Knit Stocking Ornament

This post is brought to you by Lion Brand Yarn, which also provided yarn support. 

I’ve saved one of the best for last, friends! For the last ornament of Christmas, as we’re calling them around here, we are FINALLY tackling a miniature stocking. This little striped stunner measures just 3 inches tall, but it’s made just like a real sock! It’s also a sneaky way to incorporate a touch of knitted colorwork into this ornament series, and I just love its classic look. Won’t you whip up one of these in time for the holidays? I might even make a pair! ;)

Get an inexpensive, printable, ad-free PDF of this pattern here, or you can continue scrolling to see the pattern now.

The Knit Stocking Ornament will give all you knitters a chance to show your stuff! This ornament is knit very similarly to your typical toe-up sock, but with the heel placed at a different angle so the finished sock will hang like a proper stocking on your tree. For those familiar with sock knitting, this pattern uses the afterthought heel method (worked over just three short rounds!) to create the heel so necessary to achieving a finished project that actually looks as a sock should.

Stocking Ornament Knitting pattern

Skill level: intermediate

Supplies
1 pack Lion Brand Yarn Bonbons in Beach, which comes with 8 mini skeins. – You need less than a skein of white and green to complete the ornament.
size US 3 (3.25 mm) knitting needles – double pointed or long circulars
scrap yarn
scissors
tapestry needle
poly-fil
scrap ribbon
sewing needle & thread

Abbreviations & Terms
CO – cast on
sts – stitches
Clr A – Color A (green in the photos)
Judy’s Magic Cast On – a cast on that allows you to easily cast on a small amount of sts in the rnd. Here’s a tutorial.
k – knit
rep from *- repeat the instructions following the asterisk as directed
M1R – make 1 right. Here’s a tutorial.
M1L – make 1 left. Here’s a tutorial.
(X sts) – X indicates the number of sts that are now in the rnd
rep – repeat
Clr B – Color B (white in the photos)
sl – slip
afterthought heel – A method for knitting a sock heel. Here’s a tutorial.
Clr C – Color C (scrap yarn; not pictured in photos)
ssk – slip one as if to k, slip one as if to p, k both sts together through the back loop
k2tog – knit 2 sts together

Gauge & dimensions: 22 sts & 28 rnds over 4 inches, knit in stockinette stitch. Finished ornament measures approx. 3″ tall & 3″ wide.

Looking for a printer-friendly version of this pattern? Grab an inexpensive, ad-free & printer-friendly PDF of this pattern here, or read on for the blog version.

The Pattern

Stocking Body
CO 8 sts using Clr A & Judy’s Magic Cast On.
rnd 1. k8.
rnd 2. *k1, M1R, k2, M1L, k1; rep from * twice. (12 sts)
rnd 3. k 12.
rnd 4. *k1, M1R, k4, M1L, k1; rep from * twice. (16 sts)
rnd 5. k 16.
rnd 6. Using Clr B: k 16.
rnd 7. sl1, k15B.
rnd 8. Using Clr A: k 15.
rnd 9. sl1, k15A.
rnds 10-13. rep rnds 6-9.
rnds 14-15. rep rnds 6-7.

Set up your afterthought heel.
rnd 16. k5B, k10C, sl Clr C sts back onto empty needle. Using Clr B, re-knit Clr C sts: k10B. Finishing knitting rnd with k5B.

Knit leg & cuff. 
rnds 17-19. rep rnds 7-9.
rnds 20-27. rep rnds 6-9. (2 reps of 6-9)
rnd 28-29. *k1, p1; rep from * 8 times.
BO in pattern.

Stocking Heel
Remove Clr C (scrap) yarn and place live sts onto US 3 knitting needles. 
rnd 1. Starting at the center of your heel and using Clr B: *k1, ssk, k2, k2tog, k1; rep from * twice. (12 sts)
rnd 2. *ssk, k2, k2tog; rep from * twice. (8 sts)
rnd 3. *ssk, k2tog; rep from * twice. (4 sts)

Finishing
Break yarn, leaving a 6-8″ tail. Draw tail through remaining loops to secure. Weave in all ends. Using a needle & thread, sew a scrap of ribbon to the back of your finished ornament to hang.

If you make this or any of the other ornaments in the Ornaments of Christmas series, don’t forget to share your creation online using #handsoccupiedhohoho.

This post is brought to you by Lion Brand Yarn, which also provided yarn support.