Utensil Stockings to Knit for the Xmas Table

Add a little holiday flair to your table with these cute stockings to hold your utensils. Options include cabled stockings (left or right twist) and a striped stockinette version that could also be worked in a solid color if you'd rather.

What you need

around 60 yards medium/worsted weight yarn of your choice
set of three or four size 7 US/4.5 mm double-pointed knitting needles
cable needle for the cabled versions
yarn needle for sewing up the toe

Instructions

The stockings are shown with three variations: a right-slanting cable, a left-slanting cable and a striped version. All use the same number of stitches and the same basic techniques. The striped version comes out bigger (9 inches around instead of 7) because the cable pulls in. Cast on fewer stitches if you’d rather have a smaller version, or use this one if you have large utensils or want to fit in more than three pieces.

All stockings are about 7 inches long from the cuff to the bottom of the foot, and the feet are about 6 inches long from the back of the heel, though the size doesn’t matter that much.

Gauge is about 4.5 stitches per inch on the striped stocking and 5 stitches per inch on the cabled stocking in the stockinette section. Gauge is not that critical but you do want them relatively firm.

Cabled Stockings

Using a contrasting color for the cuff if desired, cast on 40 stitches. Divide onto two or three double-pointed needles and join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Work in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing for 1 inch.

Change to main color and knit 1 round.

K4, p2, k8, p2, k the rest of the round.

Repeat this round two times.

Cable round: K4, p2, slip 4 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front (for a cable that twists to the left) or back (for a cable that twists to the right), k4, k4 from cable needle, p2, k the rest of round.

Continue to work with knits and purls as established, repeating the cable round every fourth round, until piece measures about 5 inches, ending with a cable turn round.

Work across 16 stitches as established. K 20 stitches onto an empty needle and work back and forth in short rows on these stitches to form the heel.

Turn and p19, wrap and turn.

K18, wrap and turn.

Continue to work one fewer stitch each row and wrap and turn the next stitch until 5 stitches have been wrapped on both ends and 10 stitches remain unworked in the middle.

Begin working one more stitch each side, working the stitch with its wrap as you come to them, and continuing to wrap and turn as you go (so that all but the first wrapped stitch will end up with two wraps) until all stitches have been worked.

Next right side row, begin working in rounds again, and consider the side of the heel the end of the round. You may want to pick up a stitch and work it together with the stitch on each side of the heel to close up the holes.

Continue to work in cable pattern until piece measures about five inches from the back of the heel, or desired length, ending with a cable turn round.

K1, ssk, k14, k2tog. Repeat on remaining stitches.

Continue working 4 decreases each round, with one fewer stitch between them each round, until 12 stitches remain.

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn tail onto yarn needle, slip stitches onto yarn and pull tight. Weave in ends.

Striped Stocking

This one could be worked in more than two colors, one solid color, whatever you like. I used the green for both the cuff and the heel, which you can do or not.

With color A, cast on 40.

Divide onto two or three double pointed knitting needles and join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Work in knit 2, purl 2 ribbing for 4 rounds.

Change to color B and work in stockinette for 3 rounds.

Change to color A and work in stockinette for 3 rounds.

Continue in stripe pattern until piece measures about 5 inches, ending with the color you do not want to work the heel with (in my case, that’s color B).

Heel is worked with color A back and forth on 20 stitches.

K19, wrap and turn.

P18, wrap and turn.

Continue to work one fewer stitch each row and wrap and turn the next stitch until 5 stitches have been wrapped on both ends and 10 stitches remain unworked in the middle.

Begin working one more stitch each side, working the stitch with its wrap as you come to them, and continuing to wrap and turn as you go (so that all but the first wrapped stitch will end up with two wraps) until all stitches have been worked.

K across unworked stitches (this counts as round 1 in that stripe color) and continue in stripe pattern as established until piece measures about 5 inches from back of heel, or desired length.

Continuing to change colors as you go, k1, ssk, k14, k2tog. Repeat on remaining stitches.

Continue working 4 decreases each round, with one fewer stitch between them each round, until 16 stitches remain. (You can decrease more if you like, that’s just where I hit the end of a stripe.)

Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread yarn tail onto yarn needle, slip stitches onto yarn and pull tight. Weave in ends.