Feed me a pattern

I need a pattern for a Christmas stocking - for little X. I know, I'm not the fastest knitter out there, but I am *determined* to knit him one before the 24th is upon us. Any pattern or book recommendations for a must-knit festive Christmas stocking?

My grandmother knit me a Christmas stocking back in 1974 and, 31 years later, it is by far my favorite part of Christmas. The years that I have not returned to CA for Christmas and in which Dave has asked me what I would like for a present, all I ever ask for is a stocking. It doesn't have to be stuffed with anything great - I freak out and gush over little packets of Kleenex wrapped in tissue paper - but there is something magical about taking down the stocking, and pulling out little present after little present. I can always count on a pair of socks  - and there were years when the socks had little pom poms on the heels, or music boxes that played Christmas carols on the cuffs. There is inevitably a box of breath mints, a bar of nice soap, and a stick of deodorant - to which, of course, everyone laughs about how Santa's giving us a hint that better hygiene is a must for the new year. I also always find 5 lottery tickets or so stuffed in the toe, along with chap stick. Because even gazillionaire lottery winners get chapped lips. Don't forget the esoteric, too - one year it's a tiny nutmeg grater, another year it could be a paperweight. And then there's usually something a little special - an heirloom of some sort, like the time my sister and I each received one of the twin platinum and pearl rings that had belonged to my grandmother.

The stocking is a literal treasure trove of practicalities, novelties, and specialties. It really is the best part of Christmas.

So it's understandable why I need to knit one for my son. Even in his mostly-oblivious state, he should not be deprived of the Christmas stocking experience. The stocking that my grandmother knit is gorgeous - it has my name fair-isle'd across the top, a super soft fuzzy white yarn for Santa's beard, jingle bells all around, and (most importantly?) the sucker stretches to at least twice its unstuffed-size! I swear, every December 24th I see my stocking hanging and looking so little next to the others along the mantle. But come the morning of December 25th my little knit stocking has been stretched beyond belief, easily overpowering the other (non-knit, albeit bigger) stockings that surround it.

That brings me to the need for a pattern. If I can't find one by the weekend, I may just do what comes naturally and wing it - enlarge a sock pattern, gather up my holiday-colored yarn, dig out the 16" circs, look up some letter-charts online, and just go for it. But any advice you have is kindly appreciated.

Comments

[lulu]

i cant wait to see the stocking..i think you will do a great job..

[Janet]

There is the most gorgeous pattern in Knitting on the Road. It has pretty braids and uses fair isle and the colors are muted, but if that would take too long you could just copy the knitting dimensions and do whatever you'd like. I think it has a nicer shape than some. There's also a nice pattern in the Knitting pattern calendar from 2005, the Dec. 21st pattern.

[Stephanie]

I'm working on a stocking for my baby boy. I used red, green and white Cascade 220. I cast on 64 stitches and basically just made a big sock, adding fair isle patterns from various places. I still need to do the finishing--including duplicate stitching his name. The bad thing is--now I think my husband wants one! ;)

[Jen]

My grandmother passed this summer and I've taken on the tradition of giving new family members our traditional stockings. I found almost the exact pattern for them here: http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/christmas/1945-stocking.htm
The only difference is ours go green ribbing, name, tree, birthdate, Santa, white heel and gusset, red stripe, white toe. I'm working on my second one (one for my cousin's wife and one for my husband). The first one I did using duplicate stitch and this one I'm using fair-isle. I also recommend Wool-Ease, it's cheap but still really soft and malleable. Best of luck.

[Jenn]

I just finished one for my hubby - I couldn't find a pattern that I liked, so I made one up. I bought some wool-ease (in red and green of course) and cast on 60 st on sz 8 DPNs and then followed Ann Budd's instructions as if it were a 60 st sock! I did 10 row stripe repeats - no fancy names on it for me! I like the finished object, good luck with yours!

[Lisa]

Jen ... You brought tears to my eyes reading about the stocking from your grandma. I have many knitted stockings from mine. By far, that is my favorite part of Christmas is to hang the ones she made. I enjoy the same ritual of the "tiny" presents. Mine always include a box of Chocoloate Covered Cherries, underwear (silly, I know, but my mom always gave me underwear at Chirstmas), gum, music, etc. I just wanted to share that with you ... it got me thinking that maybe I better be knitting a stocking for my daughter, Katie.

[Vicki]

Look at what I found! A Stocking-Along -- there are some pattern ideas on the sidebar (http://stockingalong.blogspot.com ). I found the knit-along link at this blog (http://zipadeedoodahday.blogspot.com ) where she has posted today (11/29) a pic of a nice striped stocking from a book that I think Cara has.

My girls have always enjoyed their stockings! We use them for St. Nick, too (darn, that's coming up!!) -- among other things, he always brings them an ornament upon which he writes their name and the year and they proceed to put on the tree and add to their collections. They're not always fancy or homemade (sometimes they're even bought at after-Christmas sales!), but always chosen with care.

[Cara]

I've got both of the current holiday knitting books at home - want to borrow them? I'm pretty sure they both have stocking patterns in them. I can drop them off for you. Let me know.

[Jen]

AH, the harlot poncho. No, it will not be abandoned! In fact, it was just found last week packed in a plastic bin, safe from plaster dust. So, yes, I need to finish it.

As for the soaker - I bought too few buttons when we were shopping! So I switched those buttons to a cardigan and now I need new buttons for the soaker - maybe Thursday when I'm in The City.

[Ann]

Indeed. I love the stocking my mother knit me as well -- and indeed the thing is huge. Have you knit socks before? really it isn't too hard to do.

So about those WIPs, you can't still be working on the Malabrigo soaker cause I know you bought buttons for it when I was visiting New York in July. You need to update your little project percentage bars.

What I really want to know is what you are going to do with the harlot poncho -- are you really just going to abandon it a few inches too short of its goal?

Thinking of you.

Ann

[Jessica]

Interweave's Christmas Stockings: 18 Patterns to Knit is very nice and has a wide range of complexity in the patterns. I made a very simple stocking for one of my son's from it two years ago when I picked up knitting again.