Chunky Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern

This Chunky Christmas Stocking Knitting Pattern creates a full-sized heirloom for the holidays. I love using thicker yarn to quickly knit up impressive projects. 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. So simple!

Additionally, there are no complicated heel and toe techniques. Instead, we easily shape the foot with a series of basic increase and decrease stitches. Get your free written pattern instructions, supply list, technique help, and video tutorial below.

New: Christmas Stocking Pattern Bundle (deep discount!)

Knitted Christmas Stocking with red and white stripes.

Knitted Dimensions

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

Knitting Gauge

Create Gauge Swatch in Super Bulky Weight #6 yarn with Size 11 US needles.

10 stitches and 13 rows = 4 x 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch.

Knitting Supplies

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.

Suggested Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick.
Feel free to use any super bulky yarn you can easily find in your region.

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  • Celebration (bright white with metallic strands)
  • Cranberry (red)
  • Starlight (cream with metallic strands)
  • Succulent (blue)

Knitting Needles: Circular Size 11 US (8.0 mm), Length 29″ or longer.
Although this piece is knitted flat, a circular needle accommodates its length.

Suggested Needles: Clover Bamboo Circular Knitting Needles

Tapestry Needle

Scissors

Stitch Marker (a scrap of yarn works great)

Watch Video Tutorial

Three Red and white striped knitted Christmas Stockings.
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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 at my Ravelry Shop.


Knitting Techniques

My full video tutorial (find further down on this post) demonstrates all knitting techniques. Please watch the knitting sections if you need a bit of a refresher, especially on those increase and decrease stitches to shape the foot.

Red and white striped knitted Christmas Stocking on a green background.

Chunky Christmas Stocking Construction

Knitted Top is Cuff Down

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


Top Cuff

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.

I recommend alternating your cast on with two stitches knitwise and two purlwise for the best-textured edge. Just want to keep it simple? You may cast on the basic long-tail knitwise for all stitches.

Forty stitches cast onto a circular knitting needle in super bulky yarn.

Knit up the cuff in the classic 2×2 Rib Stitch. Once you see how quickly these first eight rows knit up, you’ll start getting excited about how soon your work will be created.

Beginning of Christmas Stocking with 2x2 Rib Stitch on knitting needle.

Colorful Stripes in Stockinette

Follow the written pattern to knit up colorful stripes in the smooth Stockinette Stitch.

PRO TIP! Each time the pattern changes yarn color, make certain you are doing so while knitting the right side of your knitted piece. This assures that your colored stripes will look neat and bold without any purl dash lines.

Red and white stripes knitted in Stockinette stitch on knitting needle.

Shape Foot

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

Knitted Christmas Stocking flat prior to seaming.

Casting Off Stitches

Once you have completed knitting, increasing, and decreasing all 70 rows, it is time to cast off your stitches.

You will begin by Knitting 2 Stitches together (K2Tog) twice, then pass the second stitch over to cast off.


Wrong Side of Knitted Work

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

Wrong side of the knitted Christmas Stocking with purl dash lines visible.

Seam Edges

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 Video Instructions by Purl Soho)

Seaming knitted Christmas Stocking with the mattress stitch sewing technique.

Finishing

Simply fold right-side-out.

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

Christmas Stocking foot knitted in red and white yarn colors.

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 seam.

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

Braided hanging loop with yarn for knitted Christmas Stocking.

Printable Knitting Instructions

Knitted Christmas Stocking with red and white stripes on a green background.

Printable Knitting Pattern

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

Makes: Chunky Christmas Stocking
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Active Time: 8 hours
Additional Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 8 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 11 US (8 mm) - Length 29" or longer
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Scissors
  • Stitch Marker (optional)

Instructions

  1. STEP 1: Cast On 40 Sts
    Either Long-Tail Cast On or Alternate 2 Knit and 2 Purl Cast Ons.
    Helpful Tip: Begin Cast On with 80 inch long yarn tail.

