Bubble Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern

This Bubble Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern creates a whimsical textured holiday decoration with super bulky yarn. I love using thicker yarn to quickly knit up impressive projects.

Knit up these stockings to make beloved gifts for years to come.

Get your free written pattern instructions with video tutorial below. You may also purchase my ad-free printable pdf pattern in my Studio Knit Pattern Shop.

Bubble Christmas Stocking in red and white yarn colors by Studio Knit.
Table of Contents

Christmas Stocking Attributes

Skill-Level: Intermediate. Best for knitters comfortable with Knit 4 Below, increase, and decrease techniques.

This pattern creates a sturdy and substantial piece knitted flat on a long circular needle with super bulky yarn. The bigger the yarn, the bigger the knitting needles, the faster it knits up.

Additionally, there are no complicated heel and toe techniques. Instead, we easily shape the stocking foot with a series of basic increase and decrease stitches.

Check out more of my Christmas Holiday knitting project gift ideas:

Knitted Bubble Stocking with three shades of blue yarn and a cream color cuff.

Printable Knitting Pattern (ad-free)

My ad-free printable pdf pattern, complete with a knitting chart, of this Christmas Stocking is available in my Studio Knit Pattern Shop.

Also available on Etsy, LoveCrafts, and Ravelry. A great way to support my knitting work!

Thumbnails of Bubble Stocking Knitting Pattern by Studio Knit.

Knitting Supplies

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Yarn: Super Bulky Weight #6.
220 yards (201 m) total.
Select any fiber and colors of your choice.

Suggested Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. This yarn blend has the feel, warmth, and softness of wool with the easy care and washability of acrylic. It’s commonly found in many big box craft shops here in the US.

Plymouth Yarn’s Encore Mega is another good choice for this project.

Knitting supplies of circular needle, tapestry needle, scissors, and super bulky yarn in blue color.

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Knitting Needles: Circular Size 10 US (6.0 mm), Length 24″ or longer.
Although this piece is knitted flat, a circular needle accommodates its length.

Note: We are intentionally knitting this pattern on smaller needles than the yarn gauge recommends. This tighter weave allows the bubble stitch texture to pop and keep the stocking’s contents inside without gaps or holes.

Suggested Circular Needles: Clover Takumi or Crystal Palace

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Tapestry Needle

Scissors

Stitch Marker (a scrap of yarn works great)


Christmas Stocking Construction

Stocking Dimensions

This full-sized Christmas Stocking is finished at 8″ wide and 18″ tall.

Knitted Bubble Stocking in pink color yarn and a cream color cuff on a wall with felt flowers.

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Knitting Gauge

Create Gauge Swatch in Super Bulky Weight #6 yarn with Size 10 US needles.

10 stitches and 18 rows = 4 x 4 inches in Bubble Stitch.

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Color Change Options

Design your stocking pattern with your custom yarn color combinations. Switch yarn colors prior to the following knitting rows for the design of your choice.

Christmas Stocking outline with color change rows demarked.

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Knitted Top/Cuff Down

This pattern is knitted top/cuff down, which is a method of making socks that uses the top of the stocking cuff as the starting point.

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Stocking Cuff Ribbing

Begin by casting on 40 stitches on your knitting needle in Color A yarn, which is white in my pictured sample. We are casting on the edge of the rib stitch cuff.

Helpful Tip: Begin Cast On with an 80-inch long yarn tail.

Knit up the cuff in the classic 2×2 Rib Stitch with two rows in Stockinette Stitch for cuff top seam. Once you see how quickly these first 16 rows knit up, you’ll start getting excited about how soon your stocking will be created.

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Stocking Body in Bubble Stitch

The body of your stocking is knitted in the popular Bubble Stitch. It knits up quickly and really pops.

You may wish to knit your piece in all one color, with a different cuff color, or colorful stripes. The written pattern instructions include recommended row color changes. Mix and match color combinations to make your own creative design!

Want an easier stitch pattern? Check out my Chunky Christmas Stocking in Stockinette >

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Shape Stocking Foot

This pattern is designed to create a beautifully shaped stocking foot as easily as possible. We are using simple knit and purl increase and decrease techniques to create the shape.

