Knit a Vintage Christmas

My daughter-in-law asked me to knit Christmas stockings for her twins to match her own Christmas stocking knit by her grandmother decades ago from a a kit. I am an intermediate-level knitter and had never done intarsia. My local yarn shop recommended this book as a place to start. I also bought 2 packages (16) of E-Z BOBS plastic yarn bobbins, which are wonderful. The book has some funky, old fashioned Christmas stocking designs, most knit on small needles with DK or finer weight yarns. It also has additional projects for hats, slippers, decorations, toys, etc., which look very fun. This book has extremely limited instructions on techniques so you must be an experienced knitter. I studied YouTube videos to learn intarsia and to understand sock construction or you can get lessons from your local yarn shop. The intarsia patterns look best knit on small needles with fine weight yarn like the patterns suggest but take a long time to knit. The charts are well written. Some of the larger charts require magnification or can be enlarged for your own use. I used some of the patterns in this book as a basis for designing my own patterns using US size 6 needles and worsted weight yarn to match my DIL's vintage sock. Results were great. I also modified by knitting a double hemmed cuff in the round, switched to flat knitting and did intarsia only in the leg of the sock, then joined again in the round after the heel flap to finish the foot. By doing this I only needed to seam the intarsia area which I limited to the leg of the sock. Most patterns in the book are entirely knit flat then seamed by hand because the intarsia is on the foot as well as the leg of the sock. I'm not fond of seaming so kept my intarsia to the leg only. I also highly recommend the book "Christmas Stockings: 18 Holiday Treasures to Knit" 2001 by Interweave Press https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Stockings-Holiday-Treasures-Knit  Christmas Stockings: Holiday Treasures to Knit . I checked it out from my local library.

Love this book -- it was exactly as promised, and has a pattern in it for a stocking like the one my mom made for me over 50 years ago. Thrilled to be able to make this pattern for a new generation in my family.

Yes I liked the variety of patterns and am making a couple for Christmas.

Nice gracias for my collection of Christmas stockings.

Used it to recapture those lost stockings from years and memories past.

I had been looking for years, to find a pattern book and this in has it all. Detailed directions, easy to follow and unique patterns.

Great book. I’m not a fan of purchasing online patterns.

Recommended for experienced knitters, not a place to start your very first project. There are many different designs to choose from.

Thought this book was lovely. The only down side to this book was to many stocking patterns I have knitted several items and instructions are clear..

I would have like less stockings and more choices of xmas patterns

Love this book and started knitting the autumn wreath straight away!

Interesting designs and patterns

It is work in progress most enjoyable all the little pieces are falling into place I will make lots of I items from this lovely book