Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Vintage Christmas Stockings

9/4/18: Found the pattern on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1489134503

Made this with a few of my own changes: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/2Kmama/family-christmas-stockings


***Note: follow instructions on the first part of cuff - and not the chart. Follow chart for body of stocking.***

I recreated this pattern from the stockings my Grandfolks’ had (nice tribute to Chet and Dorie). After their passing, the newer generation came along - and thus the desire was born to make stockings for them.

Having only made socks in the round, as soon as the pattern allowed, I put it all on a circular needle and started the foot sections in a more traditional way. My Aunt says she remembers the originals being sewn all the way up, but I had no experience with working socks that way. Thus, this pattern was ‘created’.

Hope they bring as much joy to your family as they do to mine.

Charts included for 4 different graphs : Santa and Tree, Dancing Santa, Santa in Chimney, and Jack in the Box Santa.

Difficulty level : Moderate
Finished length : Approximately 22” from cuff to toe in sport weight yarn

Yarn : Any colorfast acrylic yarn in sport or worsted weight.
Colors: Green (main color), Black, Pink/Peach, Red, Yellow(Silver or Orange)
Needles : Size 4.

The leg of stocking is knitted flat and the foot is knitted in the round so you will need a set of size 4 straight needles or a 16” circular
needle to knit the leg, plus 1 set of five size 4 double point needles or a second circular needle to knit the foot and toe.

Gauge : (Not too important) 10 st and 14 rows per 2” in sport weight

Additional materials
Stitch markers; you may want to use bobbins for small lengths of yarn; yarn needle for sewing back seam. Beads, bells, or other ornamentation desired.

Abbreviations
k-knit
p-purl
p2tog-purl 2 together
k2tog-knit 2 together
skp-slip-knit-passover (or if you prefer, use ssk-slip-slip-knit instead for left-leaning decreases)
dec-decrease
rnd-round
pm-place marker
sl-slip
st-stitch
dps-double point needles

Pattern:

Cast on 62 stitches in red.

***Note: follow instructions on the first part of cuff - and not the chart. Follow chart for body of stocking.***

Top Edge
Working back and forth on straight needles or one of the circular needles
Row 1 - 13 : work stockinette stitch (k one row, p back)
Row 14 : k (This should be making a ridge to pick up stitches for the body of the stocking)
Row 15 : k
Row 16 : p

Change color to white (travel red to where name will start) and work one row.  Use graph to work name in red with white as the background color.  Work one row white.  Change to red and work 2 rows red. Work the double needle cast off (Makes a nice clean edge at top of stocking).

With green, pick up 62 stitches from row 14's purled edge.

Place markers every 10 rows.  This will make counting stitches and placing colors correctly a little easier.  Stocking is knitted flat and seamed at the back.

Go to Graph below.

Key for Pattern:
Begin at the bottom of the graph with Row 1.
A colored square is a stitch in the color shown.
Each bolded line of pattern shows 5 stitches, a space for the marker, then 10 stitches, space for a marker, etc. Y = decrease

End of Pattern (54 stitches remaining).  Divide stitches and work heel flap.

Complete the pattern grid, ending on a purl row. Begin using either the second 16” circular needle or switch to double-points. 

If using circulars, put a marker where the ends of the flat piece come together and join sides to begin working in the round with green.  Work stockinette stitch in the round for two rows.  If using a set of 5 double pointed needles, reposition stitches as follows : 14, 13, 13, 14. Switch to red.  K the next 14 stitches in red, with green traveling behind. Turn.

Heel Flap
Work back and forth on only the back 28 stitches.  Work stockinette stitch back and forth for 11 rows, ending in a purl row.

Turn Heel
With right side facing you, K17, skp, turn. 
Sl1, P6, p2tog, turn.
Sl 1, K7, skp, turn.
Repeat these two rows, increasing number of stitches worked by 1 each row, until all stitches are used up, end in purl row.  You should have 18 stitches left on your needle. Leave red yarn dangling. Switch to where green was dropped.

Gusset
With green, knit across the first needles (26 stitches, should be in main color). Pick up an extra stitch from the row below, where the heel flap and instep stitches meet (to avoid a hole), pick up and k 6 along side of heel flap, knit across the heel flap, weaving in red as you go, k 6 along side of heel flap, pick up an extra stitch from the row below, where the heel flap and instep stitches meet (to avoid a hole), between where the instep stitches and the heel flap meet.

You now have 58 stitches.  If you’re using dp needles, separate then as follows:  26 on needle 1 (1 and 2 combined if using a set of 5) (instep), and 16 on needle 2 (3 if using a set of 5), 16 on needle 3 (4 if using a set of 5).
If using circular needles, place markers at the beginning of the round (side of stocking), after stitch 13 stitches (center front of stocking), after stitch 26 (side of stocking), and after stitch 42 (center back of stocking).

K 1 row even.

