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Dd has now asked for Christmas stockings for Gdcs...

(10 Posts)
Witzend Wed 04-Nov-20 08:14:24

...knitted ones, ones, that is.
She’s used Christmassy ‘sacks’ before, so I hadn’t thought she’d want them.
Just after I’d started my bagpiper, too!

I’ve looked at masses of patterns online but they’re all too fiddly for me, proper sock shaping ?/Fair Isle/intarsia etc. The only one I think I can manage is a simple Jean Greenhowe pattern (see pic) for a small decorative one (basically just stocking stitch) only maybe done in double DK on 7s instead of 11s.

Thought I’d just do them in red and green with a white top. How they’ll turn out is another matter...
So 2 projects on the go now - I can’t complain of nothing to do during lockdown!

B9exchange Wed 04-Nov-20 09:13:02

Good for you, how many do you have to do?

Witzend Wed 04-Nov-20 09:46:36

Three! Though the youngest is only 10 months so won’t be bothered. The two elder will be upset if she doesn’t have one too, though.

dragonfly46 Wed 04-Nov-20 09:50:52

They are beautiful!

GrannySomerset Wed 04-Nov-20 09:53:48

Stockings somehow feel much less greedy than sacks and separate the FC presents from the rest (see another thread). Those in Witzend’s picture are lovely, but our children used old fashioned wool rugby socks - very stretchy - and GD1 still insists on the one her mother had even at 18!

Witzend Wed 04-Nov-20 10:01:47

*@GrannySomerset, for some years as children our stockings were some very thick, grey, hand knitted sea-boot socks my father had worn during WW2, when he was in the RN on the North Atlantic convoys. I expect my mother knitted them for him.
We used them until they fell to bits!

wildswan16 Wed 04-Nov-20 10:10:17

We used real stockings - thick ones, I think they must have belonged to a grandparent at one time! They made such exciting knobbly shapes. Shiny coin in the toe, followed by an apple, orange, chocolate coins, then lots of "little" things - crayons, toys etc.

The stockings lasted right through our childhood. Santa only gave "little" things. All big presents came from a person and thank-you letters had to be written before New Year.

Good luck with your knitting - the children will love them.

Parsley3 Wed 04-Nov-20 10:47:25

I have knitted many Jean Greenhowe stockings. They are easy and look fabulous. Happy knitting.

Callistemon Wed 04-Nov-20 10:52:47

Witzend

*@GrannySomerset, for some years as children our stockings were some very thick, grey, hand knitted sea-boot socks my father had worn during WW2, when he was in the RN on the North Atlantic convoys. I expect my mother knitted them for him.
We used them until they fell to bits!

I had one of those as well, Witzend and apparently my lovely cream pram blanket was knitted with wool unravelled from my father's seaman's jersey.

Alishka Mon 09-Nov-20 12:53:25

When son was little we lived in a country which didn't 'do' Father Christmas, but he knew of him via English friends, books, etc.
So it was always a guessing game - will F.C. visit? And he always did!wink
Seems that he didn't have any stockings left, so he filled one of his wellington boots with toys and left it by the treegrin
So, every Christmas his size 6 w.b., spray painted silver, with cotton wool trim held in place with tinsel and a picture of f.c., is a permanent fixture by the tree.
It's amazing what f.c. can get into a size 6 w.b. gringringrin
DS is 50 now, btw and lives in another country, but always likes to see The Boot under my tree ...