How to Crochet a Granny Stitch Christmas Stocking Free Pattern & Video Tutorial

Highland Tweed Stockings

The holiday season is here, and if you're looking for a festive gift or a fun project to make stockings for your kids, my Granny Stitch Christmas Stocking is just the thing! This stocking is super easy to make, works up fast, and is a fantastic stash buster project. You can use as many colours as you like or keep it classic with traditional colours like mine.  Keep reading to find out how to make granny stitch Christmas stockings!

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A Trip Down Memory Lane

This Granny Stitch Stocking holds a special place in my heart. It was one of the very first patterns I shared on my blog, along with truly terrible photos and questionable colour choices.  But I still remember the excitement of posting it, hoping that someone, somewhere, would find joy in creating something from my design. 

Fast forward to today, and I’m thrilled to bring you a refreshed version of this classic pattern, complete with a video tutorial and new, (hopefully better) photos to inspire your creativity.

As my first blog posts hold such sentimental value, I’ve included the original blog post at the end for nostalgia's sake. It’s a little piece of my journey, a reminder of how far I have come.

Materials

I have curated a selection of crochet and crafting materials that I regularly use, in my Amazon Store.  As an Amazon affiliate I may receive commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.  You will find all the extras you need to make your stockings here.

Amazon USA

Amazon UK 

Materials Needed:

• Stylecraft Life Double Knit yarn (or your choice of DK weight yarn)
• 4mm crochet hook
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle

Watch the Video Tutorial

To make things even easier, I’ve created a step-by-step video tutorial to guide you through each part of the process. You can follow along and see exactly how each stitch and step is done. Check out the video here.

Highland Stockings Free Pattern

Abbreviations US Terms (UK Terms)

ch - chain

sc - single crochet (double crochet)

dc - double crochet (treble crochet)

sl st - slip stitch

dc2 tog - two double crochets together (two treble crochets together)

blo - back loop only

flo - front loop only

MC - main colour

CC - contrasting colour

sk - skip

sp - space

Special Stitches:

Stacked stitch - a single crochet with another stacked on top, the second stitch is worked by inserting the hook into the left leg of the single crochet stitch and making another single crochet. This counts as a double crochet.

Pattern notes:

• Read the entire pattern carefully before starting
• US terms are used throughout
• The stocking is worked from the toe up, with heel shaping and then finally ribbing and embellishments
• Ch3 at the start of the round counts as a dc (this may be replaced by stacked stitches instead)
• Each round is finished by joining to 1st st of the round with a sl st
• Main colour is red or green, contrast colour is natural
• A cluster of 3dc in the same stitch is known as granny stitch
• When working heel start each row with a stacked stitch or ch3

Toe

Start each round with either a ch3 or a stacked stitch. With MC ch4, join to make ring

Round 1: Ch3, 14dc in ring, join. (15dc)

Round 2: Ch3, dc in same st, 2dc in each st around, join. (30dc)

Round 3: Ch3, dc in same st, [dc in next st, 2dc in next st] repeat around ending with dc in last st, join. (45dc)

Round 4: Ch3, dc in same st, [dc in next 2 sts, 2dc in next st] repeat around ending with dc in last 2 sts, join. (60dc)

Rounds 5–7: Ch3, dc in each st around, join. (60dc)

Foot

Round 8: With CC, join with stacked stitch, 2dc in same st, [sk2, 3dc in next st] repeat around, sk2, join with sl st to 1st st, turn. (20 clusters)

Round 9: Stacked stitch in sp between clusters, 2dc in same sp, 3dc in each sp around, join to top of 1st st, turn.

Round 10: With MC, repeat Round 9.

Repeat Rounds 9 & 10 until a total of 14 rows of granny stitch have been worked. Fasten off.

Heel

With MC and seam facing, count 4 clusters to right of seam and join to 1st stitch of 1st cluster with a stacked stitch.

Row 1: Dc in next 23 sts, turn. (24 dc)

Row 2: Dc in 1st 10 sts, [dc2tog] twice, dc in remaining 10 sts, turn. (22 dc)

Row 3: Dc in 1st 9 sts, [dc2tog] twice, dc in remaining 9 sts, turn. (20 dc)

Row 4: Dc in 1st 8 sts, [dc2tog] twice, dc in remaining 8 sts, turn. (18 dc)

Row 5: Dc in 1st 7 sts, [dc2tog] twice, dc in last 7 sts, turn. (16 dc)

Row 6: Dc in 1st 6 sts, [dc2tog] twice, dc in last 6 sts, fold heel and sl st to last st of the row. (14 dc)

Body

Round 1: Continuing with MC, work a stacked stitch in the sp you made joining the heel, 2dc in same sp. Working along the side of your heel rows [skip one row, then work a 3dc around the post of the next dc] ×3. 3dc in next sp (in last round of CC before the heel was added), 3dc in each sp around until you reach the other side of the heel, 3dc around post of 1st row of heel, [skip one row, then work a 3dc around the post of the next dc] ×3. Join to 1st st, turn. (20 clusters)

Rounds 2–20: Continue in the same way as for foot, working rounds of granny stitch, keeping colour sequence correct. Fasten off and sew the hole at the heel closed.

Ribbing

With MC, join with a sl st at centre back of stocking, ch41.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each st across, join to stocking edge with sl st into next 2 sts, turn (anti-clockwise). (40 sc)

Row 2: Sk both sl sts, working in blo, sc in each st across to last st, sc both loops next st, turn.

Row 3: (No turning ch, elongate loop on hook slightly), sc in 1st st, in blo sc in each st across, join with sl st to stocking edge in next 2 sts, turn.

