If you have been following my Autumn Accessories blogpost series so far, you will know that I have been looking at small items that you can knit now that will make a big difference when the cold weather really starts to bite. So far we’ve looked at cowls, scarves and fingerless mitts but there’s a big gap so far – and that is socks.
Socks are so important when winter comes along. Having the right pair of socks between you and the cold ground below makes an enormous difference between feeling just-about-OK and feeling good. Socks cushion you from the worst extremities of cold and keep your feet toasty warm even when the snow is lying deep around your boots.
So here are two patterns that can be interpreted in multiple different ways to give you a whole range of socks!
Socks are so important when winter comes along. Having the right pair of socks between you and the cold ground below makes an enormous difference between feeling just-about-OK and feeling good. Socks cushion you from the worst extremities of cold and keep your feet toasty warm even when the snow is lying deep around your boots.
So here are two patterns that can be interpreted in multiple different ways to give you a whole range of socks!
The first of these is the Mentmore Socks, which produces a wonderfully warm pair of socks. The pattern was born from the idea of mixing different skeins of kettle-dyed yarn to blend them into a harmonious pair of socks.
Space-dyed yarns can often vary enormously – not just from one batch to another but from one skein to another. Have a look at my earlier blogpost here and you can see three balls of yarn from just one kettle-dyed dyelot. If I had tried to make socks using just one of these skeins for each sock, then they would not have matched each other. The Mentmore Socks pattern uses the technique of slipped stitches to blend these different colours together giving a beautifully matched pair of socks.
However, the resulting socks have other qualities, not least of which is that they are super-toasty warm. The slip stitches have brought in extra pockets of air to give insulation and warmth around the whole foot. So the socks are both comfortable and cozy.
Space-dyed yarns can often vary enormously – not just from one batch to another but from one skein to another. Have a look at my earlier blogpost here and you can see three balls of yarn from just one kettle-dyed dyelot. If I had tried to make socks using just one of these skeins for each sock, then they would not have matched each other. The Mentmore Socks pattern uses the technique of slipped stitches to blend these different colours together giving a beautifully matched pair of socks.
However, the resulting socks have other qualities, not least of which is that they are super-toasty warm. The slip stitches have brought in extra pockets of air to give insulation and warmth around the whole foot. So the socks are both comfortable and cozy.
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The same pattern can be used with other types of yarn too. For example, working these with a space-dyed yarn can give a stained-glass window effect as you can see in the photo on the left, while self-striping yarns can produce some wonderfully patterned socks as in the photo on the right.
The socks on the left have been worked in the wonderfully artistic Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino yarn and the pattern has really brought out the painterly qualities of this yarn. The three pairs of socks on the right have been worked in the now discontinued Knit Picks self-striping "Memories" yarn and I love the way the pattern has blended the yarn stripes to give a real Fair-Isle feel to the socks.
The socks on the left have been worked in the wonderfully artistic Koigu Painter's Palette Premium Merino yarn and the pattern has really brought out the painterly qualities of this yarn. The three pairs of socks on the right have been worked in the now discontinued Knit Picks self-striping "Memories" yarn and I love the way the pattern has blended the yarn stripes to give a real Fair-Isle feel to the socks.
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The pattern can also be worked with a solid yarn colour for a comfortable walking or hiking sock. The slip stitches give the sock extra cushioning so it is a comfortable sock for long walks or hikes in the woods.
Both of the ones shown above have been worked in Austermann Step Classic yarn which is a lovely soft merino/nylon mix. The socks on the left are in the blue “Jeans” colourway while those on the right are in “Tuerkis” which is a lovely aqua shade.
Both of the ones shown above have been worked in Austermann Step Classic yarn which is a lovely soft merino/nylon mix. The socks on the left are in the blue “Jeans” colourway while those on the right are in “Tuerkis” which is a lovely aqua shade.
Another sock pattern that can be worked in multiple ways is the Druidstone Socks. In the photo at the top of this page, you can see this pattern worked in several different colours and all of them are super cozy.
In the photo above, our daughter Anna bravely managed to jump onto a stepping stone in the middle of a stream to model the socks in a lovely black and charcoal colourway. These are worked in Wide Rib from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. The stitch has a nice gentle grip and is very slimming. The socks have extra shaping at the instep for a lovely fit around the foot and have a neat turn-back cuff for extra warmth around the ankle.
In the photo above, our daughter Anna bravely managed to jump onto a stepping stone in the middle of a stream to model the socks in a lovely black and charcoal colourway. These are worked in Wide Rib from our Reversible Knitting Stitches book. The stitch has a nice gentle grip and is very slimming. The socks have extra shaping at the instep for a lovely fit around the foot and have a neat turn-back cuff for extra warmth around the ankle.
The pattern can also be worked with a straight leg instead of the fold-back cuff. In the socks above I have used a single grey colour with a black contrast-coloured trim. This gives a smooth fit under an ankle-boot or suit trousers.
What is interesting is that just two patterns can produce such a range of socks… A new yarn, a different colourway and the socks will look completely different. I like making socks from the same pattern as you can really get into the 'flow' of a design. Then you can make socks for both yourself and for friends and family and everyone can have a different ‘look’!
For more details about the Mentmore Socks, please click here and for the second pattern, the Druidstone Socks, please click here. Both patterns are available for immediate download from the site.
There’s just two more blogposts to go in this Autumn Accessories series, and for the next one I’ll be looking at hats. If you would like to read the whole blogpost series, then please click here to go to the first post and follow the links at the bottom of each page to get back to this point again.
Until next time – Happy Sock Knitting!
Moira
What is interesting is that just two patterns can produce such a range of socks… A new yarn, a different colourway and the socks will look completely different. I like making socks from the same pattern as you can really get into the 'flow' of a design. Then you can make socks for both yourself and for friends and family and everyone can have a different ‘look’!
For more details about the Mentmore Socks, please click here and for the second pattern, the Druidstone Socks, please click here. Both patterns are available for immediate download from the site.
There’s just two more blogposts to go in this Autumn Accessories series, and for the next one I’ll be looking at hats. If you would like to read the whole blogpost series, then please click here to go to the first post and follow the links at the bottom of each page to get back to this point again.
Until next time – Happy Sock Knitting!
Moira
 | Last Blogpost: Fingerless mitts for frosty days Autumn Accessories Series #1: Autumn Accessories Next Up: Hats for the Winter season Our book: Reversible Knitting Stitches My Website: www.wyndlestrawdesigns.com |
Keywords: Patterns/Accessories, Autumn Accessories Series,
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autumn, #autumnaccessories, mens socks, women’s socks, colour, color, grey, gray, black, blue, turquoise, red, multicolour, cuff, sock cuff,
