A Pair of Lacy Stockings Inspired by an American Classic

Love knitting lacy stockings? Look no further than the PieceWork_ special issue_ Knitting Traditions Fall 2011 for a stunning pair designed by contributor Lauren A. Ramsey and based on an American classic, the book Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Here’s Lauren with more about the inspiration behind her pattern, Lacy Little House Stockings from the American Prairie:

In the book Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder (originally published in 1932 and the first book in the Little House series), six-year-old Laura watches her aunts Ruby and Docia as they dress for a party: “Then they pulled on their beautiful white stockings, that they had knit in fine cotton thread in lacy, openwork patterns, and they buttoned up their best shoes.” There are many, many references to needlework in the Little House books, but it was this mention of hand-knit lace socks that struck and inspired me. How lovely they must have been, to merit a place in an autobiographical story half a century later!

—Lauren A. Ramsey

The mention of knitted white stockings in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s first book in the Little House series, Little House in the Big Woods (originally published in 1932), inspired these lacy stockings. Photo by Joe Coca.

Materials
Aunt Lydia’s Bamboo Crochet Thread, 100% viscose from bamboo thread, size 10, 300 yards (274.3 m)/ball, 2 balls of #0001 White
Needles, set of 4 or 5 double pointed, size 00 (1.75 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge
Markers
Tapestry needle

Finished size: 15½ inches (39.4 cm) from cuff to bottom of heel, 9 inches (22.9 cm) from back of heel to tip of toe, 7½ inches (19.0 cm) foot circumference, 10½ inches (26.7 cm) circumference at widest part of leg

Gauge: 21 sts and 28 rnds = 2 inches (5.1 cm) in St st

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Lauren A. Ramsey lives in Virginia with her husband, Alan, and pet fish. She has a degree in public history from Western Michigan University and works at a museum. In her free time, she enjoys knitting (especially socks), spinning, sewing (especially doll clothes), reading, working on her N-scale model railroad, and learning to speak classical Latin.

Featured Image: Detail of Lauren A. Ramsey’s Lacy Little House Stockings from the American Prairie, which was featured in the PieceWork special issue Knitting Traditions Fall 2011. Photo by Joe Coca.