Cuff to heel is measured from the top edge to the heel line; heel to toe from the heel line to the tip of the toe, along the top of the foot.
Materials
Yarn: Wool or wool-blend worsted (aran-light), approx. 180–200 m / 100 g.
Stocking
Snow
Cranberry
Pine
1
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
2
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
3
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
4
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
5
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
6
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
7
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
8
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
9
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
10
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
11
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
12
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
13
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
14
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
15
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
16
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
17
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
18
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
19
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
20
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
21
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
22
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
23
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
24
20 m · 22 yd
25 m · 28 yd
5 m · 6 yd
All 24
480 m · 525 yd
600 m · 657 yd
120 m · 132 yd
Engine estimate from the stitch count, including floats, tails and a 10–15% safety margin. Buy the total for the set in one dye lot.
Needles: 5 mm (US 8) DPNs, or a long circular for magic loop (16 cm around is too small for a 40 cm circular); 4.5 mm (US 7) for the cuff, or sizes needed to obtain gauge.
Notions: 3 stitch markers (1 contrasting), about 1 m of smooth waste yarn in a contrasting colour, tapestry needle, 2 double-pointed needles for the I-cord loop.
Gauge
20 sts × 22 rnds = 10 cm (4") in stockinette colourwork on larger needle, after blocking. Plain stocking stitch (toe and heel) is usually about 26 rnds to 10 cm.
Abbreviations
BOR
beginning of round
CC
contrast colour
dec
decrease(d)
I-cord
knit the sts, slide them to the other end of the needle, pull the yarn across the back and repeat
k
knit
k2tog
knit 2 together (1 st decreased)
MC
main colour
p
purl
pm
place marker
rep
repeat
rnd(s)
round(s)
sm
slip marker
ssk
slip 2 sts knitwise one at a time, knit them together through the back loops (1 st decreased)
st(s)
stitch(es)
yo
yarn over (picot round)
Notes
Each square on a chart is one stitch. Carry both colours loosely across the back. Floats longer than 5 stitches are marked : at that stitch, twist the floating yarn once with the working yarn.
Instructions
Use these instructions for all 24 stockings. Swap Chart A for each number; keep Chart B the same.
Engine-checked charts; not a physically knitted sample. Finished size and yarn use depend on your gauge.
Notes
The stocking is worked in the round from the cuff down. The heel is added afterwards (afterthought heel), so the colourwork bands run unbroken around the leg.
Charts are shown as they are knit: because the stocking is worked top-down, the motifs appear upside down on the charts and are right side up when the stocking hangs. Read every chart round from right to left, starting at round 1.
The beginning of the round sits at the centre back. Colour-change jogs and the heel are centred on this line, and the hanging loop is sewn on here.
Ribbed cuff
With smaller needle and CC (Cranberry), cast on 32 sts. Place marker for beginning of round (centre back) and join, being careful not to twist.
Rib rnd: *k2, p2; rep from * to end. Repeat until the cuff measures 1.8 cm / 0.75" (4 rnds).
Leg
Change to larger needle. Knit 2 rnds with MC (Snow).
Work Chart A (name: one per stocking, see the numbered charts) in MC (Snow) and CC (Cranberry) over all 32 sts, rnds 1–9. This chart spans the whole round: the name sits on the front of the stocking and the scattered dots around the back keep the floats short. Catch floats longer than 5 sts at the points marked ◆ on the chart.
Knit 1 rnd with MC (Snow).
Work Chart B (Sawtooth) in MC (Snow) and C3 (Pine), rnds 1–3, repeating the 4-st repeat 8 times around.
With MC (Snow), knit 5 rnds; the leg measures 10.9 cm / 4.25" from the top edge.
Heel placement
On the last leg rnd, stop 8 sts before the marker. With smooth waste yarn in a contrasting colour, knit the next 16 sts, slipping the marker halfway.
Slip these 16 sts back to the left needle and knit them again with MC (Snow) (slip the marker), then continue to the end of the rnd. This is foot rnd 1; the heel is worked on the waste-yarn sts later.
Foot
Knit 1 more rnd with MC (Snow).
With MC (Snow), knit 3 rnds; the foot measures 2.3 cm / 1" from the waste yarn.
Toe
Change to CC (Cranberry). Knit 2 rnds.
Set-up (this moves the beginning of the round; it is not an extra rnd): knit 8 sts and place a new beginning-of-round marker (one side of the foot); knit 16 sts and place a second marker (the other side); knit to the old marker, remove it, and knit to the new beginning of round.
