Estonian Grellow Holiday Stocking

by Ann Weaver

I’ve never made a Christmas stocking, so when given the chance to design one for fibre space™ I decided to combine some of my favorite things: grellow, complementary colors, and a traditional yet surprisingly modern-looking Estonian stranded motif. I made this stocking long and gave it enough ease to accommodate a lot of holiday loot.

Materials

1 ball Filatura di Crosa Zara (DK weight; 100% Superwash Merino; 136 yds/50g per ball) each in 1468 Charcoal Gray (A), 1913 Maize (B), 1948 Light Olive (C), and 1940 Cherry (D). Actual yardage used: 135 yds A, 105 yds B, 80 yds C, 80 yds D.
Note: The sample used nearly the entire ball of A, so you might want to purchase a second ball of A to ensure you have enough yarn to complete the stocking.
US# 7 (4.5mm) 16-inch circular needle
US# 7 (4.5mm) double-pointed needles (DPNs), set of 4
3 stitch markers, one in second color for beginning of round
darning needle

Gauge

20 sts and 30 rnds / 4″ in stockinette stitch in the round

Measurements

11 inch circumference at cuff
18 inches from cuff to bottom of heel
11 inches from heel to toe

Skills Used

Working in the round; stranded knitting using two colors; picking up and knitting stitches

Abbreviations

CO: cast on
rnd(s): round(s)
m: marker
k: knit
p: purl
st(s): stitch(es)
st st: stockinette stitch
k2tog: knit 2 sts together
p2tog: purl 2 sts together
pm: place marker
rep: repeat
sl: slip
ssk: slip 2 sts knitwise, knit these 2 sts together

Instructions

Cuff

Using A and circular needle, CO 56 sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist sts. Place marker of second color to indicate beg of rnd.
Beginning and ending with a purl rnd, work 15 rnds in garter st.
Join B. Using B, knit 3 rnds.
Using A, beginning with a knit rnd, work 16 rnds in garter st.
Repeat previous 19 rnds.
Cut A and B. Join C. Using C, knit 4 rnds.
Join D. Using C and D, work 26 rnds of Festive Chart, working 28-st rep 2 times.
Cut D. Using C, knit 4 rnds.
Cut C. Join A. Using A, beginning with a knit rnd, work 16 rnds in garter st.
Cut A. Join B.

Heel Flap

The heel is worked back and forth over 26 sts. The heel is worked using only B.
Row 1 (RS): Using C, k13. Turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p25.
Row 3 (RS): Sl 1, k25.
Rep [Rows 2 and 3] 11 times. Work Row 2 once more.

Turn Heel

Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k15, k2tog, k1. Turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 3 (RS): Sl 1, knit to 1 st before gap created by turn, k2tog, k1. Turn.
Row 4 (WS): Sl 1, purl to 1 st before gap created by turn, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Rep [Rows 3 and 4] 2 times. All sts have been worked—18 sts remain.

Gusset

Knit 18 heel sts, pick up and knit 13 sts along edge of heel flap, pm, k30 instep sts, pm, pick up and knit 13 sts along edge of heel flap—74 sts.
Rnd 1: Knit to 2 sts before m, ssk, knit to m, sm, k2tog, knit to end of rnd—72 sts.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Cut B. Join A. Using A, continue to work gusset as follows:
Rnd 1: Knit to 2 sts before m, ssk, knit to m, sm, k2tog, knit to end of rnd—70 sts.
Rnd 2: Purl.
Rep [Rnds 1 and 2] 7 times—56 sts.

Foot

Cut A. Join D. Using D, knit 4 rnds.
Join C. Using D and C (reversing the colors used in the cuff), work 26 rnds of Festive Chart, working 28-st rep 2 times.
Cut C. Using D, knit 4 rnds.

Toe

Note: When sts no longer fit comfortably on circular needle, change to dpns.
Cut D. Join A.
Rnd 1: Using A, [k6, k2tog] 7 times—49 sts.
Rnd 2: Using A, purl.
Rnds 3 and 4: Using B, knit.
Rnd 5: Using A, [k5, k2tog] 7 times—42 sts.
Rnd 6: Using A, purl.
Rnds 7 and 8: Using B, knit.
Rnd 9: Using A, [k4, k2tog] 7 times—35 sts.
Rnd 10: Using A. purl.
Cut A. The remainder of the toe is worked using only B.
Rnds 11 and 12: Knit.
Rnd 13: [K3, k2tog] 7 times—28 sts.
Rnds 14 and 15: Knit.
Rnd 16: [K2, k2tog] 7 times—21 sts.
Rnd 17: [K1, k2tog] 7 times—14 sts.
Cut yarn and draw through remaining sts. Pull tight and fasten off.

Finishing

Weave in ends. Wet block.

Estonian Grellow Holiday Stocking