Crochet: December 2012 Archives

Crochet Edging for Your Stocking

For my girls' first Christmas, I made them a stocking. Here is Devon's stocking back in 2009. I want the stockings to be similar but not identical so I used a common fabric and am keeping similar details. I love the rick rack cuff edging on my 2009 stocking but I decided to keep the effect with a crochet trim. My goal was to add a scalloped crochet trim in a similar color. The tricky part was adding a crochet trim to a fabric project. Well...Problem solved! With a little embroidery floss we were in business. Here's how you can add a crochet trim to your fabric projects, whether that be a stocking, tree skirt or apparel.

Materials:

1 skein of embroidery floss is a coordinating color (I used green for show but try to use a color to match your yarn)

Enough yarn to complete your edging (to be determined by the stitch pattern)

Project to be embellished.

Here is my stocking cuff

With your embroidery floss using a backstitch or running stitch to work the edge where the trim is desired (I used a running stitch along the edge of the cuff for the stocking). Use a running stitch if your yarn is worsted or thicker and using a backstitch if your yarn is thinner than worsted. The running stitch will have spaces incorporated that work well for thick yarns. Also, let the size of your yarn determine your stitch size; a bigger yarn needs a bigger stitch to work into and smaller yarns need a smaller stitch. Don't work a thin yarn into a big stitch it will look sloppy.

Secure the end of the embroidery floss with a good knot. Using your crochet hook (size determined by your yarn gauge) work a single crochet into each stitch of embroidery floss. Use this first row to create as many stitches as needed for your pattern. Start your pattern on the second row. This first row should be all single crochets and will help hide your embroidery floss.