Dec rnd (used below): *K1, ssk, knit to 3 sts before next marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker; rep from * once more — 4 sts decreased.
Work the Dec rnd every other rnd 4 times (dec rnd, knit 1 rnd) — 16 sts.
Work the Dec rnd every rnd 2 times — 8 sts.
Arrange the sts so the 4 sts between the markers are on one needle and the remaining 4 on another. Graft them together with Kitchener stitch.
Afterthought heel
Carefully remove the waste yarn, placing the live sts below it (leg side, 16 sts) on one needle and the sts above it (foot side, 16 sts; if you find one fewer, pick up 1 st at the end) on another.
With CC (Cranberry), starting at one corner: knit the leg-side sts, pick up 1 st in the corner gap, place marker; knit the foot-side sts, pick up 1 st in the second corner gap, place beginning-of-round marker — 34 sts.
Next rnd: *knit to 2 sts before marker, k2tog (closing the corner), slip marker; rep from * once more — 32 sts. Knit 1 more rnd.
Dec rnd (used below): *K1, ssk, knit to 3 sts before next marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker; rep from * once more — 4 sts decreased.
Work the Dec rnd every other rnd 4 times, then every rnd 2 times — 8 sts.
Graft the two sets of 4 sts together with Kitchener stitch. Use the tails to close any small gaps at the heel corners.
Finishing
Hanging loop: with CC (Cranberry) and two double-pointed needles, cast on 3 sts and work I-cord for 6 cm / 2.25". Bind off. Fold into a loop and sew both ends securely to the inside of the cuff on the centre-back line (the heel side).
Weave in all ends on the wrong side, following the floats so the colourwork stays even.
Wet block: lay the stocking flat with the heel and toe smoothed into shape and let it dry completely.
Charts
SnowCranberryPinecatch the float hererepeat
The stocking is knit from the cuff down, so the charts are shown as you knit them: the motifs are upside down here and stand upright when the stocking hangs. Read each round from right to left, starting at round 1.
Chart B · Sawtooth · 4-st repeat, 3 rnds · Pine on Snow
Chart A · name “1” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 1 · sts 1–16Chart A · 1 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “2” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 2 · sts 1–16Chart A · 2 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “3” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 3 · sts 1–16Chart A · 3 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “4” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 4 · sts 1–16Chart A · 4 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “5” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 5 · sts 1–16Chart A · 5 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “6” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 6 · sts 1–16Chart A · 6 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “7” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 7 · sts 1–16Chart A · 7 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “8” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 8 · sts 1–16Chart A · 8 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “9” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 9 · sts 1–16Chart A · 9 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “10” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 10 · sts 1–16Chart A · 10 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “11” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 11 · sts 1–16Chart A · 11 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “12” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 12 · sts 1–16Chart A · 12 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “13” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 13 · sts 1–16Chart A · 13 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “14” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 14 · sts 1–16Chart A · 14 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “15” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 15 · sts 1–16Chart A · 15 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “16” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 16 · sts 1–16Chart A · 16 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “17” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 17 · sts 1–16Chart A · 17 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “18” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 18 · sts 1–16Chart A · 18 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “19” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 19 · sts 1–16Chart A · 19 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “20” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 20 · sts 1–16Chart A · 20 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “21” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 21 · sts 1–16Chart A · 21 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “22” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 22 · sts 1–16Chart A · 22 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “23” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart A · 23 · sts 1–16Chart A · 23 · sts 17–32
Chart A · name “24” stocking
Work all 32 sts of each round: stitches 1–16, then 17–32.
Chart B (Sawtooth): at most 2 colours per round, longest float 3 sts.
Ornament: 32 sts divide exactly by the cuff, the 4-st toe and heel shaping and every chart repeat.
Ornament: finished circumference 16 cm (target 16 cm, 0%).
Ornament: the bands fit the leg; 5 plain rounds remain before the heel.
Ornament: the afterthought heel opens between plain rounds, so no motif is cut.
Ornament: 5 foot rounds before the 12-round toe.
Ornament: toe and heel 32 → 8 sts in 12 rounds; 4 + 4 sts grafted.
Ornament: all 54 rounds use at most 2 colours; longest float 7 sts.
Written instructions re-knitted from the text alone: all 17 printed counts and every round match the pattern's row list.
Colours rebuilt from the written text and the printed charts alone: all 1482 stitches in 54 rounds match the pattern, stitch for stitch.
All 24 numbers passed the engine and written-instruction checks with the same stitch and round counts.
The charts in this pattern are original Purlgrid designs. Hearts, snowflakes, stars and reindeer are traditional motifs; these particular charts are ours.