Mason Dixon knitted Christmas Stockings!

I just finished up my last class teaching Mason Dixon's Christmas Stockings. It was a class that lasted 8 weeks it was one of my many classes that I teach adult education at our local high school. This last class was a riot! I couldn't stop laughing the girls and I had such a blast. I can't wait until our next one!

Couple things about this pattern that I wanted to mention. In the book Mason Dixon Knitting outside the lines, they have you knitting the stockings with two circular needles. I know that it is a new thing for us to be doing socks that way and some people even like it. Maybe I am a bit old fashioned though. I have done socks for so long with double pointed needles in the round. I decided to give my class a choice of either double pointed needles or to use a size 5 rather than 3 in a 16" circular(which is what I decided to use with the exception of the heel and toe of course). One very important thing that I learned about these stockings which may help you if you are wanted to make them is that you can not do intarsia in the round for the argyle bit. You can only do it flat. If you can figure out some way of converting the pattern for yourself until the argyle part is finished to work it flat then go for it. You'll only have more ends to weave in when your finished with your knitting part. Also check out Abby's Kitchener's stitch for the closing of the toe. Some of my students decide to close their's early instead of waiting for the 6 stitches on each side of them some of them waiting until there where 12 or 10 on each side, that gave it a more rounded looking toe.

One of my students decided to put bells and bows on the front of her stocking which I thought was a really clever idea. Another student decided with her first sock(which was for her) she would put colored beads in between the striped in her sock, another really clever idea that I had not thought of before. Thank you ladies for all your ideas, love and support. You all teach me a lot! 

I was missing three students the last class for the stockings mainly due to the icy road conditions. So I still had seven. Those seven students I had model their stockings for me to share with you all. So here they are! 

Mason Dixon Knitted Christmas stockings!

Next class I will be teaching the Wisteria Shawl Collar Pullover from Lion Brand Yarn Co. It is a free pattern that you can find on there website. http://cache.lionbrand.com/printablePatterns/L0033AD.pdf I decided to teach this one next because I fell in love with the shawl collar pullover. This pattern can be done in their new Amazing color changing yarn which has a beautiful selection of colors or in any solid worsted weight. Just check the pattern to see which size you want to make and multiply the skeins of Amazing times what ever they have in each skein and that is how much you will need in yards to substitute in another worsted weight yarn. I think this pullover looks very flattering on women no matter what there size or shape is. This class will begin at the end of January and will run for 8 weeks. 

Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines!