When you talk needlepoint heirlooms, Christmas Stockings are a must. In fact, some stitchers have admitted to immediately considering which stocking to purchase when they hear a new family member will be arriving soon. It’s a reaction only another stitcher would understand!
In the world of needlepoint stockings, there are essentially two choices: a full stocking or a stocking topper. Your choice will depend on how much stitching you actually want to do. Both are excellent choices and create incredible heirlooms, but they can be two very different experiences.
Stitching a full stocking is somewhat equivalent to carrying a baby full-term yourself. The actual stitching takes months and months, while picking out individual threads for each section can be akin to decorating a nursery. It’s time-consuming yet rewarding at the same time.
Stitching a stocking topper, on the other hand, is an abbreviated version of a full-size stocking. As you are only stitching the top half of the stocking, you are finished in a fraction of the time and while you are still painstakingly picking out threads, you won’t have as large a space to contemplate your decisions.
The threads chosen for either a full-size or a stocking topper also offer two basic choices: stitching in Basketweave/Tent Stitch or stitching using decorative stitches. Again, either choice will create a beautiful piece but the decorative stitches option always takes longer.
Full-size stockings come back from the finisher as the stocking itself. With a stocking topper, on the other hand, the finisher attaches the needlepoint piece to velvet to create the rest of the stocking. The stocking topper becomes the decorative swath at the top of the velvet stocking.
Fortunately, the Finishing Deadline for either a stocking topper or a full-size stocking is the same. Typically closer to the actual Christmas holiday, it gives us stitchers a little extra time to complete the new stocking for the newest family member each year. Check the Finishing Deadlines on our website for this year’s date!
