Follow this free crochet Christmas stocking pattern to learn how to make a beautiful puff stitch stocking just in time for the Holidays.
If you’ve ever made the viral Claire Bun Beanie, you’re going to love the new Claire Christmas Stocking!
This beautiful crochet stocking is made using a combination of the puff stitch and the ribbed stitch. These two stitches together have such a classy timeless look!
You can make your puff stitch stocking a solid color, or get creative and use a whole rainbow of colors. This pattern is actually perfect for self striping yarn since you don’t turn your work! It stripes beautifully. Here is one I made using a Loops and Threads yarn from Michaels.
Sadly the yarn I used has been discontinued, but this pattern work work up beautifully in any striping yarn!
Click the video below for the full tutorial
Here’s what you need to make your own crochet puff stitch stocking.
Materials- (with clickable affiliate links)
Size H (5.0mm) crochet hook
Size J (6.0mm) crochet hook
6-7oz of worsted weight yarn (I use Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn)
Tapestry needle
Scissors
Stitch Key (US Terms)
PS= Puff Stitch
SC = Single Crochet
HDC= Half Double Crochet
HDC DEC= Half Double Crochet Decrease
PS DEC= Puff Stitch Decrease
CH = Chain
INC= Increase – Put two stitches in the same space. (In this case, it will be two HDC stitches.)
BLO- Back Loop Only
SL ST= Slip Stitch
*= To Be Repeated
Looking for the printable PDF version of this pattern? You can purchase the ad-free digital download here in my shop.
Special Stitches
Magic Circle: This is my preferred method for starting projects that are made with circular rows (or in the round). I show how to do this in the video that goes with this pattern, but if you prefer to CH 3, join into the first CH and making your stitches into that loop, you’re more than welcome. I think the magic circle (or magic loop) gives the finished piece a cleaner look.
Puff Stitch
YO, insert hook into next stitch and pull up a loop. Now you have 3 loops on your hook. YO insert hook into the same space and pull up another loop ( 5 loops) repeat two more times (for a total of 4 times) until you have 9 loops on your hook, YO then pull through all loops. Secure with a CH stitch.
Puff Stitch Decrease
YO, insert hook into 1 stitch and pull up a loop, repeat that 2 more times. YO, insert hook into second stitch, repeat two more times. YO, pull through all loops on your hook. CH 1 to secure.
Half Double Crochet Decrease
YO, insert your hook into the first stitch and pull up a loop. YO, insert your hook into the next stitch, pull up a loop. YO, pull through all 5 loops.
Back Loop Only
When you are looking on top of your work you will see a SC stitch makes a V shape. Put your hook under only the loop furthest away from you, and make your SC there. Instead of under both loops with a normal SC. If you are still having trouble with this stitch you can refer to the video that goes with this pattern.
Puff Stitch Stocking
This stocking will start out the same was as the Crafty Boho Stocking, starting at the toe of our crochet Christmas stocking.
Toe
Row 1: HDC 10 into a magic circle. Join into the top of the first HDC. CH 1. (10)
Row 2: HDC INC in each stitch around. Join into the top of the first HDC. CH 1. (20)
Row 3: *HDC INC in the first stitch, HDC in the next stitch*. Repeat that around for a total of 10 times. Join into the top of the first HDC. CH 1. (30)
Row 4: *HDC INC in the first stitch, HDC in the next 2 stitches*. Repeat around for a total of 10 times. Join into the top of the first HDC. CH 1. (40)
Rows 5-6: HDC in each stitch around. Join into the top of the first HDC. CH 1. (40)
Now we are going to start foot portion, using the puff stitch.
Foot
Row 7: PS in the same space as the CH 1 (Don’t forget the CH for securing your puff stitch after you complete each one). Skip the next stitch, PS in the next stitch. Continue around until you have 20 PS total.
Join into the top of your first PS and CH 1. (20)
Row 8: PS in the first CH 1 space that was created after securing your PS in Row 7. Continue putting a PS in CH 1 space from Row 2 until you have 20 PS. Join into the top of your first PS. CH 1. (20)
Rows 9-18: Alternate repeating Rows 7 and 8 until you have 12 total rows of PS. (20) (the only thing you’re alternating is where your first PS will go at the beginning of each new row.)
Heel
This is the part of the pattern that will determine if your finished stocking is facing to the left side (like the letter J) or to the right side (like a backward J)
If you want your stocking to be a backward J, just turn your work before you start the heel rows. Mine will face the left, like the letter J, so I will not be turning my work.
