Inspiration
More Patterns for a Golden Age of Sock Yarns
We are living in a golden age of sock yarns.
I think one reason it took me so long to get my current bad case of loving socks is that when I was a younger knitter, sock yarns were kind of … pasty.
Some were clever as heck, with self-patterning ways. (I remember calling one Fair-Isle sock yarn “unintentional Ikat” because of the way the colorwork pattern kind of vagued out, but I thought it was cool nonetheless.) Most of those yarns had, to my eye, wishy-washy, sprayed-on color.
There was certainly no mark of the human hand on these yarns, and they felt kind of coarse to the touch. I didn’t see the point of knitting socks with them, let alone bigger garments.
Indie dyers changed all that. Sock yarns are now among the most beautiful yarns you can find. Their variety is infinite. I bet if you think about the impulse purchases in your stash, those single skeins that simply had to come home with you, most of them are sock yarns, and what you love about them is the color, be it speckled or saturated right down to the core of the yarn.
Now that we have Jillian Moreno’s permission to use sock yarns to knit patterns that are not socks, I say: let’s go for it.
Admittedly, Jillian’s permission slip has a caveat. She urges swatching to make sure that a sock yarn will work well for the project you have in mind. That makes sense. I encourage everyone to do that.
But also: what if the non-sock pattern is designed to be knitted with sock yarn? What if the photography sample was knitted in sock yarn?To me, a designer opting for sock yarn is as good or better than my own assessment of a swatch; it’s certainly persuasive evidence.
I called on the team to go forth and find some real nice non-sock patterns calling for sock yarns, and they delivered. Here you go, and please don’t forget to shout out others in the comments.
Tegna by Caitlin Hunter
Not only is the sample knit in a sock yarn, but among the 4,300 (!) Tegnas on Ravelry are stunning examples in yarns we carry in the MDK Shop: Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock and Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Sock. So: other Ravelers have done the legwork for us on this one.
Eole by Nadia Crétin-Léchenne
Squee! Eole is a go-to unisex baby gift that will hardly take more yarn than a pair of socks. Things we love particularly: the “pinwheel” style increases at the shoulders and the tidy and continuous i-cord edging. Is there a sock yarn this would not be cute in? No there is not.
Holey Comfort by Hinterm Stein
An easygoing buttonless cardigan with polished details. Garter ridges! Staggered eyelets!
Rievaulx by Josée Paquin
From the May 2019 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly, a sporty, versatile tee using three shades of Neighborhood Fiber Company Studio Sock. Yeah, it’s intarsia, we can see that. But it’s reasonable intarsia: orderly, long sections of color, with straight edges. Worth it!
Field Henley by Lindsay Inouye (IG Standardknits)has been on my list for awhile and there’s a sock yarn option!
In a fit of shameless self-promotion, I’d like to suggest my Leftovers Cowl pattern for all those leftover bits of sock yarn you don’t know what to do with, apart from knitting a mitered square blanket.
I fell in love with this gorgeous pattern when I first saw it on Ravelry. I feel like I’m in training for it… First I knit a solid cowl in this shape, then a striped one… I will get there!
I am a fan of vests knit in sock yarn, especially ones with color work. The finer yarn gives more precise detail, and the resulting garment isn’t too warm. I wanted to knit one based on Camille Descoteaux’s “Alaska” hat pattern. So I knit the hat as a gauge / color concept swatch, did the math and started the vest.
Pictures please!??
Rievaulx reminds me of Julia Farwell Clay’s “Albers” although it does not use sock yarn.
I have knit many Baby Surprise jackets in sock yarn. Washable for the new mom! And all it takes is one gorgeous skein.
afternoon tea by helen stewart: http://knitty.com/ISSUEss12/PATTtea.php
made several of these shawlettes as gifts.
I’ve been making Tim Can Knits Flax Light sweaters for my grandchildren this summer. I just cast on the 6th one. Solids, stripes, speckles…Fun!
I knit Kathleen Dames’ Mariage Soeurs in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Stock and the stitch definition was superb! It was a great marriage of yarn and pattern.
This sweater has been calling my name since it was released…
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gaudi-3
The Gaudi-inspired “stained glass” colorwork yoke is perfect for a brightly-colored sock yarn.
I’m looking for vest pattern (women’s small) Using sock yarn would be fabulous. Recommendations?
I made my Winterfell cardi out of Work Sock from Mad Tosh. I’m SeaAndStone on Ravelry.
Jen Lucas’ excellent “Sock-Yarn Accessories” has 20 patterns, only 2 of which are socks – if, of course, you can bring yourself to stop compulsively knitting socks – as some of us [cough] have difficulty doing….
The unisex baby cardigan pattern is one I’ve been searching for
Beautiful garments, any patterns for easy knitting?
Baby sweaters are a perfect use of sock yarn in my mind. Washable, hard wearing, not too heavy. Made to order.
Sock Yarn Shawls by Jen Lucas, available from Martindale
Good call. Love these patterns! Did one or two before I ever tried knitting socks.
https://www.ravelry.com/projects/somerville/pierowall-vest
I knitted this in Sock yarn and it worked really well.
Just finished this in a fingering gradient and it flew off the needles! Only finishing was weaving in the ends. Love it!
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/clara-38
Sock yarn is perfect for knitting clothes in sock yarn. Washability is my priority. I’d like the clothes to be worn a lot and no one I know enjoys hand washing.