Repeat last 2 rows until you have worked all the way around the stocking.

Join with sl st to 1st st of foundation ch, working in flo, join each st to foundation edge of ribbing, fasten off and weave in ends.

Optional Extras:

• Tassels: Add tassels to your stocking for a professional touch.
• Name Tags: Attach wooden name tags to personalise your stocking
• Add leather hanging tags.

I hope you enjoy making this Granny Stitch Stocking as much as I did. It's a wonderful project for the festive season and makes a great handmade gift. Happy crocheting! If you want to see more tutorials, check out my YouTube channel for more crochet inspiration.

Original Blog Post

For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, here’s a trip down memory lane with the original Granny Stitch Stocking pattern post. It’s a little piece of the Lullaby Lodge history...

Granny Stripe Stocking

Inspired by all the lovely Granny Stripe blankets out there I wanted to create something similar in a Christmas Stocking.  I searched the Internet and didn't quite find what I was looking for so decided to design a pattern myself.  

This pattern is written in American terminology and is suitable for a beginner.  You may use as many colours as you like, making this project perfect for stash busting.

You will need...

Main part of the stocking approximately 100g of DK

Contrast colour (heal, toe and cuff) approximately 30g of DK

Size 4 mm crochet hook (G)

Wool needle

Optional - ribbon for hanging, pom poms, buttons, bells etc. to decorate your stocking

Stitches used...

dc - double crochet

Granny cluster - 3 dc in one stitch or space

slip stitch

dc2tog - double crochet 2 together

When starting a new colour I always use a standing dc for my first stitch and a no chain dc when starting a new round with the same colour.  There are some great videos showing you how to do this on YouTube here and here.  You can of course use the traditional method of joining with a slip stitch and chaining 3 if you wish.

Round 1 with contrast colour starting with chain 4 join to form a loop and work 15 dc into the loop, join with a slip stitch (15 dc)

Round 2 2 dc in each stitch around (30 dc)

Round 3 [2 dc in the first stitch, 1 dc into the next stitch] repeat around (45 dc)

Round 4 [2 dc in the first stitch, 1 dc into the next 2 stitches] repeat around (60 dc)

Rounds 5-7 dc in each stitch around.

Round 8 main colour(s) [work 3 dc into the next stitch (one granny cluster formed), skip 2 stitches] repeat around (20 granny clusters)

Round 9 if you are starting a new colour work a granny cluster into any space between the clusters on previous row.  If continuing in same colour slip stitch across to the next space and work your granny cluster here.  Continue round working a granny cluster into each space, join each round with a slip stitch.

Round 10-21 as round 9

Commence heel...

Row 1 in contrast colour starting in the first stitch of any granny cluster work 24 dc turn

Row 2 dc in the next 10 stitches, dc2tog, dc2tog, dc in the last 10 stitches turn (22 dc)

Row 3 dc in the next 9 stitches, dc2tog, dc2tog, dc in the last 9 stitches (20 dc)

Row 4 dc in the next 8 stitches, dc2tog, dc2tog, dc in the last 8 stitches (18 dc)

Row 5 dc in the next 7 stitches, dc2tog, dc2tog, dc in the last 7 stitches (16 dc)

Row 6 dc in the next 6 stitches, dc2tog, dc2tog, dc in the last 6 stitches (14 dc)

Fold the heal in half and make a slip stitch in the first stitch of previous row.

Continue in rounds...

Round 22 work a granny cluster into the space you just made with your slip stitch.  Working along the side of your heel rows [skip one dc, then work a dc cluster into the side of the next dc] x3.  You should now have one cluster in the space at the back of the heel and 3 clusters along the side of the heel.  Now continue across the main part of the stocking working a granny cluster into each space until you get to the other side of the heel.  Work a granny cluster into the side of the first dc on the heel, [skip 1 dc, granny cluster into the next dc] x2, slip stitch to join.

Round 23-45 as round 9

Begin cuff

Round 46-49 in contrast colour work 4 rounds of granny clusters

Round 50 dc in each stitch around

Round 51 working from the wrong side (this is easiest if you turn the stocking inside out) and working in back loops only dc in each stitch around

Plain cuff

Round 52-56 dc in each stitch around

Fasten off

Lace cuff

Round 52 [dc in the next stitch, skip 2 stitches, 2 dc in the next stitch, chain 2, 2 dc in the same stitch, skip 2 stitches] repeat around and join with a slip stitch

Round 53 [dc in dc from previous round, 3 dc in chain 2 space, chain 2, 3 dc in same space] repeat around and join with a slip stitch

Round 54 [sc in dc from previous round, 4 dc in chain 2 space, chain 2, 4 dc in same space] repeat around and join with a slip stitch

Round 55  [slip stitch in the next 4 dc, slip stitch in chain space, chain 3, slip stitch in first chain of chain 3, slip stitch in same chain space, slip stitch in the next 4 dc, slip stitch in next sc] repeat around and join with a slip stitch 

Fasten off

Sew heel closed and weave in ends

Hanging loop...

You can either sew a loop of ribbon to the top of your stocking or simply crochet a hanging loop as follows...

Row 1 chain 21 sc in 2nd chain from hook and in every chain, bind off.

Fold in half and sew onto the top of your stocking.

Use as many or as few colours as you like...

 and you can add all sorts of extras, bows, bells, pom poms.  Just use your imagination.  I made an applique star for this one and a lacy  cuff...

I hope you like the pattern and I would love to see some photos if you make one.

Happy Christmas crafting!

Catherine

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