This is my mantle for the holidays
I know it’s not straight out of a catalogue, but I like it.
Sewing is my first love, but knitting was the second needlecraft I learned, and sometimes (like when it’s cold out) it overtakes sewing.
The stockings are handknit by me (we also have a large set of sewn stockings at my mom’s house that I’ll showcase later this month).
This one is Hubby’s (is it silly to blur out his name? He doesn’t want it on here).
I made his first. I ran out of red yarn, so I decided to do the green toe, and then I made mine the reverse so it looks like I meant to do that all along. I made the design up as I was going.
I love how the short rows made the cable curve around the heel.
This one is mine
It’s bigger than everyone else’s, but I swear I wasn’t angling for more presents. I just fell in love with this tree pattern
which I saw on a sweater, and with this lace edging
and it ended up bigger, though I used tiny needles to try to minimize the size difference.
This is Tater’s
It was a quick knit, but the embellishments took forever
I sort of used a pattern by Nicky Epstein for the embellishments. This was the inspiration stocking (and if you click on the picture it will take you to the pattern)

Last year I frantically knit one for Bean (poor second child – he didn’t have a stocking until Christmas Eve and everyone else had theirs on Black Friday).
 I wanted it to sort of match Tater’s, but be recognizable as his, so I replaced the gingerbread man with a snowman and rearranged the other embellishments.
And those are our stockings
CraftyGardenMom - Tanesha
I LOVE your knitted stockings! And what a treasure to pass on. Thanks for sharing.
Amy
These are great! You did an awesome job! So glad you linked up at Shine On Fridays. PS – you can read hubby’s name in the first photo…might want to blur that too.
{ L }
Wow! I’m impressed. This caught my eye because I am a brand NEW knitter and just made a stocking too. 🙂 So fun. <3 Yours are amazing! You are very skilled at this. Your stocking is my favorite. The design is just gorgeous.
Q @ JAQS
Nice work!
If you get a chance – love for you to link up to my “Made by ME” linky party: http://www.jaqsstudio.com/2011/12/made-by-me-9-linky-party-and-features.html
Natasha in Oz
I think your mantle looks wonderful! You are so clever making these yourself. You really have made a wonderful heirloom for your family.
I have just posted about Christmas stockings on my Christmas blog. Please pop by if you have 5 minutes to spare! I would be honoured if you could link up this post.
Best Christmas wishes,
Natasha.
MMarg.
Please consider sharing the patterns for you and your husband’s stockings!! I want to make them so badly!
Mary Reilly
Please send me the patterns from you and your husband’s stockings!!