Puff stitch Christmas stocking

A few weeks ago, I shared pictures of my crocheted granny square Christmas stocking. That project was so much fun that I turned around and started another one. (It’s still winter and bitterly cold where I live, and I love to hunker down with a winter themed project.) This time I’m tickled to show you my completed Puff Stitch Christmas Stocking, another fabulous pattern and tutorial by Michelle Moore of MJ’s Off the Hook!

I love how chunky and pretty it is, and I can’t wait to hang it up in our living room next December. (I photographed the stocking with my Frosty Forest quilt, so I’m envisioning how I might display them near each other.) I purchased Michelle’s pattern and followed along with her YouTube tutorial. I am getting better at understanding patterns, but the visual tutorials are so helpful. I am extremely thankful for these brilliant people who create inspiring projects for us to crochet!

While this pattern was more challenging than the granny square Christmas stocking I made recently, I was able to complete it in a fraction of the time.  Using chunky yarn resulted in a similar sized stocking, but it worked up much faster than the granny square stocking, which I made using sport weight yarn. For this Puff Stitch Stocking, I used Yarn Bee True Colors (white) from Hobby Lobby. (They label it as a #6 super bulky.) That’s the same yarn I used for the granny cluster tree skirt I made this year, as well as the Buttons & Bobbles Tree Skirt I made last year.

In the past when working with bulky yarn, I’ve used my Clover Amour 9.0mm.  While I like all my smaller Clover Amour hooks, I don’t enjoy working with the 9.0 mm Amour hook. The shaft is not aluminum like their smaller hooks (it’s resin), and it doesn’t glide easily. So, I treated myself to a beautiful Furls Matte Gold Streamline Metal Hook (9.0mm N). It is an absolute dream to crochet with – so smooth!  I was worried that it might be slippery to hold, but I didn’t find that to be the case. I crochet with a knife grip, and I enjoyed the way the chucky handle sat in my hand. While the Furls hooks are more expensive than some others, I am very happy I made the investment.  A lot of the projects I want to make call for a 9.0mm size, so I will get my money’s worth over the years!

As with my previous crocheted stocking, this one received embellishment in the form of a pom pom and wooden beads. (FYI: I ordered the Clover Pom Pom maker (size large) which includes two makers. For both stockings I used the smaller of the two that come in the package. It yields a 2 ½” pom.)

I know that many of you will understand it when I say, no matter how old I get, I will never lose the joy I feel when creating and when learning something new. As much as I love quilting and playing with fabric, crochet has put a new spring in my step.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~Taunja