little christmas stockings

I had a vision of miniature Christmas stockings: stockings to tuck notes or tiny gifts into, to hang on the tree or string onto a garland. I thought it would be easy to find a pattern on the web, and yes, they are there--but not as many as one would expect.

This pattern is lovely--so nicely proportioned, and the tiny button is a sweet accent. I made four of them:

(Yes, the third one has a big foot. It was the first one I made. On subsequent stockings I changed to a smaller needle size after the Fair Isle pattern part and that worked better for me.)

As much as I like the look of these stockings, I really don't like sewing up at the end of the project and then having a gazillion ends to weave in. So I started thinking about a quicker little stocking pattern, one that could be knit up in an hour. I used Dale Baby Ull yarn on all of these because it was what I had. Feel free to substitute with whatever you have:

Little Christmas Stockings
Finished size: 3 inches

Dale Baby Ull Yarn or similar baby weight wool in 3 colors: for cuff (Color 1), body of stocking (Color 2), and heel/toe (Color 3).

Size 1 double pointed needles

Size D crochet hook (approximate)

Cuff

With Color 1, cast on 24 stitches over 3 needles (8 sts per needle) and join in round. K 7 rounds.

Body

Change to Color 2, leaving long tail 18" from Color 1 (this will be used later to create a hanging loop). K 20 rounds, or until Color 2 portion measures approximately 2".

Heel

Divide stitches as follows:

Needle 1: 12 stitches (this is the heel)

Needle 2: 6 stitches

Needle 3: 6 stitches (Needles 2 and 3 are the instep.)

Change to Color 3. On Needle 1, K back and forth in stockinette stitch for 8 rows, ending with a purl row. This is the heel flap.

Turn the heel:

Slip 1, k5, ssk, k1, turn.

Slip 1, p1, p2tog, p1, turn.

Slip 1, k2, ssk, k1, turn.

Slip 1, p3, p2tog, p1, turn.

Slip 1, k4, ssk, turn.

Slip 1, p4, p2tog, turn

Change back to Color 2.

Needle 1: k6 across next row  pick up 4 stitches along heel flap.

Needle 2: k1, k2tog, k6, ssk, k1.

Needle 3: pick up 4 heel flap stitches on other side, K3 from needle 1.

Gusset

Needle 1: k3, k2tog, k2.

Needle 2: k10.

Needle 3: k2, ssk, k3.

Needle 1: k2, k2tog, k2.

Needle 2: k10.

Needle 3: k2, ssk, k2.

Foot

K 8 rounds.

Toe

Change back to Color 3.

K 1 round.

Needle 1: k1, k2tog, k2.

Needle 2: k1, ssk, k4, k2tog, k1.

needle 3: k2, ssk, k1.

K one round even.

Needle 1: k1, k2tog, k1.

Needle 2: k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1.

Needle 3: k1, ssk, k1.

K one round even.

Thread yarn on needle and draw through remaining 12 sts. Pull tightly and weave in all loose ends, except for the 18" tail left from the cuff (see above). With this piece, weave just to back of cuff, then using crochet hook, ch st 16 or 3" and loop back, reattaching to stocking; weave in end.

As it turns out, it takes me closer to 2 hours to make these, but I did unknit and reknit a few times along the way. If you're a fast knitter, you may still be able to churn these out.

We did a quick search around the house for things that might fit into the stockings and found the following:

What would you put in yours?