How to Knit a Christmas Stocking

Using 4 mm double-ended needles and Yarn A, cast on 60 sts and join into a rnd taking care not to twist sts. K 8 rnds allowing the cuff to roll back on itself.

Knit in 3 colour striped sequence as set out in Pattern Notes above for a total of 5 repeats (ie, a total of 90 rows). K 6 rnds Yarn C, K 2 rnds Yarn B. Go to Heel.

Using Yarn A, work on first 15 sts and last 15 sts of the rnd knitting back and forth in rows to make a short row heel as follows (leave the rem 30 sts on a holder to be picked up later as the front of foot):

Row 1: K14, W&T on 15th st.

Row 2: P28, W&T on next st.

Row 3: K to last unwrapped st, W&T

Row 4: P to last unwrapped st, W&T.

Rep Rows 3 and 4 above until 10 sts have been wrapped either side of the heel, leaving 10 sts in the centre unwrapped.

Now pick up and knit wraps as set out in Pattern Notes as follows:

Row 1: K to first st wrapped. Pick up wrap and Ktog with st, W&T (this st will now be wrapped twice).

Row 2: P to first st wrapped. Pick up wrap and ptog with st, W&T (this st will now be wrapped twice).

Row 3: K to first st wrapped twice. Pick up both wraps and Ktog with st, W&T.

Row 4: K to first st wrapped twice, pick up both wraps and Ptog with st, W&T.

Rep rows 3 and 4 above until all wraps have been picked up and knitted.

On last purl row, turn and K 15 sts then pick up/rejoin Yarn B (this is the new beg of rnd) and K 15 sts to end of heel. Still using Yarn B, cont past heel and knit across 30 sts put aside for front of foot as follows:

K 2 rnds Yarn B. [K 6 rnds Yarn A, K 6 rnds Yarn C, K 6 rnds Yarn B] twice then go to Toe.

Using Yarn A throughout, knit toe as follows:

K 2 rnds straight. Divide sts in half between top and bottom; first 15 sts and last 15 sts of the rnd are the bottom of the foot. Remaining 30 sts (centre of rnd) are the top of the foot.

K around to end of bottom of foot, and beg of top of foot and dec for toe as follows:

Top of foot: SSK, K to last 2 sts of top of foot, K2tog (2 sts decreased).
Bottom of foot: SSK, K to last 2 sts of bottom of foot, K2tog (2 sts decreased).

Repeat above rnd until 10 sts are left for top of foot and 10 sts for bottom (ie, a total of 20 sts remain).

Graft top and bottom sts together using Kitchener Stitch as follows.

Put 10 sts from top of foot onto one double-ended needle.

Put 10 sts from bottom of foot onto another double-ended needle.

Hold stitches/needles parallel to each other with needles side to side and the wrong sides of the knitting together (right side facing outward) and the tail of yarn hanging from the 1st stitch of the back needle.

You will need to carry out these first two set-up steps on the 1st stitch on each needle only.

Set Up one : Thread yarn tail through wool/darning needle and pull needle/yarn through 1st stitch on needle at front purl-wise and leave stitch on needle.

Set Up two : Now take needle and yarn through 1st stitch on back needle knit-wise and leave stitch on needle. Start working Kitchener Stitch and grafting all other stitches.

Thread yarn/needle through 1st st knit-wise. Pull stitch off needle.

Thread yarn/needle through next st purl-wise. Leave st on the needle.

Thread yarn/needle through 1st st purl-wise. Pull stitch off needle.

Thread yarn/needle through next st knit-wise. Leave st on needle.

Rep steps 1 to 4 until all sts are off both needles and the toe is grafted.

Re-adjust stitches/tension by pulling yarn slowly to tighten to the same tension as the other knitted stitches. On the last stitch of the toe, take yarn to wrong side of work and secure and weave in.

Weave in all ends. Press as per instructions on the yarn ball band.