This Christmas stocking is inspired by the one my grandmother made for me when I was a baby, in 1979. I have no idea where she got the pattern from, but I wanted to make a similar one for my new niece, Autumn. The stocking is worked in two pieces, then sewn together. The shaping is very simple - increases and decreases, but no short rows.
Two-Needle Christmas Stocking
Materials:
Yarn: Lana Grossa “Superlana” 100% Merino Wool, 50g = ca. 110 meters.
Color A: Blue (15), two balls.
Color B: White (19), one ball.
Needles: One pair size US 5/3.75mm
Gauge: 5 stitches per in./20 stitches per 4 in. or 10 cm.
Stocking is worked in 2 sides. In this pattern, instructions are given for the sides in reference to the direction towards which the foot points; i.e. left and right. You can decide which side you want to be the “front” based on the direction towards which you want the foot to point, or you can decorate both sides for a reversible stocking.
Directions:
Left-leaning side:
Using color B, cast on 33 stitches.
Work four rows in rib pattern as follows:
Row 1 (RS) : *knit 1, purl 1, rep. * until last stitch, end row k1.
Row 2 (WS) : * purl 1, knit 1, rep. * until last stitch, end row p1.
Row 3: rep. row 1.
Row 4: rep. row 2.
Row 5-13: Work these 11 rows in stockinette, beginning and ending with a RS row.
Row 14: Change to yarn color A.
Continue working in stockinette stitch until stocking measures 10 ½ in./27 cm. from beginning, ending with a WS row.
Begin foot shaping:
Increase row 1: co1, k1, kfb, knit to end. (Inc 2 sts)
Increase row 2: purl until 2 stitches remain, pfb, purl 1. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 3-8: Repeat rows 1 and 2, three more times.
Increase row 9: co 4 sts, k1, kfb, knit to end. (Inc. 5 sts.)
Increase row 10: work like row 2. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 11, 13, & 15: kfb, k to end. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 12 and 14: purl. (No inc.)
You should now have 54 stitches total.
Work in stockinette until stocking measures 14 ½ in./37cm. from beginning, ending with a WS row.
Begin heel shaping:
Decrease row 1: Knit until three sts. remain, k2tog, k1.
Decrease row 2: Purl.
Decrease rows 3 and 4: Rep. rows 1 and 2.
Begin toe shaping/continue heel shaping:
Decrease row 5: k1, ssk, knit until 3 sts remain, k2tog, k1.
Decrease row 6: Purl.
Decrease rows 7-13: repeat rows 5 and 6, ending with row 5 (RS).
You should now have 42 stitches total.
Cast off purlwise.
Right-leaning side:
Work as for left-leaning side until beginning of foot shaping – ending with a WS row.
Begin foot shaping with RS row:
Increase row 1: Knit until 2 sts. remain. Kfb, k 1, co 1 stitch. (Inc 2 sts.)
Increase row 2: purl, pfb, purl to end of row. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 3-8: Repeat rows 1 and 2, three more times.
Increase row 9: Knit until 2 sts. remain. Kfb, k1, co 4sts. (Inc. 5 sts.)
Increase row 10: work like row 2. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 11, 13, & 15: knit until 2 sts. remain, kfb, k1. (Inc. 1 st.)
Increase rows 12 and 14: purl. (No inc.)
You should now have 54 stitches total.
Work in stockinette until stocking measures 14 ½ in./37cm. from beginning, ending with a WS row.
Begin heel shaping:
Decrease row 1: K1, ssk, knit to end of row.
Decrease row 2: Purl.
Decrease rows 3 and 4: Rep. rows 1 and 2.
Begin toe shaping/continue heel shaping:
Decrease row 5: k1, ssk, knit until 3 sts remain, k2tog, k1.
Decrease row 6: Purl.
Decrease rows 7-13: repeat rows 5 and 6, ending with row 5 (RS).
You should now have 42 stitches total.
Cast off purlwise.
Seam stocking together using mattress stitch. Or, you could also sew it together flat, using blanket stitch in a contrasting yarn color. (That's how the stocking made for me by my grandmother is seamed.)
Braid 3 strands of yarn together for about 8 inches/20 cm. Knot either side, and stitch into stocking.
Decoration:
I made the cuff of the stocking 11 rows high so I could have 7-row-high letters, which I came up with myself, bordered by 2 rows above and below. You can knit the letters into the cuff, or use Swiss darning/duplicate stitch.
For the snowman, I knitted circles with some simple shaping (knit 2 rows even, then every 4 rows inc. 1 stitch on each side, and 2 stitches in the middle until desired size, then decrease to match increases). I then stitched them to the stocking, and stuffed them with fiberfil so they would be puffy. The decorations are done by computer, since I can’t put him together just yet, but I am going to use black felt and glue or stitch it down.
Decoration:
I made the cuff of the stocking 11 rows high so I could have 7-row-high letters, which I came up with myself, bordered by 2 rows above and below. You can knit the letters into the cuff, or use Swiss darning/duplicate stitch.
For the snowman, I knitted circles with some simple shaping (knit 2 rows even, then every 4 rows inc. 1 stitch on each side, and 2 stitches in the middle until desired size, then decrease to match increases). I then stitched them to the stocking, and stuffed them with fiberfil so they would be puffy. The decorations are done by computer, since I can’t put him together just yet, but I am going to use black felt and glue or stitch it down.
This is how I made my stocking. If you find any mistakes, please let me know. Also, if you make a stocking, please send me a picture or the link to your blog/Ravelry!
