Inspiration
New Favorite Luxe Sox
Friends, I come not to praise Fatimah Hinds’s Cuff-Down Yak-Silk Socks, but to gush about them. These socks will convert a knitter who’s a sock doubter into a sock touter.
These beauties can be found in our new Field Guide No. 27: Sock Odyssey.
You can’t buy socks like the Cuff-Down Yak Socks. They’re elegant in design—more cuffless than cuff-down, in that Fatimah dispensed with the expected ribbed cuff. The plush cabled fabric is never interrupted as it makes its way down the leg, across the instep, and all the way to the toe-tip.
The knitter chooses the cables from a menu of six interchangeable motifs—so your pair will truly be custom.
The element of luxury is inherent in the design, but it is enhanced and multiplied by Fatimah’s choice of yarn. Agni Y by Serendipitous Wool is a yarn designed by hand-dyer Shobha Nadarajah. Agni Y combines merino wool, yak, and silk—luxury fibers that play off each other’s strengths to create something truly special.
The extraordinary sheen and softness of Agni Y is perceptible even in photographs, but in person, it’s irresistible.
Did you notice that the sole is worked in reverse stockinette stitch? That’s Fatimah’s way of ensuring extra comfort—by placing the smooth stockinette side of the fabric against the foot—and it also makes the cables pop!
The Cuff-Down Yak-Silk Sock will be your favorite socks—a treat for your own sweet feet, and the perfect gift for a person in your life who appreciates the truly exceptional.
Sock Curious? Join Our Class with Fatimah on June 21!
There’s so much to learn about knitting socks—whether you’re new or experienced with socks, you’ll learn plenty in our upcoming virtual class, Sock Tips and Tricks. