These stockings can be whipped up in no time at all, using tightly woven natural fabrics, felt, or even strong paper. Cut stocking out of fabric, muslin, and batting. Use coloring books, Christmas cards, etc. to come up with applique ideas.
Simple patterns are best.
The Snowman featured here is merely two circles in graduated size, a square for the hat, a rectangle for the hat brim. The Christmas tree is a triangle, the packages are squares, with ribbon wrapped around them. Lay your muslin down, put the batting on top, then the stocking front. Now, put your applique pieces on top, and just use your embroidery floss and a long running stitch to tack the pieces down to the stocking front, stitching through all layers of applique piece, stocking front, batting, and muslin. Next, lay the stocking back down, right side to the table, then the batting, then the muslin, then the completed stocking front.