1 Prepare the craft foam.

Start out with a sheet of 12" x 18" or two sheets of 9" x 12" craft foam. Red and green are classic Christmas colors but you can choose any color you like.

2 Fold the sheet in half.

If you are using a 12" x 18" craft foam sheet, fold it in half.

3 Draw a stocking shape.

Draw a stocking shape on the foam sheet's folded edge—the stocking's vertical straight side should lie on the fold. We have this stocking template that you can print, cut out and use as a pattern to draw the stocking shape.

If you are working with two 9" x 12" craft foam sheets, draw a stocking shape on one sheet.

4 Cut out the stocking.

While keeping the foam sheet folded, cut along the stocking outline.

For the two 9" x 12" craft foam sheets, place the sheet with the stocking outline over the other foam sheet. While keeping both sheets aligned at the edges, cut following the stocking outline.

5 Punch holes.

Align the front and back of your foam stocking at the edges. Punch holes approximately one inch apart along the edges, except on the stocking's top edge.

6 Tie a string around the top hole.

Cut a length of string or ribbon long enough to stitch around all the stocking's holes. Tie one end of the string around a top corner hole.

7 Stitch through the holes.

Sew through the holes using either of these stitches:

a.)  Overcast stitches - make diagonal stitches that wrap around the edges of the foam.

First, insert the free end of the string from the front of the first hole and pull all the way to the back. Next, loop the string over the edge and insert the end of the string from the front of the second hole, then pull all the way to the back. Repeat the process, working from one hole to the next.

b.)  Running stitches - these are simple stitches that run in and out of the holes.

First, insert the free end of the string from the back of the first hole, then pull all the way through the front. Next, insert the string from the front of the second hole, then pull all the way to the back. This time, insert the string from the back of the third hole, then pulll all the way to the front. Repeat the process, just weaving the string in and out of the holes.

8 Tie the string around the last hole.

Continue until you've stitched through all the holes. Tie the string around the last hole. Cut the extra length of string after the knot.

9 Create a handle.

Make a handle for your stocking by cutting a 5-inch long ribbon or string. Loop it around the topmost hole.

10 Cut a rectangle from craft foam.

Cut a rectangular piece of craft foam to line the top section of your stocking. The rectangle should have the same width as the stocking and has a height of about 3 inches.

You can use a pair of wavy or scallop-edged scissors to cut a decorative edge along the rectangle's bottom side.

11 Decorate the rectangle.

You can decorate the rectangle before gluing it onto the stocking. A length of rickrack or ribbon would look nice. I've punched out a row of snowflake shapes on mine.

12 Glue the rectangle.

Glue the rectangle onto the top section of the stocking. Align its right, left and top sides with those of the stocking's.

13 Cut out small craft foam shapes.

Think of a Christmas-themed design for your stocking. Draw and cut out the corresponding shapes on craft foam.

You can also print out and use these Christmas printables as patterns for drawing the shapes on craft foam.

14 Glue the shapes.

Glue the shapes onto the stocking.

15 Add details.

Create details by drawing with crayons or markers. For textured lines, use puffy paint or glitter glue. You can also glue accents like small buttons, ribbons, rhinestones, sequins or tiny foam shapes.

16 Use your stocking.

Let the glue dries, you can hang up your awesome Christmas stocking.