Tiny Christmas Stockings - PDF

Tiny Christmas Stockings Cross Stitch Pattern by Kooler Design Studio

This charming downloadable PDF pattern, Tiny Christmas Stockings (KDS# 1160), is part of the Kooler Classic Charts collection and was designed by Linda Gillum for Kooler Design Studio, Inc. It features a collection of miniature Christmas stocking ornament designs, each small enough to finish as a delicate holiday decoration. The pattern is well-suited to beginner embroiderers who are comfortable with basic cross stitch, as well as more experienced stitchers looking for a quick and satisfying seasonal project.

What Is Being Made

Each design in this pattern produces a tiny Christmas stocking ornament, stitched in counted cross stitch. With a stitch count of 19 wide by 24 high per ornament, these miniature stockings are designed to be used as tree ornaments, gift tags, package toppers, or holiday decorations. Their small finished size makes them ideal for creating in multiples, giving as handmade gifts, or adorning a Christmas tree with a handcrafted touch.

Finished Size

The finished dimensions of each stocking ornament vary depending on the fabric count chosen:

• 10 Count Aida: approximately 1⅞ inches wide by 2⅜ inches high
• 14 Count Aida: approximately 1¼ inches wide by 1⅝ inches high
• 16 Count Aida: approximately 1⅛ inches wide by 1½ inches high
• 18 Count Aida: approximately 1 inch wide by 1¼ inches high

The pattern recommends adding 4 to 6 inches to each measurement when cutting fabric to allow adequate working room around the design.

Techniques Used

This pattern is a counted cross stitch project, a classic and widely practiced form of embroidery in which stitches are placed on an even-weave or Aida fabric by counting squares on a printed chart. Counted cross stitch is especially beginner-friendly because the fabric grid guides stitch placement precisely, removing the need for freehand drawing or transferring designs. The following techniques are used in this pattern:

• Full Cross Stitch: The primary stitch used to fill in the design, worked diagonally across a single fabric square in two passes to form an X shape.
• Quarter Stitch (¼ Stitch): Used to add detail and softer curves to the design, a quarter stitch covers only one quarter of a fabric square, allowing for more refined edges and subtle shaping.
• Backstitch: Used for outlining, defining details, and adding fine linear elements such as borders or decorative accents on the stocking designs. Backstitch creates crisp, clean lines that give the finished piece a polished, illustrated appearance.

Stitches Used

• Full Cross Stitch — worked with 3 strands of floss
• Quarter Stitch (¼ Cross Stitch) — worked with 3 strands of floss
• Backstitch — worked with 1 strand of floss for fine detail lines

Materials Required

The pattern is designed to be stitched on 14 Count White Aida fabric, though as noted above, other fabric counts can be used to achieve different finished sizes. Aida cloth is the most popular fabric choice for counted cross stitch due to its clearly defined weave grid, making it easy to count and place stitches accurately.

The floss palette is drawn entirely from DMC stranded cotton embroidery floss, a widely available and trusted brand. The full color listing includes the following DMC thread numbers:

• DMC 208 (lavender), 310 (black), 402 (mahogany light), 413 (pewter gray dark), 415 (pearl gray), 666 (red bright), 701 (green light), 703 (chartreuse), 742 (tangerine