Country Bumpkin Christmas Stocking Victoria Trauger ::: Beloved Brown-Eyed Girl :::::::::: FINISHED SIZE :::::::::: 16 inches by 9.5 inches :::::::::: MATERIALS :::::::::: - Lettering Index (given on website) - Size US 4 (3.50 mm) needles or size needed to obtain gauge (also, DPNs for I cord hanging loop and a 2nd circular or other needle/holder for picking up cast-on row) - Yarn, aran/10 ply weight (Red Heart Super Saver is perfect) ~ main color (MC): about 80 grams (150 yards) ~ contrasting color (CC): about 55 grams (100 yards) - (2) stitch markers - Embellishments (felt, fabric, embroidery thread, etc.) :::::::::: GAUGE :::::::::: Stockinette in the round, 5.5 inches x 7.5 rounds = 1 inch x 1 inch Row gauge is not as important as stitch gauge for this pattern. :::::::::: NOTES :::::::::: The samples shown in the image point left; that is, the heel is on the right. The instructions given for the cuff reflect that. If you wish for the toe to point right, instead, simply work the “back” text on the first half of the cuff stitches and the “front” text on the second half. :::::::::: STITCH ABBREVIATIONS :::::::::: (in order of appearance) k knit p purl RS right side (knit facing, stockinette) WS wrong side (purl facing, reverse stockinette) st(s) stitch(es) w&t “wrap & turn” • if RS facing, leaving yarn behind needles, slip next st as if to purl, move working yarn between needles to front, return slipped st to left needle, turn the work, bring yarn forward between needles to begin purling next row • if WS facing, leaving yarn in front of needles, slip next st as if to purl, move working yarn between needles to back, return slipped st to left needle, turn the work, bring yarn back between needles to begin knitting next row PM, SM, RM place marker, slip marker, remove marker k2tog knit next 2 sts together ssk slip each of next 2 sts as if to knit, return both to left needle & k2tog through the back loops sl1p slip next st as if to purl sl1k slip next st as if to knit psso pass previously slipped st over st just worked :::::::::: CUFF :::::::::: Note: The charts for the letters & numbers I used in the Fair Isle portion of the stocking are attached as Appendix 2 to this pattern. The text is 6 stitches tall. There are roughly 29 useable stitches on each side of the stocking for text. You will need to determine how to space your lettering. Example: for the “Griffin” stocking, I added up the stitches for the name (4 + 3 + 1 + 3 + 3 + 1 + 3) to get 18 stitches. Then I added 6 to have a single stitch between each letter, for a total of 24 stitches in his name. Half of the stocking is 35 stitches, so that leaves 11 plain stitches. I split this roughly in half, knitting 6 stitches, then the name, then 5 to complete half of the round. Do the same if you wish to show a year (or other text) on the back half of the stocking. In CC, cast on 70 stitches. Join to knit in the round. Rounds 1-12: knit Round 13: purl If using my text design, Rounds 14-16: knit Rounds 17-22: work in fair isle from the top down, keeping floats even and slightly loose; work the “front” text on the first half of the stitches and the “back” text on the second half (in the example, the child’s name was on the front and their birth year on the back) Rounds 23-25: knit If you would like a plain cuff, Rounds 14-25: knit Weave ends now. Using a 2nd circular (or other needle/stitch holder), pick up 70 sts around cast-on edge. You will be knitting these stitches together with those on the working needles in order to enclose the fair isle stranding inside the cuff. Holding the 2nd circular (with picked up cast-on edge sts) inside/behind the working needles, knit each stitch of the next round (round 26) with the corresponding stitch from the cast-on edge needle. Round 27: purl :::::::::: LEG :::::::::: Break yarn and switch to MC. Knit plain stockinette until piece measures approximately 7.5 - 7.75 inches from the bottom of the cuff (the purl “ridge”). :::::::::: HEEL :::::::::: Set-up round: k18, break yarn and switch to CC; work heel back and forth over next 35 sts (if working via magic loop or 2 circulars, you may wish to readjust your needle set-up now, but mark the fabric to remember the beginning of the round). Row 1: k34, w&t Row 2: p33, w&t Row 3: k32, w&t Row 4: p31, w&t Row 5: knit to 2 sts before gap, w&t Row 6: purl to 2 sts before gap, w&t Repeat rows 5 & 6 until there are 14 wrapped stitches on each side, ending after a purl row (7 unwrapped stitches remain in the middle). Now, you will work back and forth, re-incorporating the wrapped stitches. To work a wrapped stitch, slip the stitch as if to purl, pick up the wrap with the left needle tip, return the stitch to the left needle and work the stitch together with its wrap. Row 1: k7, knit next st w/its wrap, turn Row 2: sl1p, p7, purl next st w/its wrap, turn Row 3: sl1p, k8, knit next st w/its wrap, turn Row 4: sl1p, p9, purl next st w/its wrap, turn Row 5: sl1p, knit to 1 st before the gap, knit next st w/its wrap, turn Row 6: sl1p, purl to 1 st before the gap, purl next st w/its wrap, turn Repeat rows 5 & 6 until one wrapped stitch remains on each side, ending after a purl row. Next row: sl1p, knit to last wrapped stitch, knit next st w/its wrap, DO NOT TURN Break yarn. Switch to MC, k17 on instep to finish the round. The final wrapped stitch will be worked on the set-up round for the gusset. :::::::::: GUSSET :::::::::: Set-up round: k16, PM, k2, knit next st w/its wrap, k35, PM, k16 Decrease round: knit to marker, SM, ssk, knit to 2 before next marker, k2tog, SM, knit to end Repeat the decrease round 5 more times for a total of 6 rounds decreasing 12 stitches to have 58 stitches remaining for the foot. :::::::::: FOOT :::::::::: Knit in stockinette until foot measures approximately 4 inches from end of heel (color change) along the sole. Then work the toe. :::::::::: TOE :::::::::: Break yarn. Switch to CC. Round 1, 3, 5, 7: knit around Round 2: (k2tog, k25, ssk) twice (54 sts) Round 4: (k2tog, k23, ssk) twice (50 sts) Round 6: (k2tog, k21, ssk) twice (46 sts) Round 8: (k2tog, k19, ssk) twice (42 sts) Round 9: (k2tog, k17, ssk) twice (38 sts) Round 10: (k2tog, k15, ssk) twice (34 sts) Round 11: (k2tog, k13, ssk) twice (30 sts) Round 12: (k2tog, k11, ssk) twice (26 sts) Round 13: (k2tog, k3, sl1k, k2tog, psso, k3, ssk) twice (18 sts) Round 14: (k2tog, k5, ssk) twice (14 sts) Kitchener the toe closed. Search the web for detailed instructions if you are not familiar with Kitchener stitch. Otherwise, perhaps this short memory jog will save you the trouble… Start: purl on, knit on. Then: knit off, purl on; purl off, knit on. End: knit off, purl off. Weave ends. :::::::::: HANGING LOOP :::::::::: Pick up and knit 3 sts at top for loop. Begin with RS facing on “side” opposite of toe, above the heel. Work a 3-stitch I cord for about 3 inches. Cast-off and sew the end securely towards inside of stocking just behind where you picked up the 3 stitches to start the I cord. :::::::::: EMBELLISHMENT :::::::::: Use any sort of embellishment you’d prefer. I appliqued felt silhouette images onto the front of each stocking using the blanket stitch (and stem stitch for detailing, like the deer antlers). You could embroider directly onto the knitting or attach beads, sequins, etc. This chunky style of stocking lends itself better to minimal decoration in keeping with the “country” theme.