How to Make a DIY Rhinestone Christmas Stocking
How to Make a DIY Rhinestone Christmas Stocking
Does anything say holiday season more than a DIY Christmas stocking sparkling with rhinestones? Add a personal touch to your Christmas decorations this year by hanging some homemade Christmas stockings for the whole family on your mantel.
Don't worry, you don't need to break out the sewing machine and stocking pattern for this handmade stocking tutorial - all you need are some store-bought stockings, vinyl letters, and your favorite rhinestones to make your own stockings!
Why you should make your own Christmas stocking
Besides the Christmas tree, the classic Christmas stocking is one of the oldest and most common traditions used to celebrate the holiday. Kids are always so excited to wake up on Christmas morning and see what sort of stocking stuffers Santa left them!
Making DIY rhinestone Christmas stockings is a fun way to make a unique and adorable stocking for each family member. Get the whole family involved for a fun project, or give them to a friend as a thoughtful handmade Christmas gift. Either way, it's always a good idea to jazz up classic stocking with some bling!
Are you ready to bling it on?
Bring your designs to life and let your creativity truly sparkle with our comprehensive rhinestone course.
What you'll need to make a custom bling Christmas stocking
Affiliate disclaimer: Although I stand by all of the products I use, I can receive a small commission from any products purchased via my affiliate links.
- Plain stocking (These store-bought stockings are perfect!)
- Cricut machine
- Heat transfer vinyl
- Rhinestones (My favorite are from BeCreateful - use code ArtBeat for 10% off your first order!)
- Rhinestone Glue (My favorite is Liquid Fusion)
- Rhinestone Trays
If you don't have a Cricut machine, you can buy iron-on vinyl letters at your local craft store!
How to make a DIY stocking
One thing I love about this project is that you can really make it your own. In this tutorial I'll be making some simple stockings, but you can add your own flare with different vinyl designs and rhinestones types. Make classic stockings, quirky Christmas stockings, or even a neutral stocking!
Create a vinyl design in Cricut design space
This is where you can really get creative with your DIY Christmas stocking! Personalize the DIY stocking with a name, or add festive elements like like candy canes, snowmen, or a Christmas tree. For this tutorial, I'm adding a name to the top of the stocking.
1. Measure the space you have to work with on your stocking and make a shape the same size in Cricut design space. For this project, my space is 6 inches by 3.5 inches.
2. Choose the font you prefer, size the design to fit inside your stocking shape,
Place the name inside the rectangle that matches your stocking size
3. Click "make it" to cut the design.
Mirror the design & select everyday iron on as the material
- IMPORTANT **Make sure to mirror the design before cutting!!**
- Select "Everyday Iron-On" for your material
- I like to use more pressure, but test it on your machine to see what works best for you!
Cut & weed the vinyl design
4. Because you're working with heat transfer vinyl, you will need to stick the color/shiny side of the vinyl face down on the mat. (That's why it's important you mirror the design!)
Load the mat with the vinyl face down
It's best to use a color that's close to the rhinestone color you'll be using. For this tutorial, I chose red to go with a classic Christmas color scheme.
Load the mat into the Cricut machine and click "cut".
5. After it's cut, remove the excess vinyl by carefully peeling it back from a corner. Use a weeding tool if necessary to get into the smaller parts.
Carefully weed your design - go slowly to avoid ripping small parts!
Iron on the vinyl design
5. Place the design onto the stocking so it's facing you, and firmly press down.
Place the vinyl design firmly onto the stocking
I chose to place the name on the top of the stocking, but if you're using a different design you can place it anywhere!
If you're using flannel stockings or other common stocking material, you should be able to heat press the vinyl to any part of the stocking. You can measure to get it exactly right or just eyeball it - it's up to you!
6. Follow the directions on your specific vinyl to transfer it to the stocking. I'm used a heat press for 15 seconds at 425 degrees, but a regular iron would work for this too.
7. Once the vinyl is cool, carefully peel the transfer tape off of the top. Go nice and slow just in case part of the design hasn't fully released. If it didn't get enough heat, use your heat tool again.
Wait for the vinyl to cool before carefully peeling the transfer tape off the top
8. Once the transfer tape is off, I like to heat press it one more time just to make sure it's not going anywhere!
Add the bling
9. For this design, I'm using four different sizes of rhinestones (SS8, SS10, SS16, and SS20) because the thickness differs in the letters. I love organizing my rhinestones using these rhinestone trays!
I chose to bedazzle this stocking with red rhinestones, but green rhinestones would be a great choice for Christmas as well.
Use different sized rhinestones to match the thickness of your font
10. I love using the toothpick method for gluing rhinestones. For all of my tips and tricks on hand-placing rhinestones, check out my Bling It On digital rhinestone course!
If you're using E-6000 glue like I am, make sure to work in a well ventilated area as it has a strong odor.
Add a small amount of glue and press the rhinestones firmly onto the design with a wax pencil
Use the toothpick to apply a very small amount of glue to the smallest part of your design. Use a wax pencil to pick up your smallest size rhinestones and press firmly onto the glue.
When you reach a larger part of the design, switch to a larger size rhinestone. Make sure to push down on each stone firmly so it adheres to the vinyl and doesn't just stick to the top of the glue.
You'll have about 5 minutes to move things around as you work until the glue starts to set.
The rhinestones might not perfectly fit - that's why it's important to use a vinyl color that's very similar to your stones! I didn't want any vinyl showing, so I went back with teeny tiny rhinestones (size SS3) to fill in all of the cracks.
Use smaller rhinestones to fill in the gaps
11. Let the glue cure for a full 48 hours before hanging your new stocking in the living room. Look at that gorgeous sparkle - no need for name tags when your name is in bling!
Let the glue cure for a full 48 hours before hanging your custom rhinestone stocking
How to Use a Handmade Stocking
Hang your finished stockings next to your Christmas tree or wrap them up as a thoughtful handmade gift for a family member or friends. Making homemade Christmas stockings for the whole family is a great way to add a sentimental touch to your Christmas decorations.
When you pull them out at the start of each holiday season, you'll have such fond memories of making them yourself. The best part about this project is that you don't need fancy craft supplies or an advanced skill level to make a beautiful stocking. What an easy way to start a new family tradition!
Hang your stocking up or give it as a thoughtful handmade gift
I had so much fun blinging this DIY Christmas stocking this year, I can't wait to make more stocking ideas next year!
Looking for other rhinestone holiday crafts to bring a little sparkle to your holiday season? Check out this rhinestone Christmas ornament!
