If you’re like me, the holidays just aren’t complete without a little dinosaur action. Inspired by the iconic paintings and book series of American artist, James Gurney, the Dinotopia Stocking takes classic holiday and fair isle motifs, blends them with some Renaissance flair, and throws a prehistoric spin on the whole thing! The result is a stocking that children and adults alike will delight in hanging from hooks all over the home.

This stocking is designed for three sizes in two different yarn weights to create the perfectly customized size for all dinosaur lovers. Worked top down with a pleated ruffle cuff, short row heel, grafted toe, hanging i-cord loop, and twisted cords that can be used to hide the goodies inside, the Dinotopia Stocking is the perfect pattern for advents, partial skeins, or any DK or fingering weight yarn you’ve had your eyes on.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Needles
Fingering Weight
14” / 20” (35.5 cm / 51 cm) circular needles in size US 2 (2.75 mm)
14” / 20” (35.5 cm / 51 cm) circular needles in size US 3 (3.25 mm)

DK Weight
16” (40.5 cm) circular needles in size US 3 (3.25 mm)
16” (40.5 cm) circular needles in size US 5 (3.75 mm)

Or any needle that achieves gauge/desired size for colorwork.

All Weights
Corresponding Double Pointed Needles (DPN) as desired for small circumference knitting.

Cable lengths are recommendations based on finished stocking leg circumference. Please use whatever cord length is most comfortable to you.

Yarn & Yardage
Two or more contrasting colors in fingering or DK weight yarn.

Fingering Weight (Small) | MC: 236 yards / 216 m | CC (total): 246 yards / 225 m (Heel and Toe each require 32 yards / 30 m)

DK Weight (Medium) | MC: 192 yards / 176 m | CC (total): 200 yards / 183 m (Heel and Toe each require 26 yards / 24 m)

Fingering Weight (Large) | MC: 314 yards / 287 m | CC (total): 327 yards / 299 m (Heel and Toe each require 43 yards / 39 m )

Notions
Tapestry needle
Scissors
4 - 6 stitch markers
Cable needle;
(Optional) Crochet Hook
Scrap yarn in any CC(s) for attaching hanging loop and creating twisted cords

SIZING & GAUGE

Size
Sizes in pattern are noted as S (M, L).

Finished Measurements
(when finished and blocked, laid flat; rounded to the nearest .5 inch/cm)

Fingering Weight (2 colorwork repeats) – Small
14” (35.5 cm) from cuff to bottom of heel | 11.5” (29 cm) from back of heel
to toe | 12” (30.5 cm) leg circumference

DK Weight (2 colorwork repeats) – Medium
17” (43 cm) from cuff to bottom of heel | 14” (35.5 cm) from back of heel
to toe | 15” (38 cm) leg circumference

Fingering Weight (3 colorwork repeats) – Large
15.5” (39.5 cm) from cuff to bottom of heel | 12.5” (32 cm) from back of heel
to toe | 18” (45.5 cm) leg circumference

Gauge
(for 4” / 10 cm square measured over colorwork pattern in the round
after blocking)

Fingering Weight: 32 stitches and 34 rounds/rows
DK Weight: 26 stitches and 28 rounds/rows

If sharing your progress and finished piece on Instagram or other social networks, please use the hashtag #DinotopiaStocking so I can admire your beautiful work! Happy knitting, friend!