The knitted stockings shown below were featured in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 15, published in London in 1900. They were designed to come above the knee, but I have reworked it as a long sock, 12 inches (30.5 cm) above the heel flap. I’ve used the same number of rows in the ribbing and kept the pattern as close to the original as possible, placing fewer stitches in the leg and therefore fewer decreases down the leg to the ankle. From there, I have followed the pattern as it was written, working a Dutch Heel and Round Toe variation. The original heel flap is longer than usual, but I’ve kept it that way because I wanted to see how it worked out. Lovely.
Nancy Bush’s “Evening Stockings for a Young Lady to Knit,” which were originally featured in the November/December 2009 issue of PieceWork. Photo by Joe Coca.
Materials
The Alpaca Yarn Company Glimmer, 97% baby alpaca/ 3% polyester yarn, fingering-weight, 183 yards (167 m)/50 g skein, #100 White House, 3 skeins
Needles, set of 4 double pointed, size 1 (2.5 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle
Finished size: 7 inches (17.8 cm) foot circumference, 12 inches (30.5 cm) long from cast-on edge to top of heel flap, and 9 inches (22.9 cm) long from back of heel to tip of toe; to fit women’s U.S. shoe sizes 6½ to 7½
Gauge: 16 sts and 22 rnds = 2 inches (5.1 cm) in St st worked in the rnd, before blocking
—Nancy Bush
Nancy Bush, a member of PieceWork’s editorial advisory panel, teaches knitting workshops nationwide and owns the Wooly West, a mail-order source for knitters. She is the author of numerous books, including PieceWork’s Vintage Socks to Knit eBook.
Download a copy of the November/December 2009 issue of PieceWork or Knitting Traditions Fall 2014 to knit Nancy’s knitted stockings.