Kate blogged about knitting objects and whether or not we create them to be heirlooms and I left her a comment about my family’s tradition when it comes to our Christmas stockings. We all have striped, fair isle stockings knit for us, with our names and various characters embellishing them. She emailed asking for photos, and while I don’t have any recent, I do have some that were taken in 1982.
Photos link to flickr, where you can see bigger photos of them.
In these photos I am almost 19 months old there. Note that one stocking is a different color, this one was knit earlier [it’s my mom’s]. The other three are the same color, and my younger sister [born in 1983] was early enough that they were made with leftover yarn from the previous three. TheBoy’s will likely be a very different shade than mine, and he should have it for this Christmas since we’ll be married. These are hardcore acrylic, which is likely for the best in this case. They all have three trees on the top stripe and two candles on the second stripe but they each have one of three different single objects on the 3rd stripe. A wreath, reindeer or santa face. They also have sequins and beads that you can’t see in these photos. I have such fond memories of these stockings and fully intend to take up as the family stocking knitter when my mom decides she’s had enough. I’m not entirely sure where the patterns came from, but I’ll bet my mom will likely email me to let me know.
They’re great stockings! I thought I just comment and say Hi! and that I’ve just added you to my Bloglines list.
(I’m Lloer on Craftster)
That’s such a nifty idea. I have a stocking my mother made, but it’s sewn and not knitted. She sewed the whole stocking, and then hand-embroidered lots of little (baby themed) images like duckies and rattles. Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without it.
The pattern comes from my sister’s husband’s family. My brother-in-law, Lee’s mother knit them for her children and their spouses. My sister Ruth then knit them for her children and one for me the first Christmas I spent with them when I was in college. I then took over for my family and will pass the pattern on to Bonnie.
My sister and I have stockings almost exactly like those! They were knit by my Aunt Barb, and she never made them for my parents. I ended up crocheting them some stockings. I’ll probably be making my boy one (shhh don’t tell) this Christmas because it’ll be our first one in Eugene.
Hi, I was so excited when I saw this picture. I have been looking everywhere for the pattern to these stockings. My great aunts made these same stockings for our whole family for generations, but when they passed away, they didn’t leave the pattern with anyone. Our family tradition is very similar to yours, even with using parts from old socks for new ones. I would love to carry on the tradition. If you wouldn’t mind, could you please email me the pattern. I would be so grateful. Thank you.