair of pinking shear scissors and cut around the edges of the fabric, making sure to leave a 2mm gap between the light line and where you cut. Sew along the 3 lines to make an open topped bag and on the 4th stop 2/3’s of the way. Pour rice into the gap at the top of the gap until it is almost full. Don’t fill it all the way to the top. Pin the fabric to close the gap to stop the rice falling out. Sew the gap closed. If you are hand sewing: If you are hand stitching, place the template on the wrong-side of the pieces of fabric. Puncture the paper where the dots are and leave a mark on the fabric. Draw a light line connecting the dots around the edge of the fabric. Pin the pieces right-sides together so that the edges line up. Use a running stitch to then sew along the lines. Sew along the 3 lines to make an open topped bag and on the 4th stop 2/3 of the way (make sure you don’t cut off the thread). Turn the bag inside out so that the right-sides are facing outward. Pour rice into the gap at the top of the gap until it is almost full. Don’t fill it all the way to the top. Fold the edges of the gap inwards and place a pin to stop the rice falling out and to keep the edges in line. Close the gap using a running stitch. Where you seal the gap, the stiches will show so make sure it’s neat and tight! If you are hand stitching and want a zig-zag edge, follow the instructions for when using the sewing machine (above). If you choose to use that method then make sure that your stitches are very close together as rice could fall out. Finally: Place in the microwave for around 30-50 seconds. Enjoy warm hand for the winter! © by Raeven Erin for The Craft Cotton Company 2015 #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #christmas

If you want a small and simple project for the upcoming winter events, especially Bonfire Night, then this will be a great craft for you. Cute little hand warmers are simple to make but effective in keeping the cold away. All you need to do is heat your hand-warmer up for 30-50 seconds in the microwave and then have nice toasty hands for a good hour or two! You will need: Pins Paper (10cmx10cm) Pen Ruler Rice Sewing machine or a needle and thread The Craft Cotton Company’s cotton print Firstly, make your template: First, make your paper template. Mine was 10cm x 10cm. On the template, put 4 dots in each corner, 7mm away from the edges. Draw around the template on the wrong-side of the fabric and cut out two of these. If you are using a sewing machine: If you are using a sewing machine, place the template on the right-side of the pieces of fabric. Puncture the paper where the dots are and leave a mark on the fabric. Draw a light line connecting the dots around the edge of the fabric. Pin the pieces wrong-sides together so that the edges line up. Get a pair of pinking shear scissors and cut around the edges of the fabric, making sure to leave a 2mm gap between the light line and where you cut. Sew along the 3 lines to make an open topped bag and on the 4th stop 2/3’s of the way. Pour rice into the gap at the top of the gap until it is almost full. Don’t fill it all the way to the top. Pin the fabric to close the gap to stop the rice falling out. Sew the gap closed. If you are hand sewing: If you are hand stitching, place the template on the wrong-side of the pieces of fabric. Puncture the paper where the dots are and leave a mark on the fabric. Draw a light line connecting the dots around the edge of the fabric. Pin the pieces right-sides together so that the edges line up. Use a running stitch to then sew along the lines. Sew along the 3 lines to make an open topped bag and on the 4th stop 2/3 of the way (make sure you don’t cut off the thread). Turn the bag inside out so that the right-sides are facing outward. Pour rice into the gap at the top of the gap until it is almost full. Don’t fill it all the way to the top. Fold the edges of the gap inwards and place a pin to stop the rice falling out and to keep the edges in line. Close the gap using a running stitch. Where you seal the gap, the stiches will show so make sure it’s neat and tight! If you are hand stitching and want a zig-zag edge, follow the instructions for when using the sewing machine (above). If you choose to use that method then make sure that your stitches are very close together as rice could fall out. Finally: Place in the microwave for around 30-50 seconds. Enjoy warm hand for the winter! © by Raeven Erin for The Craft Cotton Company 2015 #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #christmas

Try out this pin cushion jar tutorial! Perfect for keep all of those little bits and bobs together and to keep all of your pins in one place. This is a really handy make as it minimises the mess and clutter and makes a lovely pin cushion! 'These pincushion jars are so easy to make, and are a great idea for a simple but thoughtful present at Christmas time. Fill with a selection of sewing goodies according to your recipient – ribbons, thread, buttons, scissors, or whatever else you like!' Have a go at making this lovely pin cushion and making sewing that much neater! Click here to see the tutorial. By Hobbycraft #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft

Try out this pin cushion jar tutorial! Perfect for keep all of those little bits and bobs together and to keep all of your pins in one place. This is a really handy make as it minimises the mess and clutter and makes a lovely pin cushion! 'These pincushion jars are so easy to make, and are a great idea for a simple but thoughtful present at Christmas time. Fill with a selection of sewing goodies according to your recipient – ribbons, thread, buttons, scissors, or whatever else you like!' Have a go at making this lovely pin cushion and making sewing that much neater! Click here to see the tutorial. By Hobbycraft #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft

Here's another variation of the patchwork from the previous week. This tutorial will show you how to make the spider using paper-piecing techniques. 'I was so pleased with my quilted patchwork spider I decided to make another fabric spider for Halloween. I wanted this to be a bit different to the previous spider so decided to make the body out of patchwork hexagons using one of my favourite patch working methods – English paper piecing. I really enjoy patchworking with this method, using the paper templates gives such sharp edges and it’s so easy to do – although it is a bit more time consuming than using a machine. Since I was going to hand sew all the hexagons together I decided I would use on my hand stitching for the whole spider, it’s nice to get a break from the machine every now and then!' Have a go at this tutorial to make some unique Halloween decorations and to practice new sewing techniques. Click here to see the tutorial. By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company. #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #patchwork #halloween

Here's another variation of the patchwork from the previous week. This tutorial will show you how to make the spider using paper-piecing techniques. 'I was so pleased with my quilted patchwork spider I decided to make another fabric spider for Halloween. I wanted this to be a bit different to the previous spider so decided to make the body out of patchwork hexagons using one of my favourite patch working methods – English paper piecing. I really enjoy patchworking with this method, using the paper templates gives such sharp edges and it’s so easy to do – although it is a bit more time consuming than using a machine. Since I was going to hand sew all the hexagons together I decided I would use on my hand stitching for the whole spider, it’s nice to get a break from the machine every now and then!' Have a go at this tutorial to make some unique Halloween decorations and to practice new sewing techniques. Click here to see the tutorial. By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company. #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #patchwork #halloween

Have a go at making this spooky Halloween decoration. Impress your guests with these giant patchwork spiders this Halloween! 'The first make this year is a quilted patchwork spider, I love having spiders around the house as decorations for Halloween and wanted one which would last a bit longer than just a paper or card one. I made this one quite large but you could do it as small or big as you like, also you don’t have to put the quilting details on you could just do it as a plain patchwork one.' Have a go at this tutorial to fill your house with these spiders for your party! Click here to see the tutorial. By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company. #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft #patchwork #halloween

Have a go at making this spooky Halloween decoration. Impress your guests with these giant patchwork spiders this Halloween! 'The first make this year is a quilted patchwork spider, I love having spiders around the house as decorations for Halloween and wanted one which would last a bit longer than just a paper or card one. I made this one quite large but you could do it as small or big as you like, also you don’t have to put the quilting details on you could just do it as a plain patchwork one.' Have a go at this tutorial to fill your house with these spiders for your party! Click here to see the tutorial. By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company. #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft #patchwork #halloween

This is an amazing tutorial to show you how to make a gorgeous triangle patchwork quilt. Perfect to snuggle up to in Autumn! A few weeks ago I was in Hobbycraft looking at their fabric bundles and saw a set of stripy fabrics which I just had to get to make a quilt with! This fabric is from The Craft Cotton Company, I just love their range of fabrics! Have a go at this tutorial to make a unique quilt! Click here to see the tutorial. By Lesley Foster at Hook, Stitch, Sew for The Craft Cotton Company #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft #patchwork

This is a cool retro project for your home. Knowing how to make a cushion can transform any room in your house and give it a fresh new look that you can easily keep changing. The pillow was made using our campervan cotton print and would look great in our brand new Retro Scooters cotton print. 'If you want to make something for your home and you’re itching to get sewing on your sewing machine, cushions are as good a place as any to start. There are lots of different ways you can make cushions, from simple envelope style covers to cushion covers that incorporate button holes and zips. The zipped cushion cover is one many people are put off by, due to the need to insert a zip. However it needn’t be tricky, once you know how you’ll wonder why you’d not done it sooner!' Have a go at this tutorial to give your home a new theme! Click here to see the tutorial. By Caroline Giles for Hobbycraft #freesewingtutorials #craftcottonco #hobbycraft