Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern

Introducing: the Originally Lovely knit Christmas Stockings!

This classic knit Christmas stocking is worked in the round from the top, down. The stocking is knit simply using stockinette stitch, while the toe, heel, and cuff are worked in reverse stockinette stitch. The foldover cuff and gentle hand felting create a stocking that is strong and able to hang beautifully on your mantle.

Once you've completed this knitting pattern, follow this tutorial to personalize your knit Christmas stocking!

Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern

Skill Level

Intermediate

For this pattern, you will need to feel comfortable following written instructions and know the following skills: knitting in the round, working simple decreases, picking up stitches, and using kitchener stitch.  

The accompanying video tutorial makes this pattern suitable for advanced beginners looking to further their skills. 

Gauge

18 sts = 4” in stockinette stitch with larger needles knit in the round

Note:  Because this pattern is measured in length, row gauge is not significant.

Choosing Yarn

The yarn to knit this stocking is Originally Lovely Lana, an aran weight, highland wool yarn. This is the ideal yarn for making stockings because it can be felted to form a more durable stocking with a bit of structure! This means that these stockings will maintain their shape when hung for long periods of time and will stay looking nice for many years!

 

Dimensions

As written, this pattern will create a stocking that is approximately 6.5” wide at the ‘leg’, and 14.5” tall from heel to top border. Changes in needle size or yarn weight will create a stocking that is slightly smaller or larger.  

Although this stocking is gently felted at the end, this is just to add some structure, not necessarily to reduce the size. 

Construction Notes

This stocking will be worked from the top, down. You will begin at the top of the stocking, folding the top over to create a double cuff with the reverse side showing. Then, you will continue down to shape the leg, foot, toe, and finally the heel. Heel will be shaped using an afterthought heel technique.  

The cuff, leg, and foot of the stocking will be worked in stockinette stitch (all knit), the toe and heel will be worked in reverse stockinette stitch (all purl). 

This stocking is knit using two colors of OL Lana yarn; a Main Color (MC, shown in Wolf) and an Accent Color (AC, shown in Natural). The name will be embroidered using a scrap DK weight yarn (shown using OL Pima in Jam).

Step-By-Step Video Tutorial

A full, start-to-finish video tutorial is available for this pattern.

The video tutorial is always a great place to start for the fastest answer to any question.  Timestamps for specific parts of the pattern are linked in the pinned comment.

Knitting Pattern Instructions

With AC, CO 60 sts using backwards loop cast on method. PM to denote beg / end of each rd.

Work 6” in stockinette stitch.

On the next rd, switch to MC and work foldover cuff as follows:

Using the tail of your yarn and the slipknot as a guide, fold the cast on edge up and over the front of your work so that the purl bumps are showing.  Using your left needle, pick up the first stitch from the cast on edge (Fig. 1).

Knit this picked up stitch together with the first stitch on your left hand needle through the back loops (Fig. 2).

Using the diagonal strand created from the cast on edge as your guide, repeat steps 1-2 for each consecutive stitch until all stitches and cast on stitches are knit together (Fig. 3).

NOTE: see video tutorial for a more detailed description of this technique.

Continue in Stockinette stitch in MC until leg measures 8” from cuff (11” total).  

Heel Set Up

You will now knit 30 of the 60 stitches using a piece of scrap yarn to hold as live stitches until you are ready to shape the heel. This is known as an 'afterthought heel technique'.

Set Up: knit until 15 sts remain, PM. This will now be the beg/end of each rd.  

Break yarn leaving a tail to weave in later.

With AC or aran weight scrap yarn, knit the first 30 sts (removing the old M as you pass). Break yarn. 

Begin using a new strand of MC, continue to knit to end of rd. 

You will now have one continuous round with 30 sts worked using scrap yarn, and 30 sts worked in the MC.

Foot

Round 1: knit 30 sts across scrap yarn, knit remaining 30 sts. 

Continue in the round knitting all stitches until foot measures 6”. 