  2. STEP 2: CUFF
    Color A (pictured sample is white)
    2 x 2 Rib Stitch
    Rows 1 - 8: * K2, P2 *

  3. STEP 3: BODY OF STOCKING
    Row 9:
    SSK, K36, K2Tog (38 rem)
    Row 10: P38
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____
    Switch to Color B (pictured sample is red)
    Stockinette Stitch
    Row 11: SSK, K34, K2Tog (36 rem)
    Row 12: P36
    Row 13: K36
    Row 14: P36
    Row 15: K36
    Row 16: P36
    Row 17: K36
    Row 18: P36
    Row 19: K36
    Row 20: P36
    Row 21: K36
    Row 22: P36
    Row 23: K36
    Row 24: P36
    Row 25: K36
    Row 26: P36
    Row 27: K36
    Row 28: P36
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

    Switch to Color A
    Row 29: K36
    Row 30: P36
    Row 31: K36
    Row 32: P36
    Row 33: K36
    Row 34: P36
    Row 35: K36
    Row 36: P36
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

    Switch to Color B
    Row 37: K36
    Row 38: P36
    Row 39: K36
    Row 40: P36
    Row 41: K36
    Row 42: P36
    Row 43: K36
    Row 44: P36
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

  4. STEP 4: STOCKING FOOT
    Switch to Color A
    Increase and Decrease Rows Begin

    Row 45: K36
    Row 46: P36
    Row 47: K36
    Row 48: P36
    Row 49: K17, KFB, KFB, K17 (38 rem)
    Optional: Place Marker after first KFB to keep track of the mid-point.

    Row 50: P38
    Row 51: K18, KFB, KFB, K18 (40 rem)
    Row 52: P40
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

    Switch to Color B
    Row 53: K19, KFB, KFB, K19 (42 rem)
    Row 54: P42
    Row 55: SSK, K18, KFB, KFB, K18, K2Tog (42 rem)
    Row 56: P20, PFB, PFB, P20 (44 rem)
    Row 57: SSK, K19, KFB, KFB, K19, K2Tog (44 rem)
    Row 58: P21, PFB, PFB, P21 (46 rem)
    Row 59: SSK, K20, KFB, KFB, K20, K2Tog (46 rem)
    Row 60: P22, PFB, PFB, P22 (48 rem)
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

    Switch to Color A
    Row 61: SSK, K44, K2Tog (46 rem)
    Row 62: P46
    Row 63 SSK, K20, KFB, KFB, K20, K2Tog (46 rem)
    Row 64: SSP, P42, P2Tog (44 rem)
    Row 65: SSK, K40, K2Tog (42 rem)
    Row 66: SSP, P38, P2Tog (40 rem)
    Row 67: SSK, K16, SSK, K2Tog, K16, K2Tog (36 rem)
    Row 68: SSP, P14, SSP, P2Tog, P14, P2Tog (32 rem)
    Row 69: SSK, K12, SSK, K2Tog, K12, K2Tog (28 rem)
    Row 70: SSP, P10, SSP, P2Tog, P10, P2Tog (24 rem)
    Cut Yarn, leaving about 16 inches of a yarn tail to use for seaming.
    _____

    Cast Off: K2Tog * K2Tog, Pass Stitch Over *
    _____

  5. STEP 5: FINISHING
    • With right sides facing, seam edges with mattress stitch.
    • Weave in and cut off remaining yarn ends.
    • Turn right side out.
    • Fold stocking cuff down.
    _____

  6. STEP 6: 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 18" tall.

_____

Gauge Swatch: 10 stitches and 13 rows = 4 inches in Stockinette Stitch.

_____

Knitting Techniques

Slip Knot 

CO = Cast On Long Tail Knitwise and Purlwise

K = Knit Stitch 

P = Purl Stitch

* * = Repeat Pattern Between Asterisks

KFB = Knit Front + Back to Increase

PFB = Purl Front + Back to Increase

K2Tog = Knit 2 Stitches Together to Decrease

P2Tog = Purl 2 Stitches Together to Decrease

SSK = Slip, Slip, Knit to Decrease

SSP = Slip, Slip, Purl to Decrease

Rem = Number of stitches remaining needle

Cast Off

Weave in Yarn Tails

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Kristen McDonnell
Author & Designer

After publishing her first knitting tutorial video, Kristen founded StudioKnit LLC. Enamored with teaching online, she films knitting lessons and designs from her vibrant production studio on Half Moon Bay’s California coast.

Kristen McDonnell is the author of the highly acclaimed book Knit Stitch: 50 Knit + Purl Patterns featuring vintage and unique designs.

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