Knit Vintage Look Christmas Stockings

I love a good throwback knitting pattern, and in particular I have a soft spot for knit and crocheted Christmas stockings. My grandma knit stockings for her kids, their spouses and their children back in the day, and my mom knit them for all the kids of the next generation. I was also once tasked by a friend to crochet a few stockings for kids to match ones their grandmother had made a long time ago.

Using vintage or vintage inspired patterns for stockings (and other holiday decor, for that matter) is nice because it makes the projects instantly look like they’ve always been there.

Jess Bandelin has a trio of designs to get you started with their Intarsia Christmas Stockings.

These worsted weight stockings are knit flat with a heel flap and are seamed after the knitting is done. This allows you to use the intarisa colorwork knitting technique, where you do each section of color with a separate ball of yarn rather than carrying the yarn across the row or round. These patterns use charts, but they’re pretty easy to read because the image on the chart looks just like what you’re knitting.

(If you’ve never done it before, check out my post on how to knit intarsia.)

The pattern options include an elf in a dress, an elf in trousers and a Christmas tree. I love this one in particular because it uses buttons as the ornaments on the tree, so it’s an easy way to add even more vintage flair. Alternatively you could add beads, embroider on the tree or just leave it plain if that’s more your style.

The elves are also super cute, and the one wearing trousers could easily be transformed into more of a Santa figure if you wanted. They’re done up in holiday colors here on a bright blue background, which is a lot of fun, but you can use any colors you like to make the vintage inspired stockings of your dreams.

Learn more and grab the patterns on Ravelry.

[Photo: Jess Bandelin]

Next Pattern:

Sashiko is a traditional Japanese embroidery technique that uses running stitches to make lines (straight or otherwise) that reinforce and insulate fabric. It can be used as a mending technique or for decorative purposes, and it has become popular in recent years as a visible mending technique.

It’s also the inspiration behind the Sashiko Tee by Elenor Mortensen. This top down, circular yoke top is worked in the round with allover stranded knitting designs reminiscent of intricate sashiko stitching.

You’ll find floral patterns, starbursts, straight lines and individual colorwork stitches in this design.

The pattern is offered in six sizes and two different gauges (both use fingering weight yarn) making a dozen different size options. The finished bust circumference of the sweater ranges from 33.8 to 57 inches, or 86 to 145 cm.

The project calls for two colors, and I love the traditional blue and white of the designer’s sample, but some of the projects shown on Ravelry use more than two or use a multicolored yarn as one of the options, which gives it a different look that’s even more interesting. There are also some projects that show longer sleeves, repeating the patterns from the body on the sleeves, which is a great move if you need a sweater for the fall.

I know I say this a lot but it’s worth your time to look at the different ways people have approached this sweater by clicking on the projects tab on Ravelry. You’ll find different colors and sleeves, different ribbing treatments, added beads, a bit of mohair, different lengths, subtle colors and bolder choices…so many fun options.

The pattern is available in English, French and German, and you can grab a copy of Ravelry. I think this one would be a fun way to get into colorwork knitting without having to deal with a bunch of colors, and you get a cool result and lots of practice following a chart.

[Photo: Elenor Mortensen]

Next Pattern:

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