Shape the gusset as follows: 
Dec 1 stitch on each side (on needle that is connected to the back center of stocking (where you picked up stitches on heel flap)).
Dec rnd:  *K until 1 stitch past side marker on opposite side of stocking(needle 3 if using dps)(27 stitches), skp; k until last 3 stitches before side marker (the beginning of the row) (needle 4), k2 tog, k1.  You have decreased 2 stitches on heel side of side seams.
Work 1 rnd even.
Repeat these two rounds 4 more times (you have decreased a total of 10 stitches, so you now have 48 stitches).  Distribute stitches evenly across the double pointed needles.  If using 5 double pointed needles, this means 13, 13, 11, 11 stitches on each needle.

Foot
Continue knitting in the round for approximately 20 rounds (about 3 1/4 inches).  

Toe
Change to red.
Work 1 rnd even. 
Beginning at the side, using dp needles:  (needle 1) k13; (needle 2) k13; (needle 3) k11; (needle 4) k11. 
Continuing in the round, decreasing to shape toe as follows:
Rnd 1:  *Needle 1: k1, k2 tog, k to last 3 sts before other side seam marker (end of needle 2), skp, k1; Needle 3: k1, k2 tog, k to last 3 sts before beginning side seam marker, skp, k1 (needle 4); rep from *(four sts decreased this round)
Rnd 2: Knit
Repeat rnds 1 and 2 four more times, until 16 stitches remain.
Cut a long tail and thread it through these 16 sts and draw them tight to close toe; tie off and weave end of yarn in.

Finishing
Being careful to hide loose ends in stitches of the same color, weave in and trim all loose ends.
Using mattress stitch and matching yarn, seam the back of the leg.
Block gently.
Crochet or knit a chain or tab and attach it to the top of stocking, at the back seam, for hanging.


  

22 comments:

  1. Thank you! I am going to make 4 family stockings and would really like to know what weight, brand and colors of yarn you used. Much appreciated!!!

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  2. Connie, I hope they bring joy to you and yours.

    You can use any weight yarn. I used worsted. It makes the stocking slightly larger, but still works well. I used acrylic colorfast yarn. However, you could use anything.

    Please post back on how they turn out!

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  3. I have this original pattern and would be glad to send to you if you don't have it.
    I made stockings for my 3 oldest granddaughter about 25 yrs ago and now am making them for younger grandchildren and 3 grategrandchildren.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would love to have a copy of this pattern. How can I get my info to you? Would be happy to send you my addresss.

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    2. Could I get a copy of this original pattern, please?

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    3. Hi Carole, I am hoping I can still get a copy of the original pattern. Thanks!
      mherrin@gmail.com

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    4. carole,
      is there any chance I could get a copy of this pattern?? Thank you so much.
      karla.selness@gmail.com

      Delete
    5. Hello,

      Does anyone have the original pattern for these stockings? I would love to have a copy - been searching everywhere!!

      Donna

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    6. I would love this pattern if someone has. I have mine from my grandmother but want to make my family some.

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  4. Forgot to ask, do you carry the yarn in the back or cut the yarn and add new ball?

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  5. Carole, I would love to see the pattern. I have never seen the original.

    I did not carry any of the yarn in back except the white for the Christmas tree. I found that it created too much of a shadow for me in my working of it all.

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    Replies
    1. If you don't carry the yarn in back do you cut the yarn and weave it in the back? Send me your email address and I will send you a copy of the original pattern. Sorry it has taken so long. bearfootquilter@yahoo.com

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    2. Carole Thorpe, I would love a copy of the original pattern as well. I had made these for my kids in the 70's! My email is tygma@yahoo.com
      Thanks!

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    3. Carol Thorpe I would love a copy of the original pattern if you still have it thank you in advance mozey

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  6. Do you have a picture of the finished stocking?
    I am using circular needles, and don't know where to start them and how to have the heel turn out facing left; as I have to put a name on that side and the birthdate on the other side to match stockings that my friend already has. Thanks, kernaljo@sbcglobal.net

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  7. I don't have a picture on hand. I make a short row heel, from the Wendy's Toe Up Sock pattern that is online. You can use a classic heel, but I haven't tried that.

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  8. Might you still have the original pattern? I would truly appreciate having it. My email is: whyknotshop@gmail.com

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  9. I would dearly love the original pattern. I've been asked by a goo friend to recreate a stocking made by her grandmother many years ago. The construction is very close to this pattern although the pictures are different...I can chart them pretty easily but the basics of the stocking construction have me a bit mystified. Please send the original pattern to debbie1105@gmail.com if at all possible. Thank you so much.

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    Replies
    1. Debbie, I have yet to see an original pattern. Hope you can find one. If you do, please share it.
      I will post if I find one.

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  10. Found the pattern on Etsy:
    https://www.etsy.com/transaction/1489134503

    I’ve made this, but a bit of my own changes. I’ve added a picture of it in the main post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately this Etsy link no longer works. Do you still have the original pattern?

      Donna (dcmlbc@gmail.com)

      Delete
  11. Thank you so much for your work on this! I also had these stockings as a child (the jack-in-the-box one specifically) and I made a new one for my niece last year. I improvised my own design for a Santa-in-chimney (based loosely on a photo I'd found) but then I found your post here and used your heel and toe instructions with great results!: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/luckygerbils/vintage-christmas-stocking

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