Sock and Shoe Purse

This pattern comes from Weldon’s Practical Knitter, Number 130, Thirty-Second Series (1896). It is also published in Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume 11, Interweave Press, 2004.

The original pattern calls for “knitting silk of two colours – one light, the other dark” and “four steel knitting needles No. 15” (modern equivalent 1.75mm/US 00.) A crocheted edge at the top of the sock, ribbons and “a small silk tassel or metal ball” are added to finish the purse.

I knit the purse on the suggested size of needles in DMC Mouliné Spécial 25 – four skeins of 0848 (gray) and three skeins of 33 (blue.) Three kinds of stitches make up the toe, foot and leg. The lace pattern of the leg of the sock is a nice sturdy one and could be used for other objects. I cannot really crochet so I did three rows of the most elementary stitches of that technique along the top.

Not being fond of jewelry, I avoided the metal balls and made tassels out of the ends of the braided drawstring cords. The little imitation satin ribbons were put on last.

The finished purse measures 5 ¾” tall from the top to the heel, and 2 ½” wide at the calf. The foot is 3” long and 1 ¾” wide.

This purse would be best used for small coins although 19^th century English pennies would also fit into it.

All quotations are from Weldon’s Practical Needlework, Volume Eleven, Interweave Press, 2004