Hearthside Christmas Stocking

A generously sized, top-down Christmas stocking worked in the round on 80 stitches. A snug white ribbed cuff leads into a red leg with two stranded diamond bands and slim green stripes. A slip-stitch heel flap, traditional heel turn, and gusset give a deep, gift-worthy heel; the foot is stockinette with a grafted wedge toe. Intermediate: stranded colorwork, picking up stitches, and Kitchener stitch.

Finished Measurements

One size.

• Circumference: 17¾" (45 cm)
• Length from cuff edge to toe tip: 18" (45.5 cm)
• Leg length (cast-on to heel divide): 8" (20.5 cm)
• Foot length (back of heel to toe tip): 10" (25.5 cm)

Measurements are after light blocking. Length is easily adjusted in the even sections of the leg and foot.

Materials

Yarn: Worsted weight (medium / category 4), wool or wool-blend preferred for colorwork (acrylic is acceptable).

• MC (Red): 250 yd (229 m)
• CC1 (White): 90 yd (82 m)
• CC2 (Green): 40 yd (37 m)

Sample uses a smooth, lightly plied worsted that shows colorwork clearly.

Needles: US 8 / 5 mm — 16" (40 cm) circular, or double-pointed needles, or a long circular for magic loop. Use the needle type you prefer for small-circumference knitting. A second circular or DPNs are helpful for the heel flap and grafting.

Notions:

• Stitch marker (beginning of round); 2 additional markers for gusset/toe
• Waste yarn or stitch holder
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

Gauge

18 stitches and 24 rounds = 4" (10 cm) in stockinette stitch in the round, blocked.

Work a circular swatch. If you have too many stitches per 4", go up a needle size; too few, go down. Gauge affects finished size more than fit (this is not a sock), but it should be close so yardage and proportions hold.

Abbreviations (US)

Pattern Notes

• The stocking is worked top-down in the round. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist, and place a BOR marker at center back.
• The 80-st count is the full circumference and stays at 80 except during the heel and gusset.
• Colorwork: Work the diamond band from the written rounds (or the chart). Carry the unused color loosely across the wrong side. The longest float is 6 stitches — catch it in the middle if your tension runs tight. Join new colors at BOR (center back).
• Heel is worked flat on 40 stitches (half the stocking). Instep stitches wait on waste yarn.
• Stitch counts appear in parentheses at the end of a round or row whenever the count changes.
• When a length is given, measure the piece hanging, unstretched.

Pattern

Cuff

With CC1, CO 80 sts using a long-tail cast-on. Join to work in the round, without twisting. Pm for BOR (center back).

Rib rnd: *K2, p2; repeat from * to end of rnd. (20 repeats; 80 sts ✓)

Repeat Rib rnd until cuff measures 2" (5 cm) from the cast-on edge.

Break CC1.

Leg

Join MC.

Rnds 1–4: Knit. (80 sts)

Work Diamond Band (5 rnds):

• Band rnd 1: *K3 MC, k2 CC1, k3 MC; repeat from * to end. (8-st repeat × 10 = 80 ✓)
• Band rnd 2: *K2 MC, k4 CC1, k2 MC; repeat from * to end.
• Band rnd 3: *K1 MC, k6 CC1, k1 MC; repeat from * to end.
• Band rnd 4: *K2 MC, k4 CC1, k2 MC; repeat from * to end.
• Band rnd 5: *K3 MC, k2 CC1, k3 MC; repeat from * to end.

Break CC1.

Rnd 10: Knit with MC.

Join CC2.

Rnds 11–12: Knit with CC2.

Break CC2.

Rnds 13–18: Knit with MC. (6 rnds)

Rejoin CC1. Work Diamond Band (Band rnds 1–5) once more.

Break CC1.

Rnd 24: Knit with MC.

Join CC2.

Rnds 25–26: Knit with CC2.

Break CC2.

Rnds 27–36: Knit with MC. (10 rnds)

Leg from start of MC through rnd 36 = 36 rnds = 6" at gauge; cuff 2" + leg 6" = 8" from CO to heel divide ✓.

(Length adjustment: work extra or fewer MC rounds here. Keep the last several rounds in MC so the colorwork sits on the leg, not at the heel line.)

Heel Flap

The heel is worked back and forth in CC1 on the back 40 sts. The front 40 sts are the instep.

Remove BOR marker. Place the 40 instep sts (the 20 sts immediately before BOR together with the 20 sts immediately after BOR are the heel; the remaining 40 are instep — see note below) on waste yarn or a holder.

To divide cleanly: The BOR is center back. Place 20 sts before BOR and 20 sts after BOR on your working needle — these 40 sts are the heel. Place the remaining 40 sts on hold for instep. (40 + 40 = 80 ✓)

Join CC1 (white) to the heel sts, RS facing.

Row 1 (RS): *Sl 1 wyib, k1; repeat from * to end. (40 sts)

Row 2 (WS): Sl 1 wyif, purl to end.

