Knitting a Christmas
Stocking Pattern
Knitting a Christmas Stocking
When I first had my children there was a lady at church who knit Christmas stockings for all the new babies. I ended up with 3 of those treasures, one for each of my kids. Now my children are grown up and married and I made a stocking for each of them and their spouses. Then they started having children and I have been happily knitting Christmas stockings for everyone.
This one is for Blake.
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Basic Construction → Cascade Christmas Stocking Pattern
Augmented with charts from → Christmas Stocking Patterns by Faye Kennington
Skill Level → Intermediate with knowledge of fair isle knitting
- Skills to know ↓
Related Post → Marlow’s Christmas Stocking
Needles
Knitpicks Caspian Options Short Interchangeable Circular Set
Size 8 needles with a 16″ cord and a gauge of 18 stitches per 4 inches for the Plymouth yarn.
Pattern
Basic Construction → Cascade Christmas Stocking Pattern
Augmented with charts from → Christmas Stocking Patterns by Faye Kennington
I used white yarn to cast on 60 stitches and knit 6 rows.
The next section is knit 2 red, knit 2 green.
To knit the name into the stocking I used this chart:
Continuing on, I knit a row of dark blue, then k1 white, k1 blue. This give a nice separation between the name and the next design.
The snowflake chart is from the Cascade pattern. I finished the chart and k1 white, k1 blue, then knit a row of blue.
Next comes the overall pattern which I used from Kennington’s pattern. Her Christmas stocking pattern also uses 60 stitches so it is easy to incorporate.
Afterthought Heel
Here is my own method of knitting the afterthought heel. With a craft needle I thread a scrap piece of yarn through the 15 stitches before and after the middle marker. I tied the yarn and leave them for later. This way it is very simple to put them back on the needles when it is time for the heel.
Then I go back to the stitches left on the needle and cast on 30 stitches, then purl back to continue the fair isle overall pattern.
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- place 15 stitches before end of marker and 15 stitches after marker on scrap yarn
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- pick up the last color used and cast on 30 stitches using the knit cast-on method
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- purl back 30 stitches and resume pattern
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- knit pattern for 2 more inches
After knitting the overall pattern for another 2 – 2.5 inches, I add the toe color. Knit a row or 2 and then add a 6 row design in a contrasting color. Continue the instructions to finish the toe. I use the kitchener stitch to close up the toe and the heel.
Finishing the Heel
Now it’s time to put the heel stitches that are being held by the scrap yarn on the needles. For the toe and the heel I prefer to use 2 16″ circular needles. The one set of 30 stitches goes on one needle. Then pick up 30 stitches with the other needle.
When knitting with 2 circular needles, I knit the top stitches with one needle and then the bottom stitches with the other needle. Just give the yarn a little tug when going from one needle to another.
Weaving in the Ends
You want to be sure your ends are neatly woven in and that they won’t come undone. You can expect this Christmas Stocking to last many many years of holiday joy! Check here for great tips on weaving in your ends.
Blocking
I always block my knits. I feel like it is a nice reward for the yarn to get a nice bath and settle in place for posterity.
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