SaveA stocking is a tube with a heel in it, which makes it a sock that does not have to fit. That is a considerable relief. Nothing has to be measured against a foot, nothing has to stretch, and if the heel comes out slightly wrong nobody will ever know.
Part of our seasonal library.
The only real decision is size. A decorative stocking on a mantel wants to be 40 to 45 cm. One that actually holds presents wants 50 cm and a wide cuff, because a narrow cuff means everything has to go in sideways.
Classic cream with red heel
Easy5 hours
Worsted, worked in the round from the cuff down. The default, and the one most people picture.
Chunky ribbed cuff
Easy4 hours
Front and back post double crochet for a deep ribbed cuff that folds over.
Mini stocking, 15 cm
Beginner1 hour
For a chocolate coin or a gift card. Also a good practice run before a full one.
Striped candy cane
Beginner4 hours
Red and white stripes, four rounds each. Carry the yarn up the inside rather than cutting.
Granny square patchwork
Easy6 hours
Eighteen small squares seamed into a stocking shape. Uses scraps entirely.
Fair isle style
Intermediate6 hours
Tapestry crochet with a two-colour band around the top third. Needs a chart.
Cabled stocking
Intermediate6 hours
Post stitch cables running the length. The most impressive one here.
Personalised with a name
Easy5 hours
Plain body with a name worked in surface slip stitch across the cuff.
Textured bobble
Easy5 hours
Bobbles scattered across the leg. Uses about a third more yarn.
Scandinavian white
Easy5 hours
All cream, with texture doing the work instead of colour.
Toe-up stocking
Intermediate5 hours
Started at the toe and worked up, so you can try the length as you go.
Flat-seamed stocking
Beginner4 hours
Worked as two flat pieces and sewn. Easier than working in the round if you find that awkward.
Tartan effect
Intermediate6 hours
Crossing surface chains over a plain body to fake a woven plaid.
Faux fur cuff
Easy5 hours
Plain body with a cuff worked in eyelash yarn. The eyelash yarn is unpleasant to work and looks excellent.
Stocking with a pocket
Easy5 hours
A small patch pocket on the front for a note or a key.
Family set, graduated sizes
Intermediate20 hours
Four stockings in the same pattern at 35, 40, 45 and 50 cm. The whole December project.
Sizing
| Type | Length | Cuff width | Worsted yarn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini | 15 cm | 7 cm | 20 g |
| Decorative | 40 cm | 16 cm | 120 g |
| Full size | 50 cm | 20 cm | 180 g |
| Oversized | 60 cm | 24 cm | 260 g |
Work the heel in a contrast colour even if you want a plain stocking. It hides the one part where tension is hardest to keep even, and it reads as a design decision.
Questions
How long does it take to crochet a Christmas stocking?
About five hours for a full-size one in worsted yarn, or an hour for a 15 cm mini.
What size should a Christmas stocking be?
Forty to forty five centimetres for a decorative one. Fifty if it needs to hold actual presents.
What yarn is best for a crochet stocking?
Worsted acrylic or a wool blend. Acrylic washes better and holds its shape on a hook all month.
Do I have to work it in the round?
No. Two flat pieces sewn together is easier and the seam disappears once it is hanging.
How do I turn the heel?
The same short-row method as a sock, but the fit does not matter, so a slightly wrong heel is invisible once the stocking is full.
How much yarn for a family set of four?
About 700 grams of worsted for four stockings in graduated sizes.