Wednesday, July 7, 2010

My first Christmas stocking....




...ever! I did not grow up with the tradition of a Christmas stocking hanging by an open fire. First, we didn't have fireplaces. Second the Christchild brought Christmas gifts and Santa was relegated to December 6, St. Niklaus Day. Instead of stockings, we put our shoes by the front door and St. Niklaus and his helper would place a piece of fruit into one shoe and a stick in the other. In retrospect, an excellent lesson of the fact that children, and as an extension, all humans are both good and bad. In some areas of Germany the stick was replaced by a piece of coal. At the time we were too poor for such a luxury.

Thanks to Terry Morris and the Yahoo Group "holidaymysterygifts" this deficit in my education has been corrected. Terry designed three Christmas stockings, a stranded, an Intarsia, and a Gansey-style version. Since I found two very old skeins of Simply Soft by Caron in a beautiful Christmas green in our stash of yarns, I used it. Needle size used was 3.25 mm. The pattern suggested US 7, but the 3.25 mm needles gave me just the right texture. Now I suppose I'll have to make a second one. The question is which to make: the stranded version or the Intarsia version?

Knit on merrily!

7 comments:

  1. No Renate, You don't have to make a second one. That's the pleasure of Christmas stockings. You only hang one and since you make it big enough to hold all your expected Christmas goodies, it's not a sock you would want to wear. The only reason to knit a second sock is if you want to knit one for someone else - preferably someone you love, of course.

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  2. Good Job!

    I made Christmas stockings years ago & sent 1 set to West Africa to my dh's sister's family (included 1 for my mil that year since she was there for Christmas) and then I made a set for the 5 of us. I have no idea if the sil's family still have theirs or not. Ours we still have, all except mine that disappeared between Christmases a few years ago.

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  3. Great. I like the stitch patterns you chose. Are those family favorites, or did you look in a st disctionery?

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  4. Your stocking is fabulous!!! I just purchased some red wool for the textured one and blue and white acrylic for the crocheted one.

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  5. Hello Renate!
    Very beautiful!
    I had to get used to that tradition too! :) (still not really quite with it)
    Love your Christmas stocking! So pretty and the colour is very nice too!
    Hugs,
    B.

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  6. Lovely! Remember my recent post on knitting a Christmas Stocking? Beware if that woman contacts you...lol.

    May you find all the special little gifts that you want in that Christmas stocking come that special morning!

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  7. Your stocking is beautiful. I just discovered your blog through ravelry. I had come upon the beautiful lacy anklets you knitted. I am enjoying reading your blog. My dad grew up in Bremen, so I especially liked your Mother's Day post about some of your childhood experiences in Germany. I look forward to following your blog!

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