More Craft Help: Personalizing Stockings?

amyliisa

So this year I bought us all new stockings.  Nothing fancy, in fact they're pretty cheap and I got them even further on sale at Michaels.  They are the fuzzy ones kinds of like this (although the white parts on mine are not quite as fuzzy as these):

I want to put all our names on them, but I'm not sure how I want to do it. 

I have a Cricut, and I suppose I could cut the letters out of fabric or felt, but how best to adhere them?  I am a complete novice at sewing, and can't even begin to think of how you would sew letters onto the white part without sewing the whole damn stocking together!

I also have plenty of Stickles (glitter glue) that I suppose I could free-hand write our names on them.  But I don't really trust myself to make them look good and/or not make a giant mess out of it all.

My other thought is having them professionally embroidered.  But really, these are $4 stockings - is it really worth paying big bucks to have them embroidered?

Any other thoughts?

gofurr25

If you want to cut fabric on your cricut, you need to first back your fabric with iron on adhesive. That gives the fabric the stability needed to be cut. Then just iron the letters onto your stocking. Let me know if you have more questions on it.

 

You can never go wrong with Stickles Maybe trace out letters then fill in with Stickles? 

MammaOwl11

Do you all have different first initials?  Since the fuzzy top will be difficult to work with, I think it would be cute to cut your first initial out of a pretty, contrasting fabric and attach it to the red body of the stocking.  

(Like this but a nicer fabric than felt) 

Maybe you could use an iron-on to attach the letter?  Monogrammed initials at the toe would also be adorable.

longhorn14

A few years ago I bought stockings from the dollar store and personalized them myself. Now, this may be a PITA but I love how they turned out.

I found a font I wanted and typed everyone's name out. I printed that out and cut the paper into strips so each strip had a person's name. Then I flipped a name strip over (so it reads backwards) put some glitter glue on it and then pressed it on the stocking, glitter side down. Once I lifted the name strip, I had an outline for the name and just filled in any gaps. Repeat for everyone else. I also did this for my SIL who bought stockings like yours. For hers, I just typed out the names so they were vertical (each letter stacking on the next

L
I
K
E this.) on the long side of the stocking. But you could just make it so that the names just read sideways.

I hope that made sense. Maybe I can try to post a picture later of ours.

amyliisa

gofurr25:

If you want to cut fabric on your cricut, you need to first back your fabric with iron on adhesive. That gives the fabric the stability needed to be cut. Then just iron the letters onto your stocking. Let me know if you have more questions on it.

Oh, thanks for letting me know this!  I totally would have just tried to cut the fabric itself!  So, do you mean like Heat n Bond Ultra?  I used that for the first time to make my pregnant skeleton shirt, but I just cut that out by hand instead of using the Cricut.  Just iron it on the fabric, then cut my letters, then peel, stick and iron on the stocking?  Sounds simple enough!

gofurr25:

  

You can never go wrong with Stickles Maybe trace out letters then fill in with Stickles? 

I did think of this too, but I'm still afraid I'd smudge or make a mess...  I'll keep thinking on it.  Although Longhorn14's idea makes sense and seems like it might be minimal mess!

MammaOwl11:

I think it would be cute to cut your first initial out of a pretty, contrasting fabric and attach it to the red body of the stocking.  

I really like this idea too!  Thanks so much ladies - I think I can figure something out now!!  (if only I didn't have to be at work, I'd much rather be at JoAnns figuring this out!!)

gofurr25

amyliisa:

gofurr25:

If you want to cut fabric on your cricut, you need to first back your fabric with iron on adhesive. That gives the fabric the stability needed to be cut. Then just iron the letters onto your stocking. Let me know if you have more questions on it.

Oh, thanks for letting me know this!  I totally would have just tried to cut the fabric itself!  So, do you mean like Heat n Bond Ultra?  I used that for the first time to make my pregnant skeleton shirt, but I just cut that out by hand instead of using the Cricut.  Just iron it on the fabric, then cut my letters, then peel, stick and iron on the stocking?  Sounds simple enough!

Yes. Just make sure you have the blade set deep and your pressure high. I have found that with thicker fabrics, like felt, it is best to have a new mat and blade for best results. 

MammaOwl11

longhorn14:

I found a font I wanted and typed everyone's name out. I printed that out and cut the paper into strips so each strip had a person's name. Then I flipped a name strip over (so it reads backwards) put some glitter glue on it and then pressed it on the stocking, glitter side down. Once I lifted the name strip, I had an outline for the name and just filled in any gaps. Repeat for everyone else.

Thanks so much for this tip!  I have glitter pens and really cheap walmart stockings to personalize and this will make it much easier!