My Amphetamines & My Purls

Granny's Crocheted Stockings
A Christmas Tale
note: nothing to do with the family legend of Aunt Jessie's fat ankles and not related to Granny in any sort of hosiery.


Once upon a time, in the early 80s, Granny decided that what our family was in want of was a matching set of xmas stockings. She used a base crochet pattern that I have sequestered in one of my lamentable sequestering spots, and substituted different colour schemes and lace trims for each person. Everyone also received crocheted or embroidered appliques of their favorite things (many of us seem to have been interested in balloons that year.) The photo above is of my Mum's stocking, featuring cats I believe to be Mavis, Warren and Oscar but Granny claims no such inspiration.


Click photo for full effect
Being so shiny and new, my stocking was finished first. A bold primary red sock with a trendy mint green and white scalloped edge. The true genius of my stocking however lays in A.the mysterious flying fish with Santa belt, B.Santa's leg and gift sack placement (I didn't know how else to put that), and C. An Easter basket.



So from this success Granny crocheted her way through the family, saving herself for last. This would have been noble were it not for the fact that our stockings were growing incrementally in size, making Granny's own humongous. An extension was grafted on to mine (indicated above by the green box)


Happy as this must have made me, by age 14 I decided that my stocking was looking a little babyish and should reflect my grown up interests.
I give you now the precursor of my crocheted celebrity dolls....
Eddie Vedder's head.

He looks more like Larry (stooge) Fine. shhh don't tell.

This year I shall add a new motif to my sock (and anyone else in the family who is feeling grown up). I'm thinking a leafy sea dragon...perhaps.
So continues the stocking saga. As to Aunt Jessie's mythical ankles, I will let you decide:

Click to enlarge