Decorating your Christmas stockings with fabric paint is an interactive activity for the entire family. Set aside some time this weekend and gather the family around the kitchen table. Each family member can design a stocking so that it matches their own likes and personalities. You may also want to personalize a Christmas stocking for everyone at your office. Fill it with treats and take the decorated stockings to work. You'll have a personalized handmade gift for each of your co-workers.
1
Head to your local craft store to pick out decorating items. Opt for plain Christmas stockings that do not have patterns on them. Plain stockings give you a blank slate to decorate so all of your designs show up. You will also need several colors of fabric paint, stencils, wax paper and paint brushes.
2
Make a drawing of what you want your stocking to look like. Grab a piece of paper from your printer and a handful of colored markers. Draw a stocking that is big enough to fit the entire piece of paper. Decorate the pattern with shapes, words, snowmen or Santa Claus figurines. Planning out your stocking ahead of time allows you to see how your stocking will look, so you can make any necessary changes.
3
Place a sheet of wax paper inside the Christmas stocking. When you paint, sometimes paint leaks through to the other side. As it dries, it can make your stocking stick together. Having a barrier in the middle prevents leakage. Spread out old newspapers or an old sheet before you begin painting.
4
Lay stencils out on the stocking. Use the markers to make outlines within the stencils. Remove the stencil and paint into the outline you made. Some paints require you to use a paint brush, while others come in a tube that you can squeeze directly onto the fabric. Additionally, fabric paint comes in a spray variety. You can spray paint directly into the stencil or use the fabric spray paint to fill in your outlines.