Break yarn leaving a tail to weave in later.

Toe

Set up round: in AC; k 30, PM, k to end of rd. 

Round 1: remove M, sl1pwyib, PM (new beg/end of rd), p to M, remove M, sl1pwyib, PM, p to 2 before end of rd. 

2: CDD (sl2 together k-wise wyib, remove M, k1, p2sso, PM), p to 2 before M, CDD, p to 1 before end of rd, sl1pwyib. [56 sts].

3: p to 1 before M, sl1pwyib, SM, p to 2 before end of rd. 

4: as 2. [52 sts]. 

Repeat rounds 3-4 6 more times [28 sts remain]. 

Adjust needles so the first 14 sts are on one needle and the second 14 sts are on the other needle.  

Carefully turn stocking inside out and graft the toe closed using kitchener stitch.

Heel

You will now shape the heel using an afterthought heel technique. 

With RS facing you and your work oriented so the toe is at the top and the cuff is at the bottom, pick up:

• 31 sts from the row knit before the scrap yarn (one stitch in each of the 30 sts knit with the scrap yarn, and the half-worked stitch directly after these 30.
• Then, with RS still facing, turn work upside down so that the toe is oriented at the bottom and the cuff is at the top and pick up 31 stitches from the row knit after the scrap yarn (one stitch into the V between each of the 30 stitches knit with the scrap yarn) 

Remove scrap yarn by un-threading it from the stitches held on your needles. These 62 stitches will become the heel.  

Set up round:  with AC, knit 31 sts from one side of heel, pick up and knit 3 sts along edge between the two rows placing a M between the 2nd and 3rd sts picked up, knit 31 from opposite side of heel, pick up and knit 3 again placing M between the 2nd and 3rd sts picked up. This M will denote beg/end of each rd. [68 sts]. 

1: p to 1 before M, sl1pwyib, SM, p to 1 before end of rd, sl1pwyib. 

2: p to 2 before M, CDD (sl2 together k-wise wyib, remove M, k1, p2sso, PM), p to 2 before M, CDD.  [64 sts]. 

Repeat rounds 1-2 7 more times [36 sts remain].

Adjust needles so the first 18 sts are on one needle and the second 18 sts are on the other needle.  

Carefully turn stocking inside out and graft the toe closed using kitchener stitch as done for toe.

Hanging Loop

With size 8 needles, cast on 5 sts. 

Row 1: knit across. Do not turn. Slide work across double pointed needle so that the beg of the row just knit is closest to the tip of the needle. 

2: holding yarn across the back of the work, knit across the 5 sts.  Slide across needle as done after row 1. 

Repeat row 2 until i-cord measures 8” from cast on edge. Slide across needle once more. Bind off in knit. 

Cut yarn leaving a tail and pull through final loop to secure. 

Fold hanging loop in half and attach either end along outer edge of top cuff of stocking. (Fig. 4 & 5)

Sew the loop to the stocking using a running stitch between the stitches of the i-cord.

Finishing and Felting

Weave in all ends to secure. 

Gently felt stocking:

1. Fill up your sink or a large bowl with hot water – you want the water to be hot but not uncomfortable as you will be using your hands to felt the stocking. Add approx 1-2 tsp of mild dish soap, the suds from the soap helps the stocking felt.   
2. Submerge the stocking in water and gently agitate using your hands. You want to create friction between the fibers of the wool. Continue in this way until knit fabric feels slightly felted (approx 10 minutes). You will know that the stocking is felted when it seems slightly denser and the holes in between the stitches are less pronounced.  
3. Rinse any remaining soap from stocking in lukewarm water.
4. Remove the stocking from water and roll in towels to remove as much excess water as possible (do not wring). 
5. Shape stocking and lay flat to dry.

How to Personalize your Stocking

After your stocking is felted and completed, you can now personalize the stocking using a chain stitch embroidery technique. 

Pattern Support

For questions, please comment below or email support@originallylovely.com