Christmas socks for gifts: how to choose and how to do it yourself?

New Year is always a creative mood and anticipation of the upcoming holiday. We are thinking about how to decorate the house, how to present gifts to loved ones in an original way. In our article today, we will look at how to make traditional Christmas Stockings, where you can place small presents, and how to best design them in a festive style.

The tradition of hanging socks by the fireplace originated in Europe. She is associated with St. Nicholas (also known as Santa Claus, who lives in Lapland), who, according to legend, gifted three poor girls with gold bars on Christmas night. Since then, the fame of an unusual and generous deed has spread everywhere. And for many years now, children and adults across Europe have been hanging festively decorated socks over the fireplace waiting for gifts.

In Russia, this tradition appeared recently and is considered quite original. Nevertheless, everyone's favorite Christmas films are often full of frames with original holiday decorations. And decorating the house with such an accessory, you will certainly cause a wave of good feelings and pleasant associations among your loved ones. And you can tell the children a fairy tale about St. Nicholas, who gave us such a wonderful tradition.

It is difficult to choose such a wonderful holiday accessory - store shelves and fair tents are full of variety. But still, the best option is not to look for a sock in the store, but to create a jewelry with your own hands! At least because it is fascinating, you can connect relatives and children to the work, for whom the creative process will serve as an excellent preparation for the upcoming holidays. Of course, handmade Christmas socks are a real classic!

There are many types of design for Christmas socks. As a decoration option, you can even use stockings or regular felt boots (such an impromptu sock will look very original). You can arrange such an unusual gift vault in the form of Santa Claus and Snow Maiden's boots in the appropriate style: paint with snowflakes on the fabric using dyes (or embroider them with thread), embroider with beads and sequins. And to make a fringe out of faux fur or swan fluff.

You can also make a sock yourself, for example, knit (knitted socks look very comfortable and at home) or sew using special patterns. Let's talk about this in more detail.

Many patterns for the manufacture of Christmas decorations are in specialized stores and on thematic forums. First of all, you need to decide on the sizes of accessories and choose the right material.

Knitted socks are always good, if you have crochet or knitting skills, it will not be difficult for you to knit the New Year. But even if you are a beginner craftsman using the appropriate scheme, you will cope with this task. What we need:

• suitable yarn;
• hook or knitting needles;
• knitting patterns.

Classic Christmas socks for gifts can be knitted without a heel, the main thing is to keep the shape of the sock. The traditional braid technique that we are used to seeing on warm winter sweaters will look very nice on knitted socks. You can decorate socks with pompons on a lace of yarn or a lace you like.

The easiest way to make a festive sock is from textiles. And to be able to sew perfectly is completely optional, since the patterns are very simple, you can even draw your favorite shape on your own. And the halves of the sock can be fastened with a decorative seam or simply glued with special glue - they will hold tight.

What fabric is better to choose for the manufacture of Christmas decorations - Most often, handmade masters prefer dense fabric, which is easy to process. To date, the most popular for needlework, for example, materials such as felt, fleece and tapestry.

Socks made of felt are quite simple to make, and they will look very impressive. Plus, the choice of this material is also due to the fact that due to its density, the accessory holds its shape well and will last a long time, and the decor can be cut off and changed to a new one with the coming of next year. To make a felt product, you only need to cut 2 identical parts of the sock and sew the halves together using a sewing machine or even manually.

A tapestry or even an ordinary holiday-themed kitchen towel can be used to make a Christmas sock. This will greatly simplify the task of decorating the accessory. If you choose the right pattern and pattern, a print with a New Year’s story will already flaunt on your toe.

What is needed:

• the cloth;
• lining material (if necessary);
• thread with a needle or glue;
• paper and pencil for pattern.

Pay attention to different techniques for sewing socks from the simplest to the most intricate. The seam fastening the two halves of the sock can be decorated with a beautiful braid, stitched with dense contrasting threads.And you can also use a more complex pattern (for example, with an oblique seam) and various styles.

For example, socks sewn using the patchwork technique look beautiful and spectacular. To make such an accessory, you will need several pieces of fabric with different textures and patterns, combining them together, you will get a truly exclusive accessory pleasing to the eye. You can unleash your imagination and combine the incongruous! The patchwork always looks bright. And also one of the variants of this technique is socks sewn from pieces of various knitted things.

You can decorate felt socks in different ways, as materials for decoration often use yarn, braid, jute cord and various thematic accessories. Let's look at the most popular decor methods used by needlewomen.

A classic embroidery option is snowflakes. Using thick or woolen threads, you can embroider the Christmas boot with snowflakes and patterns in various colors. Threads using lurex look beautiful, as well as textured yarn. Real craftswomen can embroider more complex patterns, such as a snowman or a deer.

Satin fabric bows will look great on New Year's socks. Ready-made bows can be bought in a store or made independently using a ribbon. It’s very simple to beautifully and harmoniously decorate a sock with bows! For example, the classic combination of colors - a green sock with white fur decor + bright red bows - a win-win option for any holiday item. To decorate socks with bows, you can also add, for example, a decorative bell.

Everything is simple! You can purchase ready-made applications with a thematic plot (angels, Christmas trees, winter accessories) and sew them on your toe. Especially vivid pictures look good on red and white products. You can also use felt stripes that you previously made yourself.

The decor may also differ from the concept of placing the socks and who you are going to make gifts in such an original way. An interesting idea for a large family will be the manufacture of several socks of different sizes (each will have its own). And the way you like to make the inscription "beloved dad", "golden child", "caring grandmother" or write the names of loved ones, on each toe of his own, and even wishes.

Cool look like socks, stitched and decorated in different styles, and conceptual combinations made in the same style and color scheme. For example, neutral gray-white and beige concepts look good.

Usually Christmas socks are placed above the fireplace, but you can think of another place for them. For example, using a cord, you can make an improvised garland of socks and hang it over the bed, on the door, on the railing of the stairs and even decorate the New Year tree with them. New Year wreaths decorated with embroidered socks look great as decor. If you use felt boots as an element of decoration, you can put them under the Christmas tree.

When the socks are ready, do not forget to fill them with symbolic presents - sweets, tangerines and notes with pleasant wishes. Let each member of the family find a small fairy tale present for himself! We hope our article has been useful to you, and you will please yourself and loved ones with wonderful gifts and a festive mood!

See how to choose and make DIY Christmas socks with your own hands in the next video.