No-Sew DIY Dog Stockings for Christmas

Shell & Katy Pretty Fluffy Editors

Katy and Shell are two style-savvy dog mums who celebrate the best in pet-friendly living. A professional pet photographer and dog lifestyle writer, together they bring dog-friendly inspiration, pet product recommendations, dog treat recipes, pet expert advice and the best in emerging and designer dog brands into the homes of discerning pet parents around the world.

‘Tis the season to get crafty (and spoil your pup of course)! And these DIY dog stockings are a fun and festive way to do just that.

Sure, you could go out and buy a cute dog Christmas stocking from a store. But if you ask us, making homemade Christmas gifts for dogs is one of the best things about the holiday season. There’s just something so special and nostalgic about a homemade touch, especially at Christmas.

Not a crafting whiz? No worries! This homemade Christmas stocking idea does not require any sewing whatsoever (we can hear you saying “phew!”)

And the best part about these no-sew Christmas stockings is that you can make them for everyone in your family, not just your pampered pooch! More on that below.

Here’s how to make a Christmas stocking step by step, without a sewing machine in sight.

RELATED: DIY Christmas Ornament for Dogs – Filled With Treats!

Homemade Christmas stockings for you AND your dog

Now, there’s a very exciting reason why making a dog Christmas stocking was high on our list of fun DIY Christmas projects this year. 

Drumroll please….we finally have a home with a mantel!

The first time we saw the mantel and fireplace in our new home, literally the first thing we said to each other was how nice hanging Christmas stockings will look come the holidays.

So we’re not exaggerating when we say we have been thinking about these DIY dog stockings for months.

And as a family of four, we loved the idea of having matching Christmas stockings with our boys, each one with its own personalised touch (um who doesn’t love the thought of matching with their dog?)

We also really wanted to come up with a design that complimented our decor and that we’d be happy to use ourselves too.

So, if you’re looking for a stylish, homemade gift idea for dog lovers – whether it’s your family, dog sitter, neighbour or fellow dog mum friends – these homemade Christmas stockings are sure to be a hit.

How to personalise your DIY Christmas stocking 

This year our love of warm neutrals, soft textures and vintage-meets-boho-inspired decor certainly carried through to our Christmas decorating style (with an extra touch of whimsy thrown in for good measure).

So to ensure our DIY dog stockings complimented our home and Christmas tree, we selected a range of fabrics that we knew would work well with our holiday decor.

The best thing about homemade Christmas stockings is that you can personalise them any which way you like.

From selecting your favourite colours to your most-loved fabrics, adding names or initials, or decorating your DIY stocking with glitter, stars or pom poms, you can create a little festive masterpiece guaranteed to bring an extra touch of magic to your Christmas display.

Ready to get making? Your whole family, pooch included, are going to love these beautiful DIY Christmas stockings!

How to make a dog Christmas stocking: Step-by-step instructions

You will need:

• Fabric for the stocking (we used 1m x 1m of cream fleece)
• Fabric for the stocking trim (we used 2 x Gingham styles, each 0.5m x 0.5m)
• An old Christmas stocking to draw around (most dollar stores stock cheap ones too)
• Fabric marker
• Felt for the personalised initial and paw print
• Glue gun OR strong fabric glue
• Good scissors 
• Thick ribbon for the hook
• Hemming tape (we used 2 full rolls for 4 x stockings)
• Large letter stencils (skip these if you’re confident in your bubble writing skills!)
• Paw print stencil (download it free here!)
• Decorative beads/pompoms (optional)

Instructions:

• On the reverse side of your fabric, draw around your stocking. 
• Flip the stocking over and draw around it again (you should now have two stocking stencils – one facing right, and one facing left).
• Carefully cut out both stocking outlines.
• Glue around the edges and press both sides together. Allow at least 15 minutes for the glue to set.
• After the glue has set, turn the stocking inside out.
• Cut a strip of fabric for the stocking trim to your desired width, allowing 2cm either side to fold a hem (ours was 20cm in total).
• Using hemming tape, fold a hem around all the edges to neaten.
• Apply a second layer of hemming tape around the entire hem.

• Peel back hemming tape and attach to top of the stocking.
• Cut a 30cm section of ribbon, loop it over and attach both sides to the stocking using hemming tape.
• To make the initial, either draw your letter or around your stencil, and cut out the letter shape on the fabric.
• Attach the letter to the stocking trim using fabric glue. Allow time to dry.
• To add the paw print, download the free stencil below. Print and cut it out, then draw around it on top of the felt.
• Attach the felt paw print to the stocking using fabric glue. Allow time to dry.
• Now hang and admire your DIY Christmas stocking!

Dog stocking stuffers for Christmas under $30

When your handmade Christmas stocking is finished and taking pride of place on your mantel, now is the time to fill it up with your choice of dog stocking stuffers! 

Of course, you can continue the DIY theme and make your pooch one of our healthy and homemade Christmas dog treat recipes, or whip them up a cute DIY dog gift, like these fun holiday doggy donuts! 

Or, if like us you love to support small pet businesses, purchasing stocking stuffers such as locally made dog treats or stylish dog accessories are a great way to shop small at Christmas.

Below are a handful of the gifts going in our boy’s dog Christmas stockings this year, from a few of our favourite Australian pet brands:

• Dog Cookie Baking Mix by Organic Dog Treats Australia
• Paw Balm by The Hound Lab
• Poochie Coochie Vegan Treats 
• Holly & Co. Velvet Bow Tie
• Django & Co Christmas Floral Bandana

Tips on where to put Christmas stockings without a fireplace

No mantel or fireplace to hang your newly made stockings? 

Here’s a few simple, cute and creative ideas on where to hang your stockings without a fireplace this Christmas:

• Dresser
• Sideboard or entertainment unit
• A set of wall hooks (so easy and you can place them anywhere on your wall!)
• Stairway rails
• On a ladder
• You could even make your own mantel (check out these clever DIY mantels!)