Friday 8 July 2011

Handknitted Stockings - and they're easy!



(Oh my, just noticed the bits of puppy fur on my stockings... sigh....)

Anyway, these are ridiculously easy and ridiculously warm! The pattern is from The Complete Book of Knitting Crochet and Embroidery (1977), which is probably not very useful. But here's the clever part: all shaping is done by changing needle sizes.  I used 5mm, 4.5mm, 3.75mm, and 3.25mm, with 2-ply yarn.

I don't have all those sizes in circular needles, so I just split the pattern up the back and knitted back and forth. When it came to the foot I did the heel shaping on either side, following the pattern, so that the seam runs under the foot. This pattern is written from the top down, so length adjustments are a bit iffy. Luckily I'd knitted these before, about 20 years ago, and had notes to go by.

But I don't see why this wouldn't work brilliantly knitted toe-up, allowing you to measure width as you go, and switching needles when necessary. In fact, any toe-up lace sock could probably be turned into a stocking by doing this. You could even knit the foot in the round, and split the pattern when you get to the part where you run out of circular needles of the right size (just cast on one extra stitch on each end for seaming).

End with about 5cm of ribbing, and yes, you will need garters of some sort.

11 comments:

strikk handknits said...

OMG! these are incredible! and can't believe all the work involved. switching needles is clever indeed.
fantastic.
(love the boots too).

painted fish studio said...

awesome!!!

Kayanna said...

Those are fantastic!

Francesca said...

you made those? are you kidding me?! i'm going to say it. i'm going to say OMG! there. i said it. x

Krystle said...

SO CUTE!!! (puppy hair and all :-)

And So I Whisper said...

you go girl!! Great job and they're so nice!!!

Jo said...

They look great Jesse, and so does your scarf. I'm in awe of your talents!

heleen said...

They are cool and sexy!!

Pinktulip said...

Looks great and sounds easy!

Rhaenan said...

Absolutely gorgeous! I'm hopeless with DPN's and don't have many circular needles either. I've been trying to figure out how to convert patterns knit in the round to knit flat. How did you "split the pattern up the back and knitted back and forth?"

Jesse said...

They're knitted top down, so I cast on flat, knitted to the foot part, and then did half the heel and toe shaping on either side of the piece, so that the seam, when it's sewn, runs under the foot. Hope that makes sense!