Repeat Rows 1–2 11 more times — 24 rows total, ending with a WS row. (12 slipped-stitch chains along each side of the flap ✓)

Heel Turn

Continue with CC1. Gaps will form at each turn; on following rows you work to 1 stitch before the gap and decrease the stitches on either side of it.

Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k22, ssk, k1, turn. (14 sts left unworked)

Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p8, p2tog, p1, turn. (14 sts left unworked on the other side; 14 + 12 + 14 = 40 ✓)

Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before the gap, ssk (1 st from each side of the gap), k1, turn.

Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before the gap, p2tog (1 st from each side of the gap), p1, turn.

Repeat Rows 3–4 until all stitches have been worked, ending with a WS row.

24 heel sts remain (40 − 8 ssk − 8 p2tog = 24 ✓). Break CC1.

Gusset

Resume working in the round with MC. RS facing.

Setup rnd: Knit across 24 heel sts; pick up and knit 13 sts along the left side of the heel flap (12 slipped edge sts + 1 extra in the corner to close the hole); pm for left side; knit 40 instep sts from hold; pm for right side; pick up and knit 13 sts along the right side of the heel flap (12 edge sts + 1 corner); knit to the center of the heel and pm for new BOR.

(24 + 13 + 40 + 13 = 90 sts ✓)

If a small gap remains at either corner, pick up one extra stitch from the row below and knit it together with the adjacent stitch on the next round (count still treated as 90).

Gusset dec rnd: Knit to 3 sts before left side marker, k2tog, k1, sm, knit 40 instep, sm, k1, ssk, knit to BOR. (2 sts decreased; instep stays 40)

Even rnd: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rnds 4 more times — 5 decrease rnds total. (90 − 10 = 80 sts ✓; 40 instep + 40 sole)

Remove the two side markers. Keep BOR at center back (or replace side markers if you prefer them for the toe).

Foot

Work even in St st with MC on 80 sts until the foot measures 6" (15 cm) from the back of the heel (the pickup line), or until the piece is 4" (10 cm) short of your desired total heel-to-toe length.

(At gauge, 6" is 36 rnds. Combined with a 4" toe this gives a 10" foot.)

Break MC.

Toe

Join CC1. Place a marker at each side so you have 40 instep sts and 40 sole sts (40 + 40 = 80 ✓). BOR at the start of the sole (center back can stay; you will decrease at both sides).

Rnd 1 (dec): *K1, ssk, knit to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k1, sm; repeat from * once more. (4 sts decreased)

Rnd 2: Knit.

Repeat Rnds 1–2 7 more times — 8 times total. (80 − 32 = 48 sts ✓; 16 rnds)

Now work Rnd 1 only (decrease every round) 8 times. (48 − 32 = 16 sts ✓; 8 + 8 instep/sole)

16 sts remain: 8 instep and 8 sole.

Cut yarn, leaving a 12" (30 cm) tail. Graft the 8 instep sts to the 8 sole sts with Kitchener stitch.

Kitchener stitch (stockinette): Set-up: Front needle, purlwise, leave on; back needle, knitwise, leave on. Then repeat: Front knitwise, slip off; front purlwise, leave on; back purlwise, slip off; back knitwise, leave on. Until all stitches are grafted. Snug the seam to match the surrounding fabric; do not pull tight.

Hanging Loop

With CC1 and US 8 / 5 mm needles, CO 3 sts.

I-cord: Knit 3, do not turn. Slide stitches to the other end of the needle. Repeat until the cord measures 6" (15 cm). BO. Sew both ends to the inside of the cuff at center back (BOR), forming a loop. Weave in those ends securely — this loop takes the stocking’s weight.

Finishing

Weave in all remaining ends on the wrong side, especially at color joins and along the gusset pick-up. Close any leftover corner holes with the yarn tail.

Block lightly: soak in lukewarm water, press out water in a towel, and lay flat. Shape the heel and toe, and smooth the colorwork so diamonds sit square. Do not stretch the ribbed cuff. Dry completely.

Optional: with CC2, duplicate-stitch small holly berries (3-st triangles or French knots) beside the green stripes.

Diamond Band Chart (8-st repeat)

Read rounds from right to left. Repeat 10 times per round (80 sts).

Band rnd 5  |  M M M C C M M M
Band rnd 4  |  M M C C C C M M
Band rnd 3  |  M C C C C C C M
Band rnd 2  |  M M C C C C M M
Band rnd 1  |  M M M C C M M M
             -----------------
             (8-st repeat)
M = MC (red)    C = CC1 (white)

Schematic (hanging)

        17¾" around
     ┌──────────────┐  ← CO / cuff, 2" (CC1 rib)
     │    diamonds  │
     │     stripes  │  ← leg, 6" (MC + bands)
     │              │
     │   ╱──────╲   │  ← heel divide (8" from CO)
     │  │ heel   │  │     flap 40 sts, 24 rows
     │   ╲______╱   │
     │              │  ← foot, 6" from back of heel
     │              │
     │     ╱──╲     │  ← toe, ~4" (CC1)
     └────╱    ╲────┘
              18" total length

Quick Count Reference