Specifications
| Brand: | Valley Yarns |
| Yarn Weight: | Bulky |
| Designer: | Kirsten Hipsky |
| Craft: | Knitting |
| Format: | Downloadable PDF |
| Techniques and Construction: | Seamless, Stripes, Top Down, Worked In The Round |
| Pattern Code: | 283 |
Product Description
This holiday stocking is perfect for hanging by the fireplace or used to hold a gift. Use the festive colors shown, choose your favorites, or coordinate with your holiday décor. This stocking is knit from the cuff down with an afterthought heel.
This pattern is available as a PDF download.
Sizes: One Size
Finished Measurements: 13” circumference and 19” long
Yarn Requirements: Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky (85% Wool/15% Alpaca; 100g/108yds) 1 skein of each of 3 colors, shown in #16 Burgundy, #34 Hunter, and #35 Forest (discontinued)
Needles: US 10 (6.0mm) and US 10.5 (6.5mm) DPNs
Gauge: 3 sts = 1” in stranded stockinette stitch
Pattern updated 12/22/09.
Valley Yarns Spotted Christmas Stocking
What Is Being Made
The Valley Yarns Spotted Christmas Stocking is a festive knit sock designed by Kirsten Hipsky. This seamless, top-down stocking measures approximately 13 inches around and 19 inches long, making it a substantial holiday decoration or gift item. The design features a decorative leg section with colorwork patterning, a foot worked in the same stitch pattern, and a shaped toe with a functional afterthought heel construction.
Techniques Used
This project employs several intermediate to advanced knitting techniques:
- Seamless, worked in the round: The entire stocking is constructed using circular knitting methods with double-pointed needles, eliminating the need for seaming.
- Top-down construction: The stocking begins at the cuff and progresses downward through the leg, foot, and toe sections.
- Stripes and colorwork: The leg features a repeating pattern that alternates between three colors (Forest, Hunter, and Burgundy) to create visual interest and texture.
- Afterthought heel: A temporary strand is knit into the foot, later removed to expose live stitches for picking up and working the heel separately. This technique allows for easy heel construction and future repairs.
- Kitchener stitch: Used to graft the toe stitches together, creating an invisible seam for a professional finish.
- Decreases for shaping: The toe section uses paired decreases (ssk and k2tog) worked in successive rounds to gradually reduce stitches and shape the toe point.
Stitches Used
The stocking utilizes fundamental knit stitches combined in strategic patterns:
- Knit stitch: The primary stitch throughout most of the pattern.
- Slip stitch: Used in the leg pattern to create textured stripes. The pattern alternates slip stitches with knit stitches in sequences such as *sl2, k2* and *k2, sl2* to build visual dimension.
- Decrease stitches: Slip, slip, knit (ssk) and knit two together (k2tog) are paired in the toe section to create symmetrical shaping.
- Kitchener stitch: A grafting technique used to join the final toe stitches invisibly.
Materials
The stocking is worked in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky, a blend of 85% wool and 15% alpaca. This yarn choice provides warmth, durability, and a luxurious feel appropriate for a holiday stocking. Three colors are required:
- Color A: #35 Forest
- Color B: #34 Hunter
- Color C: #16 Burgundy
One skein of each color in Valley Yarns Berkshire Bulky (100g/108 yards per skein) is needed. The project requires US size 10 and 10.5 double-pointed needles in a set of 5, allowing for the seamless, in-the-round construction.
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your experience.