These are our beloved Christmas Stockings. They have been in my family for a very long time and are a Grace Ennis pattern. My Grandmother, Dorothy, knit them for all eight of her grandchildren. She even knit them for some cherished family dogs!! As we grew and had families of our own, she knit them for the in-laws and some of her great grandchildren. Due to her advancing age and eventual death, my Aunt Ann and I are now the ‘keepers of the flame’. We have taken on the role of family Welcome Wagon, making sure all newcomers, either through marriage or birth, have a stocking of their own. You would think that we would have this pattern memorized by now!

The stocking is knit from the top down. The person’s name and year of birth are knit into the top band. In cases of an extra long name, the year is simply embroidered on. Santa’s beard is the highlight of the piece – it is knit in angora and so is very soft and fuzzy. I have occasionally considered reversing the pattern and placing the person’s name above Santa. In our particular case (a family of four), if the parents’ names were above the reindeer and the children above Santa, when the stockings were hung, all names would be visible, as well as both sides of the stockings. naturally, this thought occurred to me much too late! The stocking on the far left was knit 40 years ago. The others are more recent additions being knit 13-17 years past. not as recent as I would like to believe :) Note the differences in gauge and dye lots.

Aunt Ann and I need to have a membership drive for our Knitting Guild. I have been campaigning amongst the cousins for knitting recruits. We need fresh blood, otherwise we risk extinction, much like the Shakers!