Row 1: HDC 19. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (19)
Row 2: DEC over the first two stitches. HDC 15. DEC over the last two stitches. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (17)
Row 3: DEC over the first two stitches. HDC 13. DEC over the last two stitches. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (15)
Row 4: DEC over the first two stitches. HDC 11. DEC over the last two stitches. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (13)
Row 5: DEC over the first two stitches. HDC 9. DEC over the last two stitches. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (11)
Row 6: INC in the first stitch. HDC 9. INC in the last stitch. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK (13)
Row 7: INC in the first stitch. HDC 11. INC in the last stitch. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK (15)
Row 8: INC in the first stitch. HDC 13. INC in the last stitch. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK (17)
Row 9: INC in the first stitch. HDC 15. INC in the last stitch. CH 1. (19)
With the right side facing out, fold the top half of your heel back and down over the bottom half.
Now we are going to SC the corners of the heel together so it’s closed.
With your hook still in your working yarn, insert your hook into the side of the first half of your heel and the side of the second half of your heel.
You will have to make up your own spaces for your hook to go since you will be working along the raw side of your work.
Place a SC here, making sure to go through both the first and second halves of the heel rows.
Continue to SC the heel halves together until they are completely attached. This was 7 SC for me.
SLST across the width of your heel so your yarn is on the top left corner. I show how to do this in the video if you need more instructions.
Join the second side of the heel closed with SC stitches, just like the first side, but this time you will start from the fold and work your way back down to the body of the stocking.
CH 1.
Push and adjust the heel so the SC stitch seems you just created are in the inside of the stocking. Now we are going to start on the leg of the stocking with row 19.
Leg
Now that we’re on the leg portion we need to get back to making our puff stitches. We need 20 puff stitches in each row. How many SC’s you did while joining the heel and where exactly you put them will dictate how you need to start row 19.
I went over this in the video that goes with this pattern.
For me, I needed to start row 19 in the chain space of row 18 (of the foot) next to the seam.
Row 19: PS DEC in stitches where your heel and foot touch. PS 8 across the back of the heel. PS DEC in the second corner where the heel and foot touch, PS 10. Join into the top of your first PS. CH 1. (20)
Row 20: PS in the first CH 1 space that was created after securing your PS in Row 19. Continue putting a PS in CH 1 space from Row 19 until you have 20 PS. Join into the top of your first PS. CH 1. (20)
Rows 21-38: Alternate repeating Rows 19 and 20. The only thing you’re alternating is where your first PS will go at the beginning of each new row.
Cuff
You’re almost finished! Now we’re going to work on the ribbed cuff portion of our puff stitch stocking. Switch to your J crochet hook.
Rows 39-45: SC in each stitch and CH space around. CH 1, turn your work. (40).
Now we’re going to work our ribbed stitches. If you’ve never made a ribbed cuff at the end of a project before, this part might be a little tricky. Please watch the video that goes with this pattern for extra guidance.
Row 1: CH 11. SC back down your CH. (10)
Pro tip: If you want your cuff to be wider, do a longer chain.
SLST in the stitch your chain 11 came out of, and SLST in the next SC space. Do not CH 1 after making your slip stitches.
Row 2: SC 10 back up row 1 in the BLO. CH 1. Turn your work. (10)
Row 3: SC 10 back down row 2 in the BLO. SLST 2. (10)
Rows 4-40: Alternate rows 2 and 3 until you’re all the way back around to row 1. (10)
Once you have 40 ribbed cuff rows its time to join row 1 to row 40.
Line up row 40 with row 1 and SC them together making sure to go through both rows with each SC.
Last but not least we need to make and attach a loop so your puff stitch stocking can hang beautifully.
Hanger Loop
Using your H Hook
CH 27
Row 1: SC in each stitch. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK. (26)
Row 2: SL ST in each stitch. CH 1. TURN YOUR WORK (26)
(In the video I did SC for this row, I like SL ST better though. The SC is pictured below)
Row 3: SC in each stitch. CH 1. (26)
Tie off and sew your hook onto the inside of your stocking on the right side (in line with the heel). Be sure to secure it really well, this stocking is going to hold lots of fun gifts in the future! Refer to the video at the beginning of this post if you need more help.
Sew in all your tails and you just completed a lovely new Claire Christmas Stocking!
I hope you loved this new pattern. It’s been a hot minute since I released a Christmas stocking crochet pattern. If you’ve been around a while you know I have a mini version of the Crafty Boho Stocking, you can fully expect a mini version of the Clare Christmas Stocking to be released at some point!
You are more than welcome to sell your finished crochet stockings! I hope they sell like hot cakes! All I ask is you credit A Crafty Concept as the designer so more crocheters can find the pattern to make their own puff stitch stocking.
Good luck during the holiday hustle! I will see you over on Instagram.
Happy Crocheting
🩷 Ashley