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Casting Off Stitches

Once you have completed knitting, increasing, and decreasing all 79 rows of your stocking, it is time to cast off purlwise on the wrong side of your work.

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Wrong Side of Knitted Work

Here’s a quick look at the wrong side of your knitting. This is the backside of the stocking, which has never-to-be-seen purl dash lines in reverse stockinette stitch and the cinched bubble stitches.

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Seam Stocking Edge

Fold your piece with the right sides touching. The wrong side is visible on the outside so you can easily tack the piece together using yarn and a tapestry needle with the Mattress Stitch (see instructions from Purl Soho).

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Finishing Christmas Stocking

Simply fold your stocking right-side-out.

Wet blocking is optional. I feel the super bulky yarn shape looks great unblocked!

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Make Braided Hanging Loop

• Cut 9 strands of yarn 16 inches long each.

• Knot one end, braid with three strands together, knot to finish.

• Insert each knotted end into the top of the stocking seam.

• Tack loop with yarn and tapestry to hold in place.

Braided hanging loop with yarn for knitted Christmas Stocking.

Knitting Techniques

Need to brush up or learn a new technique? Check out my entire library of Knitting Techniques to help you along as you knit up this blanket pattern.

NOTE: Because the knitting abbreviations KFB (increase) and K4B (bubble) are so similar to the eye, I am bolding and underlining the technique K4B in the written pattern instructions to help you best see the difference.


Bubble Stitch Project Ideas

You can create this texture in a wide variety of creative fashion projects like scarves, hats, blankets, and pillows.


Printable Knitting Instructions

Knitted Bubble Stocking with three shades of blue yarn and a cream color cuff.

Printable Knitting Pattern

This Bubble Stitch Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern is quick-knit with super bulky yarn.

Makes: Bubble Stitch Christmas Stocking
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 12 hours
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 12 hours 20 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate

Materials

  • Yarn: Super Bulky Weight #6.
  • 200 yards (184 m) total = 100 yards (92 m) each of two colors.
  • Select any fiber and colors of your choice.

Tools

  • 1 Circular Needle: Size 10 US (6.0 mm) - Length 24" or longer
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Scissors
  • Stitch Marker (optional)

Instructions

Cast On 40 Sts

Helpful Tip: Begin Cast On with an 80-inch long yarn tail.

Prior to knitting, design your color changes from the stocking diagram.

Christmas Stocking outline with color change rows demarked.

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CUFF

Begin with Color A

2 x 2 Rib and Stockinette Stitch

Rows 1 - 8: * K2, P2 *

Rows 9 & 10: Knit All

Rows 11 - 16: * K2, P2 *

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BODY OF STOCKING

Switch yarn color (optional)

Stockinette and Bubble Stitch

Note: Because K4B (bubble) and KFB (increase) have a similar abbreviation, K4B is bolded and underlined throughout the pattern to help differentiate the stitches.

Row 17: SSK, K36, K2Tog (38 rem)

Row 18: P38

Row 19: SSK, K34, K2Tog (36 rem)

Row 20: P36

Row 21: K36

Row 22: P36

Row 23: K36

Row 24: P36

Row 25: * K3, K4B *, K4

Row 26: P36

Row 27: K36

Row 28: P36

Row 29: K36

Row 30: P36

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Switch yarn color (optional)

Row 31: K1, K4B, * K3, K4B *, K2

Row 32: P36

Row 33: K36

Row 34: P36

Row 35: K36

Row 36: P36

Row 37: * K3, K4B *, K4

Row 38: P36

Row 39: K36

Row 40: P36

Row 41: K36

Row 42: P36

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Switch yarn color (optional)

Row 43: K1, K4B, * K3, K4B *, K2

Row 44: P36

Row 45: K36

Row 46: P36

Row 47: K36

Row 48: P36

Row 49: * K3, K4B *, K4

Row 50: P36

Row 51: K36

Row 52: P36

Row 53: K36

Row 54: P36

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Switch yarn color (optional)

Row 55: K1, K4B, * K3, K4B *, K2

Row 56: P36

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STOCKING FOOT

Increase and Decrease Rows Begin.

