If you’re like me, the holidays just aren’t complete without a little dinosaur action, so knit your way through each colorwork section of rock to dig up a perfectly prehistoric stocking! Worked top down with a flat or folded cuff, short row heel, grafted toe, and hanging i-cord loop, the Excavation Stocking is the perfect pattern for advents, partial skeins, or any DK weight yarn you’ve had your eyes on.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Needles
16” (40.5 cm) circular needles in size US 3 (3.25 mm)

16” (40.5 cm) circular needles in size US6 (4 mm)

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.

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

Notions
Tapestry needle
Scissors
2 stitch markers
Scrap yarn in any color for hanging i-cord loop

YARN & YARDAGE

Yarn
Two or more contrasting colors in DK weight yarn.

Color A: 200 yards / 183 m*
Color B (total): 92 yards / 84 m*

If using more than one color for Color B (as shown in the sample), divide the total yards/meters needed by the number of colors you plan to use to get a rough estimate of what you’ll need for each color.

Yarn length accounts for standard foot length. Use 5% less of each Color A and Color B for short foot length.

SIZING & GAUGE

Gauge
22 stitches x 24 rounds = 4” / 10 cm after blocking worked in the round.

Sizing
When finished and blocked, laid flat; rounded to the nearest .5 inch/cm

13.5” (34.5 cm) from cuff to bottom of heel
12.5” (32 cm) leg circumference

9” (23 cm) from back of heel to toe (Short Foot Length)
Sample is shown with Short Foot Length

10.5” (26.5 cm) from back of heel to toe (Standard Foot Length)

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