My grandmother knit our stockings we had as kids. The big joke being that as she got older, her pattern interpretation became more creative. But they stretched to accommodate all of Santa’s loot. When I started having kids 11-12 yrs ago it was impt for them to have knit stockings too. Enter my grandmother’s pattern (which was modern and why they all looked a little different than my moms) and a partially finished stocking that was for my husband. Finally… 11 yrs and 4 kids later all the hand knit stockings are done and embellished.
Far left is mine that my grandmother made me. Immediately to the right is the one she started and I finished. I call him rasta santa because I am terrified to trim the beard and think I will braid and bead it. It’s fitting since we love bob marley.
Then the rest oldest to youngest kids. You can see my fatal flaw in the first stocking, then in the 3rd one i had my needles taken at airport security and had to finish on a different size when I got home. 2 sequins appliques are vintage from my mother in law and 2 were embroidered by my.mom, one sequined by her, one by me.
Things I learned : think I finally have figured out even knitting tension… hooray. Stitch markers are impt. The process and stories are almost as important as the stocking itself. Beading a machine embroidered piece is hard. I now know how to use a thimble. Clear thread was made by the devil himself. My reading glasses aren’t strong enough.
But next xmas they will all be done and on display !
I love that you finished the stocking that your grandma had started! How wonderful to have this tradition through the generations and to now have them all done! I’ve wanted to make family stockings for years now, but still haven’t gotten to it.
I like all the designs, but my favorite is the adorable cozy coupe with the Christmas tree on top!
Is it weird that I latched on to TSA taking your needles sometime in the last 11 years? Lol. (I’ve worked for an airline for the past 14 in the regulatory dept and now training and they have definitely been allowed as carryon items the entire time.) that had to be so infuriating!! But I think the stockings are amazing! Your children will love them forever.
Ha not weird… I had made it to Europe with them, no issue. coming home was a different story and my broken Hungarian paired with their uncertainty on if it’s allowed lead to their confiscation. To their credit though, she looked very sad and empathetic when she pulled the needles out of my work. She knew what the implication of the action was and was apologizing profusely. I wasn’t upset about it, they were doing their jobs and erred on the side of caution. I laugh about it now because it’s why one of the stockings is wonky and the last one I knitted is so big because I refused to buy another set of needles and used a set .5 bigger lol. All part of their history and legacy for the kids.
