Nikolaussocke in Schachenmayr Bravo - 5519 - Downloadable PDF

Nikolaussocke in Schachenmayr Bravo – Knitted Saint Nicholas Boot Decoration (Pattern 5519)

This free downloadable PDF pattern from Schachenmayr guides you through knitting a charming Nikolaussocke – a decorative Saint Nicholas boot or stocking – using Schachenmayr Bravo DK-weight yarn. Designed to celebrate the traditional German St. Nicholas Day on December 6th, this knitted decoration is worked in the round on double-pointed needles and features a playful design that mimics the iconic red hat, white fur trim, and black boot of the beloved St. Nicholas figure. It makes a wonderful seasonal decoration or gift holder.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a decorative knitted Nikolaussocke (St. Nicholas stocking or boot), worked as a single piece from the cuff downward. The stocking is cleverly constructed to resemble the classic St. Nicholas costume, complete with a ribbed red hat section, a white fur-trim cuff, a skin-toned head section, a white beard area worked in rib stitch, and a black boot foot and heel. It is intended as a festive decoration rather than a wearable sock, and can be used as an Advent or Christmas ornament, a small gift bag, or a seasonal display piece.

Construction and Structure

The stocking is divided into several distinct sections, each representing a different part of the St. Nicholas figure:

• The Hat (Mütze): The cuff begins with 52 stitches cast on in cherry (red) across four double-pointed needles (13 stitches per needle). This section is worked for approximately 9 cm in ribbing (Bündchenmuster) to form the body of the hat. The stitches are then placed on hold.
• The Hat Brim (Mützenrand): A separate brim is cast on using 52 stitches in white and worked for 11 rounds in stockinette stitch (glatt rechts). This brim is then folded over the hat section and joined by knitting together one stitch from the front needle with one stitch from the back needle – a classic folded hem or turned cuff technique that creates a neat, double-layered white fur-trim effect.
• The Head (Kopf): Continuing downward, approximately 8 cm are worked in Sisal meliert (a heathered, skin-toned shade) in stockinette stitch to represent the face and head of St. Nicholas.
• The Beard Area: One round in white is worked plain, followed by 6 rounds in rib stitch (Rippenmuster) in white, creating the textured appearance of a beard. The total shaft length reaches approximately 21 cm.
• The Foot: The foot section is worked in stockinette stitch continuing from the shaft.
• The Heel (Fersenwand and Käppchen): The heel flap is worked in black back and forth in rows over 26 stitches (across the 1st and 4th needles) for 24 rows. The outer 3 stitches on each side of every row are worked in purl stitch to create a neat selvage edge. The heel turn (Käppchen) divides the stitches into three sections – 8 stitches for each outer section and 10 stitches for the central heel cap – worked using a traditional short-row or gusset-style heel cap method.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round on double-pointed needles (Nadeln 4–5), which is the primary construction method for the shaft and foot
• Ribbing (Bündchenmuster) for the hat section and beard area, creating elasticity and texture
• Stockinette stitch (glatt rechts) for the hat brim, head section, and foot
• Folded hem / turned cuff technique for attaching the white hat brim over the red hat body by knitting stitches together from front and back needles
• Flat knitting in rows for the heel flap, switching from circular to back-and-forth construction