The children are nestled all snug in their beds, the sugar plums are dancing, the hand-knit stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and congratulations, you’ve created a beautiful Christmas tradition without a whole lot of stress and fuss. Our Knit Before Christmas Stocking contains all the love that goes into the making without taking the twelve days of Christmas to do it!

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

But a swift knit isn’t any less special, especially considering this stocking’s considerable charms, starting with its festive scale. Using just two skeins of our Gentle Giant, big stitches work up into a big stocking with a right jolly old spirit. Its splashes of bright color, how they twinkle, its toes how merry, its heels like roses, its hanging loop like a cherry!

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

Even if you sleep right through St. Nick’s visit, you never do forget a hand-knit Christmas stocking. It’s what sugar-plum dreams are made of!

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

Designed by Purl Soho designer, Jake Canton. Click here to see even more of Jake’s designs!

Share your progress and connect with the community by tagging your pics with #PurlSoho, #PurlSohoBusyHands, #PurlSohoKnitBeforeCristmasStocking, and #PurlSohoGentleGiant. We can’t wait to see what you make!

Materials

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

We knit up samples in 3 color combinations…

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Main Color: White Peppercorn + Contrast Color: Super Pink

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Main Color: Heirloom White + Contrast Color: Rose Violet

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Main Color: Heirloom White + Contrast Color: Orange Koi

Gauge

8 stitches and 11 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Size

  • Finished Circumference: 13¼ inches
  • Finished Length From Top Of Heel To Top Of Leg (rolled): 10 inches
  • Finished Length From Top Of Heel To Tip Of Toe: 10½ inches

Note

Short-Row Shaping: Wrap + Turn (wrp-t)

  • On the right side: Keeping yarn in back, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to front. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to back. Turn work so wrong side is facing you.
  • On the wrong side: Keeping yarn in front, slip next stitch purlwise from left needle to right needle. Bring yarn to back. Return slipped stitch to left needle. Bring yarn to front. Turn work so right side is facing you.

For a step-by-step video and photo tutorial of how to work this technique, please visit our Short Row tutorial.

Pattern

Cuff

With Contrast Color (CC), loosely cast 24 stitches onto circular needles, leaving an 36-inch tail to use later for the Hanging Loop. We used a basic Long Tail Cast On.

Place a marker and join for working in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.

Knit every round until piece measure 4 inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Cut CC.

Leg

With Main Color (MC), knit every round until piece measures 11½ inches from cast-on edge, unrolled.

Cut MC.

Heel

Short Row 1 (right side): With CC, k4, wrap and turn (wrp-t, see Note).

Short Row 2 (wrong side): P8, wrp-t.

Short Row 3: K7, wrp-t.

Short Row 4: P6, wrp-t.

Short Row 5: K5, wrp-t.

Short Row 6: P4, wrp-t.

Short Row 7: K3, wrp-t.

Short Row 8: P2, wrp-t.

Short Row 9: K2, [knit wrap together with next stitch] 4 times, wrp-t.

Short Row 10: P6, [purl wrap together with next stitch] 4 times, wrp-t.

Short Row 11: K5.

Cut CC.

Foot

Set-Up Round: With right side still facing you and using MC, k5, knit wrap together with next stitch, knit to last 6 stitches  of round, knit wrap together with next stitch, knit to end of round.

Knit every round until piece measures 5 inches from Foot Set-Up Round.

Cut MC.

Toe

Rounds 1 and 2: With CC, knit to end of round.

Distribute stitches evenly over 4 double pointed needles. [6 stitches on each needle]

Round 3: For Needle A, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog; for Needle B, ssk, knit to end of needle; for Needle C, knit to last 2 stitches, k2tog; for Needle D, ssk, knit to end of round. [4 stitches decreased]

Repeat Round 3 until 8 stitches remain. [2 stitches on each needle]

Next Round: For Needle A, k2tog; for Needle B, ssk; for Needle C, k2tog; for Needle D, ssk. [4 stitches]

Cut CC, leaving an 8-inch tail.

Thread tail onto tapestry needle and thread needle through remaining 4 stitches. Pull tight and bring tail to inside of stocking and weave it in.

Hanging Loop

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

With wrong side facing you, use crochet hook to bring cast-on tail to wrong side of piece 6 rounds below cast-on edge, through first column in the round.

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho

Insert crochet hook into stitch below where cast-on tail exits and draw tail through to create a loop on the crochet hook.

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Chain 10.

Insert crochet hook from back to front into first chain stitch and pull tail through to secure Hanging Loop to itself.

Weave in ends and lightly steam, if desired!

Knit Before Christmas Stocking | Purl Soho