The Design

“Start a creative tradition!”

In three sizes: Wee, Medium and Jolly Big. And in any length you like. Use these simple shapes and add your own personal touches. We've given you a few ideas to get you started, but the possibilities are limitless. They're sure to prompt a hearty "Ho! Ho! Ho!" from St. Nick.

The Details

FINISHED SIZES
Approx. width (half circumference): Wee: 5"/13cm; Medium: 6½"/16.5cm; Jolly Big: 8"/20cm. Leg length may vary.

YARN
All of our stockings were knit with Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted (190 yds/174m each) See Knitter's Notes tab at right for the specifics of what we did with our samples.
Cuff: Approx. 40 (70, 100) yds/37 (64, 91)m of worsted-weight yarn.
Leg: Approx. 70 (115, 170) yds/64, (105, 155)m of worsted-weight yarn. This is for standard lengths; you will need approx. 10 (12, 14) yds/9 (11, 13)m of worsted-weight yarn for each additional inch of knitted length.
Heel & Toe: Approx. 20 (25, 35) yds/18, (23, 32)m each of worsted-weight yarn.
Foot: Approx. 45 (75, 105) yds/41, (69, 96)m of worsted-weight yarn.

NEEDLES
Wee: US 7 (4.5mm) double-point needles, or size to get gauge.
Medium & Jolly Big: US 7 (4.5mm) 16"/40cm circular and double-point needles, or size to get gauge.

GAUGE
Approx. 20 sts/27—28 rounds = 4"/10cm, in stockinette stitch in the round.

Errata & Clarifications

KNITTER'S NOTES
What we did for our projects:
All yarns specified are Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted (190 yds/174m each). Leg lengths are given with cuff folded at natural fold. See pattern for notes on striping and embroidery techniques.

BUTTON BUTTON: Medium size, 13"/33cm finished leg length; 1 skein each Color M140 Aran for leg and foot, Color M113 Oregano for cuff, heel and toe; ten shell buttons and a little red yarn.
SNOWFLAKE: Jolly Big size, 16"/40cm finished leg length; 2 skeins Color M113 Oregano for leg and foot; 1 skein each Color M145 Spice for cuff, Color M140 Aran for heel, toe, and duplicate stitch details.
PLAIN JANE: Wee size, 10"/25cm finished leg length; 1 skein each Color M145 Spice for leg and foot, Color M140 Aran for cuff, heel and toe.

FOREST: Wee size, 20"/51cm finished leg length; 1 skein each Colors M171 Fresh Moss and M175 Bronze Patina for 14-round stripes on leg and foot; 1 skein Color M113 Oregano for cuff, heel and toe; scraps of Color M145 Spice for pom-poms.
JUST LUCKY: Wee size, 30"/76cm finished leg length; used 6¼ oz/175g (approx. 296 yds/271m) of leftovers. We randomly striped using dice—one for colors, one for number of rounds—which we only occasionally ignored!

GINGERBREAD: Medium size, 13"/33cm finished leg length; 1 skein Color M140 Aran for leg and foot, and 1-round stripes for heel and toe; 1 skein Color M175 Bronze Patina for cuff; 1 skein Color M180 Ruby Red for stripes for heel and toe; one Churchmouse At Home Felted Gingerbread Ornament sewn on.
PLAIN JANE: As before.
MONKEY: As below.

GRAPHIC: Wee size, 10"/25cm finished leg length; 1 skein Color M186 Golden Mushroom for leg and foot; 1 skein each Color M140 Aran for cuff and 1-round stripes on heel and toe, Color M5 Onyx for stripes on heel and toe.
NORDIC: Medium size, 13"/33cm finished leg length; 2 skeins Color M140 Aran for leg, foot and most of cuff; 1 skein Color M5 Onyx for cuff cast-on and ribbing, heel and toe, and duplicate stitch details; scraps of Color M145 Spice for embroidery.

NORDIC: As before.
PIPPI: Medium size, 26"/66cm finished leg length; 2 skeins Color M5 Onyx for 20-round stripes on leg and foot; 1 skein Color M140 Aran for stripes and cuff; scraps of Color M145 Spice for tassels and 18"/46cm 2-st I-cord.

MONKEY: Make a cozy pair to wear around the house. Wee size, 10"/25cm finished leg length; 2 skeins Color M1 Sandy Heather for legs, feet and cuffs; 1 skein Color M180 Ruby Red for heels, toes, and 3-round stripes on cuffs.

Not shown here (but included on pattern):
PINSTRIPES: Wee size, 15"/38cm finished leg length; 1 skein each Color M140 Aran and Color M171 Fresh Moss for 1-round stripes on leg and foot; 1 skein Color M1 Sandy Heather for cuff, heel and toe.
Note that you do need to treat the heel insertion differently here than if you were making a solid color or a wider striped stocking.
With a 1-round spiraling stripe you have to cut your yarn at the heel placement. Otherwise, when you come back to take your waste yarn out, you’ll have one color connected to the other and won’t be able to open up your heel. Work your heel placement round as follows:
Knit 1 full round with whatever stripe color you are using. Cut both colors, leaving tails to weave in later. Slip ¼ of your total number of sts back onto your left needle pwise and knit them *plus* ¼ more on the other side of your beginning-of-round marker onto waste yarn (half of your total number of sts worked in waste yarn). Slip back to the beginning of the round. Leaving a tail to weave in later, join the next color in your striping sequence and knit 1 full round. Continue with foot in spiraling stripes as established.