A handmade stocking is one of those Christmas things that gets brought out year after year, so it’s worth making one you love. This crochet Christmas stocking pattern is written for beginners: two flat panels of plain single crochet, joined around the edge, with a chunky white cuff worked in the round.
There’s no heel turning and no tricky shaping. The toe is added with two short chains, and the bottom corners are rounded with a simple decrease at each end of the last four rows. You’ll also find a mini version that works as a tree ornament or advent stocking.
In this post
Pattern at a glance
- Skill levelBeginner
- SizeAbout 12 in tall, 8 in foot
- Mini sizeAbout 6 in tall
- YarnWorsted weight (#4)
- Hook5 mm (US H-8)
- TermsUS crochet terms
Free printable pattern
The full pattern is below, but if you’d rather crochet from paper, the PDF has every row, the joining and cuff instructions, the mini size and the stitch chart on three pages.
Materials
- Red worsted weight yarn: about 106 yd (97 m) for the Classic stocking, 30 yd for the Mini
- White worsted weight yarn for the cuff and loop: about 18 yd (16 m), 7 yd for the Mini
- 5 mm (US H-8) crochet hook
- Stitch markers (or safety pins) to hold the panels together
- Tapestry needle and scissors
A soft acrylic in a classic red and a bright white is the easiest choice, and it survives being stuffed with chocolate year after year. If you’d like a fluffy “snow” cuff, any white chenille or faux-fur-look yarn of a similar weight works too, but it’s harder to see your stitches, so make the red part first in plain yarn.
Abbreviations (US terms)
| US | Meaning | UK equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| ch | chain | ch |
| sc | single crochet | dc (double crochet) |
| sc2tog | single crochet 2 together (1 decrease) | dc2tog |
| hdc | half double crochet | htr (half treble) |
| sl st | slip stitch | ss |
| st(s) | stitch(es) | st(s) |
Gauge and finished size
About 16 sc and 18 rows to 4 in (10 cm). Gauge doesn’t have to be exact, but it decides the size: at this gauge each panel is about 4.9 in wide at the leg and 9.6 in tall, the foot is about 7.9 in long, and with the cuff the stocking hangs at roughly 12 in. Tighter tension gives a smaller stocking with the same shape.
Crochet Christmas stocking pattern
Panels (red) · make 2
Each panel is worked from the top of the leg down to the sole. The ch 1 at the start of a row is a turning chain and doesn’t count as a stitch. The number in brackets is your stitch count at the end of the row.
- Row 1: Ch 21. Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in each ch across. Turn. (20)
- Rows 2–24: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (20)
- Row 25: Ch 1, sc in each st across, then ch 9 for the toe. Turn. (20, plus 9 ch)
- Row 26: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 7 ch (8 sc), then sc in each st across. Turn. (28)
- Row 27: Ch 1, sc in each st across, then ch 5. Turn. (28, plus 5 ch)
- Row 28: Sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and in the next 3 ch (4 sc), then sc in each st across. Turn. (32)
- Rows 29–40: Ch 1, sc in each st across. Turn. (32)
- Row 41: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in the next 28 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (30)
- Row 42: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in the next 26 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (28)
- Row 43: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in the next 24 sts, sc2tog. Turn. (26)
- Row 44: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in the next 22 sts, sc2tog. Fasten off. (24)
Rows 25 to 28 build the toe out to one side in two steps, so the top of the foot slopes gently instead of making a sharp corner. Rows 41 to 44 round off the heel and toe at the bottom.
Joining the panels (red)
- Flip one panel over so both toes point the same way, then place the panels together with the edges matching. Single crochet looks the same on both sides, so either side can face out.
- Clip the panels together with stitch markers every few inches.
- Join red at the top corner on the heel side, working through both layers. Sc evenly down the back of the leg, around the heel, along the sole, around the toe and up the front of the leg. Work 1 sc in each row end and each stitch, and 2–3 sc at the corners so they lie flat.
- Leave the top edge open and fasten off.
Cuff (white)
- Round 1: Join white at the heel-side seam of the top opening. Ch 1, sc in each st around, 20 on each panel, and join with a sl st to the first sc. (40)
- Rounds 2–7: Ch 2 (doesn’t count as a stitch), hdc in each st around, join. (40)
Hanging loop (white)
Without fastening off, ch 18 and sl st into the same stitch at the heel-side seam. Work 24 sc into the loop to make it sturdy, sl st to the cuff and fasten off. Weave in all the ends.
Mini stocking (ornament size)
The mini uses exactly the same method with half the stitches. It’s lovely as a tree ornament, a gift card holder or a set of advent stockings.
- Row 1: Ch 11, sc in the 2nd ch from the hook and across. (10)
- Rows 2–12: Sc across. (10)
- Row 13: Sc across, ch 5. Row 14: 4 sc along the chain, sc across. (14)
- Row 15: Sc across, ch 3. Row 16: 2 sc along the chain, sc across. (16)
- Rows 17–20: Sc across. (16)
- Row 21: Sc2tog, sc in the next 12 sts, sc2tog. (14)
- Row 22: Sc2tog, sc in the next 10 sts, sc2tog. Fasten off. (12)
- Finishing: make 2 panels and join as above. Cuff: 1 round of 20 sc, then 3 rounds of hdc. Loop: ch 12, sl st, 16 sc into the loop.
Tips for a neat stocking
- Count Rows 26 and 28. These are the only rows where you work into a chain, and it’s easy to miss the last chain stitch.
- Mark Row 1. A stitch marker on the first row tells you which edge is the top when it’s time to join.
- Block the panels before joining if they curl: pin them flat, mist with water and leave them to dry.
- Hide the cuff join at the heel-side seam, which is the side that faces the wall when the stocking hangs.
- Stuff-proof the loop by working the 24 sc into it; a plain chain loop stretches once the stocking is full.
Make it personal
- Add a name to the white cuff in red yarn with a simple back stitch. Plan the letters on paper first; 6–8 letters fit across the front.
- Candy cane stripes: alternate red and white every 2 rows on the leg.
- Pom-pom: sew a white pom-pom to the loop corner.
- Family set: make each stocking in a different main colour with the same white cuff.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to crochet a Christmas stocking?
Each Classic panel has 1,080 single crochet, so the two panels come to 2,160 stitches, plus about 280 stitches for the cuff. Most beginners need two or three evenings. The mini is a one-evening project.
Can I make it bigger?
The easiest way is to use bulky yarn and a 6.5 mm hook with the same stitch counts; the stocking comes out about a third bigger. You can also make the leg longer by adding rows before Row 25.
Will it hold real gifts?
Yes. Dense single crochet is sturdy enough for chocolates, small toys and gift cards. For heavy presents, hang it from a strong hook rather than a stocking holder that might tip.
How do I wash it?
Follow the yarn label. Most acrylic yarns are fine on a gentle machine cycle in a laundry bag; lay the stocking flat to dry so the cuff keeps its shape.
Save it for later
Pin the image below so the pattern is easy to find before December sneaks up. If you make a stocking, I’d love to see it: send a photo to info@cozymakery.com. And if anything doesn’t add up, tell me and I’ll fix it.
More festive makes: the crochet cone Christmas trees and the flat Christmas tree ornament use the same single crochet you’ll practise here. Need something quicker? The crochet star garland takes about ten minutes a star. Browse everything in Christmas Crafts.
