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]

When I first saw Orofino, a cute summer top from Berroco, I thought it was crocheted. Something about those shifting blocks of eyelets made me think of crochet but on closer inspection it is knit, so let’s take a closer look.

This project alternates blocks of simple eyelet lace and garter stitch to make a boxy tee with a bit of air flow and a lot of texture.

The project is worked from the bottom up mostly in rounds (which does mean a fair bit of purling to do that garter stitch in the round, but the effect is worth it). When you divide for the armholes, the back and front are worked separately and flat to the end of the project.

That leaves you a little seam at the top of the shoulder, and there’s a tiny bit of finishing (literally picking up stitches, purling a round and binding off) at the neckline and armholes.

It calls for a worsted weight cotton yarn, but this would also be nice worked in linen or a blend.

The pattern includes both written and charted instructions, but the key on the charts is a little confusing in how it describes working flat versus in the round, so you can always double check with the written instructions if you need help.

There are six sizes available, ranging from a finished bust circumference of 38 to 71.5 inches, or 95 to 179 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 6 to 12 inches (or 15 to 30 cm) of positive ease.

It is rated as an intermediate knitting project, but if you have a little experience with lace knitting and potentially reading a chart if you want to use them, it shouldn’t be difficult for you.

The pattern is available to download for free on the Berroco website. You can also learn more about it on Ravelry.

[Photo: Berroco]

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