Handy Stocking Sweater

Do you end up wearing the same dreary clothes all year round? Is grey the new back? Brighten up your wardrobe for Christmas with this easy make, Handy Stocking sweater! The best bit is, you don't need to leave your home to make it AND you can carry around all your Christmas goodies and presents!

This is also really quick to return to it's former glory if you want to be back in your comfort zone of dull on dull for the New Year!

You will need...

• Your most dull sweater
• An old Christmas stocking
• Any other old or unused Christmas decorations you have lying around the house e.g. soft toy, tinsel, lights, baubles etc.
• Needle, thread (in the colour of your jumper), pins & scissors

Take a look through your wardrobe and find an appropriate sweater. I chose a dreary grey, thick knit (it's cold here in the UK in winter!). Against the festive decorations at home, it looked pretty dull and boring. Dig out an old stocking and rummage for the reject decorations pile (we all have one!).

Tip: If you don't have these items at home, pop to your local charity shop. Not only will you be re-using items which may have been thrown away, you are also giving money to a good cause!

Start by pinning on the stocking to make sure you get it in the right position. If like mine the stocking is too big, then tuck under a small portion, we can hide the join later!

Grab some thread (ideally the same colour as the sweater) and a needle. This can be quite a thick needle if you have a thick knit sweater.

Tip: With any sort of sewing, I would recommend cutting just 1m of thread each time to save it knotting as you sew.

Thread the needle and attach the thread to the sweater with a knot. Sew on the stocking, making sure you only catch the inside layers of the stocking and sweater (as seen in the photo). This will ensure you can still use the stocking, and put on the sweater, as well as hiding all the thread between the layers.

Make each stitch fairly big (1-2cm), more like a tacking stitch, so it can be easily removed after the festive season.

Your sweater is looking great! Check your favourite Christmas item fits, before adding further decorations. I picked this fun soft reindeer!

I sewed on all my decorations so they could be easily snipped off afterwards. I added tinsel to the wrists and across the fold, as well as baubles up the arms. I had some old battery powered lights which I added as well.

Tip: Make sure the battery pack is accessible to turn on/off to save power between wears!

Congratulations, you're all done! Not only do you look great, but you have a handy stocking to carry all your festive treats in. Why not try a soft toy (great for crying children or playful dogs!). Then there are the festive essentials such as bottles of mulled wine or wrapping paper. Why not carry your babies, or even your furry babies for a cuddle!