As requested...

This stocking design came from my love of garter stitch, especially the look of vertical garter stitch. On top of this strange love, I really like the way variegated yarns look in garter stitch. Hence, this stocking was born.

I have a few caveats and suggestions for anyone wanting to follow this pattern:

1. I only have made one, thus far, and there are a few things that I would do differently. I will write the pattern as made with any adjustments or suggestions in brackets.

2. This pattern makes a very generous stocking - 25" long by 6" wide, with a lot of stretch in the width because of the gs.

3. This pattern is very, very easily modified to make a smaller or larger stocking or use of a different yarn - I'm not doing the math for you, though! Also, it can easily be personalized by modifying the toe, heel and cuff.

4. I used third measurements for dividing the foot and leg of this stocking. (60 sts - 2/3 - for leg, 30 sts - 1/3 - for foot). After the toe was added, I felt the foot was too long, but because of the construction of this stocking you can't do much about it unless you want to start over. In the future I will be dividing by quarters (3/4 of stitches for the leg, 1/4 of stitches for the foot). Also, for my own personal taste, I would make it wider as I find this a skinny looking stocking - even though it has lots of stretch for stuffing.

5. If the stocking is hung with the toe facing to the right, the seam will be in the back. If you hang your stockings with toes facing to the left and are concerned with the neatness of your grafting of the seam and the ability for it to blend in unseen, you are going to need to turn the stocking inside out before adding on your toe, heel and cuff. But, it is worth your while to learn how to graft and make it so that your seam is invisible. You can find many tutorials online for grafting in both ss and gs. Here is one to get you started:

http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/tips/graft.htm

Sideways Stocking

You will need:
150 g worsted weight yarn (mc)
50 g worsted weight yarn (cc)
4.5 mm straight or circular needles
4.5 mm dpn
large stitch holder (or scrap yarn to hold stitches)
stitch marker

Cast on 90 stitches (or your choice of sts) on straight or circular needles. No need to join because you are working flat at this point.

Knit in garter stitch for 6" (increase to 7"-8" for wider stocking, or even more depending on how big a stocking you are making).

Leg:
With RS facing, knit 60 stitchs (3/4 of your total sts). Transfer remaining 30 sts (1/4 of total sts) to your stitch holder. Turn and continue knitting flat for on your active stitches until you have another 6" (or equal length from before transfer of stitches).

Cut yarn, leaving a generous tail and graft these live stitches to your cast on edge to close leg of stocking.

Foot:
Transfer stitches from holder back to your needles and rejoin yarn with right side facing - you will be starting with edge beginning at the leg. Knit as for leg, 6" of gs (or equal to length before transfer of stitches).

Cut yarn, leaving a generous tail and graft these live stitches to your cast on edge to close foot of stocking.

The body of your stocking is now complete. It is a tube with an opening for the heel in the body and the toe at the end of the foot.

Heel and Toe:
Note: The heel and toe are made the exact same way with the same amount of stitches in the contrasting colour (cc).

Heel:
With dpn, starting at right hand-side of leg edge pick up and knit
n1: 28 sts (or as many stitches as needed to bring you to end of leg opening)
Turn stocking counter-clockwise and at right hand corner of foot pick up and knit 28 sts (or equal number of stitches as for leg opening) to meet up with beginning of round. Divide foot stitches evenly between n2 & n3.
n2 & n3 : 14 sts each (or as previously adjusted in pattern).

Toe:
Beginning at edge of seam and working across the bottom of the foot opening, pick up and knit the same amount of stitches for the heel's n1. Switch to n2 and continue picking up and knitting an equal amount across the top of foot opening to meet up with the beginning of round, diving these stitches equally between n2 & n3.

Heel and Toe Construction:

Place stitch marker to mark beginning of round.
Purl 1 round.
Decrease pattern:
r1: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches on n1, k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to last 3 sts on n3, k2tog, k1
r2: purl

Continue these 2 decrease rounds until 16 sts remain (or suitable looking number of stitches, depending on adjustments) and graft closed.

Cuff:
I used a spoke pattern from one of Nicky Epstein's books in the cc, but you can do anything you want. If you need to add more stitches to suit the pattern than you did for the heel/toe, make sure you add those stitches evenly across - I'd err on the side of a dozen extra stitches for the cuff than a few less! A horizontal gs would look great, but what about bobbles and cables - or even a simple ribbing?

If you wanted to make a fold-down cuff in vertical stocking stitch that is knitted at the same time as the body, I would add the necessary extra stitches to the leg at when you are casting on.

Make a hanger and attach it, weave in your ends and you are all ready for Santa to stuff it!