You Can Totally Make These: Hand-Painted Scandinavian Stockings

Guess what? Christmas is almost here! I’m super excited, and grateful that I can finally start to decorate my home for the holidays. Last year I went for a Scandinavian-theme with my holiday decor, and this year I’m continuing the motif. I love the care and simplicity of the Nordic patterns that pop up during this season, and I decided I wanted to replicate those patterns on some hand-painted Scandinavian stockings. It was easier than it looks – keep reading to see how it works!               

Materials

 

• Plain cotton stockings
• Acrylic paints
• Paintbrushes and a cup of water
• Cardstock or cardboard

Step

Before you begin to paint your Scandinavian stockings, cut a piece of cardstock or cardboard to fit inside the stocking. This way, if any paint bleeds through, it won’t mess up the back of the stocking. 

Step

To achieve a smooth, water-colored effect with your paint, start by pouring paint into a palette or painting tray. Dip the paintbrush into the paint, then dip the paintbrush into the cup of water. You can also mix water and paint together in your palette tray. The more water you add, the easier your paint will move across the surface of the fabric. Too much water, however, and it will run. 

Use simple shapes when decorating your stockings. I drew inspiration from a quick internet search of “Nordic patterns.” Try hearts, triangle-shaped trees, dots, and dashed lines. Even a simple pattern will look festive with brightly colored paint.

Step

Once the paint has dried completely, go over the painted areas with a dry, medium-heat iron to heat set the acrylic paint. Hang your Scandinavian stockings proudly.

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If you couldn’t tell, I ended up removing the cuffs from these stockings. I wasn’t really feeling the burlap look. I took to them with a seam ripper, and after removing them, I used a bit of iron-on hem tape to fold over the top edge. 

How do you feel about a Scandinavian-themed Christmas? Is it trendy, or timeless? Regardless of whether or not the Scandinavian boat has sailed, I’m still on board. At least for another year.