Place Marker (PM) at mid-point, then Slip Marker (SM) as you knit each row.

Row 57: K17, KFB, (PM), KFB, K17 (38 rem)

Row 58: P19, (SM), P19

Row 59: K18, KFB, (SM), KFB, K18 (40 rem)

Row 60: P20, (SM), P20

Row 61: * K3, K4B * (4 times), K3, KFB, (SM), KFB, K2, K4B, * K3, K4B * (3 times), K4 (42 rem)

Row 62: P21, (SM), P21

Row 63: SSK, K18, KFB, (SM), KFB, K18, K2Tog (42 rem)

Row 64: P20, PFB, (SM), PFB, P20 (44 rem)

Row 65: SSK, K19, KFB, (SM), KFB, K19, K2Tog (44 rem)

Row 66: P21, PFB, (SM), PFB, P21 (46 rem)

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Switch yarn color (optional)

Row 67: SSK, K1, K4B, * K3, K4B * (3 times), K6, KFB, (SM), KFB, K5, K4B, * K3, K4B * (3 times), K2, K2Tog (46 rem)

Row 68: P22, PFB, (SM), PFB, P22 (48 rem)

Row 69: SSK, K22, (SM), K22, K2Tog (46 rem)

Row 70: P23, (SM), P23

Row 71: SSK, K21, KFB, (SM), KFB, K21, K2Tog (46 rem)

Row 72: P23, (SM), P23

Row 73: SSK, K4B, * K3, K4B * (4 times), K4, (SM), * K3, K4B * (5 times), K1, K2Tog (44 rem)

Row 74: SSP, P20, (SM), P20, P2Tog (42 rem)

Row 75: SSK, K17, SSK, (SM), K2Tog, K17, K2Tog (38 rem)

Row 76: SSP, P15, SSP, (SM), P2Tog, P15, P2Tog (34 rem)

Row 77: SSK, K13, SSK, (SM), K2Tog, K13, K2Tog (30 rem)

Row 78: SSP, P11, SSP, (REMOVE STITCH MARKER), P2Tog, P11, P2Tog (26 rem)

Row 79: K2, K4B, * K3, K4B * (5 times), K3 (26 rem)

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Cast Off Purlwise

Cut Yarn, leaving a long yarn tail to use for seaming.

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FINISHING

• With right sides facing, seam edges with mattress stitch.

• Weave in and cut off remaining yarn ends.

• Turn the right side out.

• Fold stocking cuff down.

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MAKE HANGING LOOP

• Cut 9 strands of yarn 16 inches long each.

• Knot one end, braid, knot to finish.

• Insert each knotted end into the top of the stocking seam.

• Tack loop with yarn and tapestry to hold in place.

Notes

Construction: Knitted Top Down

Sizes: One Size, 8" wide x 16" tall.

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Gauge Swatch: 10 stitches and 18 rows = 4 inches in Bubble Stitch.

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Knitting Techniques

  • Slip Knot 
  • CO = Cast On Long Tail
  • K = Knit Stitch 
  • P = Purl Stitch
  • * * = Repeat Pattern Between Asterisks
  • K4B = Knit 4 Below
  • KFB = Knit Front + Back (Increase)
  • PFB = Purl Front + Back (Increase)
  • K2Tog = Knit 2 Stitches Together (Decrease)
  • P2Tog = Purl 2 Stitches Together (Decrease)
  • SSK = Slip, Slip, Knit (Decrease)
  • SSP = Slip, Slip, Purl (Decrease)
  • Rem = Number of stitches remaining on the needle
  • PM = Place Marker
  • SM = Slip Marker
  • Cast Off Purlwise
  • Weave in Yarn Tails

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Thank You for Visiting Studio Knit

I hope you are inspired to make a Christmas Stocking in Bubble Stitch this holiday.

If you’d like even more great ideas, please make sure you join my mailing list. It’s a free and easy way for us to stay connected.

Happy knitting to you!

Kristen Signature in Red Ink

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