Purlgrid Studio · free pattern
Mini Christmas stocking ornament & advent calendar.
Free knitting pattern · numbers 1–24, a letter or a short name
A little Fair Isle stocking to hang on the tree, with a number knitted in. Knit 24 and you have an advent calendar: the pattern stays the same and only the number changes, and all 24 numbers are charted below. Design yours in Studio, see it in 3D and take the pattern as a free PDF.
How it works
The same stocking, 24 times.
Many advent stocking patterns are paid, and at least one published calendar had to print a correction because the number charts came out upside down. Here the engine charts every number the way you knit it, from the cuff down, and checks each one.
- 01Choose OrnamentIn Studio, pick the Ornament size: 32 stitches, 16 cm around, a short leg with your number and a little sawtooth band.
- 02Type a number or a letter1 to 24 in tall numbers, one letter, or a name of up to three small letters, centred on the front.
- 03Check it in 3DThe engine checks every round for two colours at most and floats of 9 stitches at most, even with the number this close to the edges.
- 04Download the PDFCharts, written rounds, yarn per colour and a QR code that reopens your design.
Advent calendar
All 24 numbers, charted.
Each chart is the number band of the ornament: 32 stitches around, with the number centred on the front and small dots on the back to keep the floats short. The charts are shown the way you knit them, from the cuff down, so the numbers look upside down here and stand upright when the stocking hangs. Knit the stocking as in the PDF and swap in the chart for each day.
Yarn for all 24 in the default colours (worsted): about 360 m Snow, 480 m Cranberry, 120 m Pine. One ornament takes about 15 m Snow, 20 m Cranberry, 5 m Pine, so leftover yarn from bigger projects goes a long way.
Garlands & names
Spell it out, one stocking at a time.
- One letter per stocking spells any word as a garland: JOY, NOEL, MERRY, or a family's initials.
- Short names fit in small letters: JOY fits on one ornament; NOEL and MERRY need a bigger stocking.
- Bigger stockings: for a full name, the Christmas stocking with a name comes in Small, Classic and Large.
- Just the letters? The knitting alphabet chart generator charts any word to your own stitch count.
Sizes
Ornament next to the full stockings.
| Size | Around | Cuff to heel | Heel to toe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 30 cm | 22 cm | 14 cm |
| Classic | 38 cm | 32 cm | 19 cm |
| Large | 45 cm | 40 cm | 23 cm |
| Ornament (this page) | 16 cm | 11 cm | 7 cm |
Gauge 20 sts × 22 rounds = 10 cm in worsted colourwork. The ornament has a ribbed cuff, an afterthought heel and a plain foot.
Questions
Before you cast on.
What needles do I need?
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.
How much yarn for a whole calendar?
About 360 m Snow, 480 m Cranberry, 120 m Pine for all 24 in the default colours. The engine counts it from the stitches and floats of every number, with a margin.
Can I embroider the numbers instead?
Yes. In Studio choose Embroider after: the number rounds are knit plain and you add the number with duplicate stitch, using the same chart.
Why are the charts upside down?
The stocking is knit from the cuff down, so you knit the top of the number first. The charts follow the knitting; the number reads the right way up when the stocking hangs.
Is it free?
Yes: designing, the 3D preview, knit-along mode and the PDF are free while Purlgrid grows. No account, and we don't ask for your email.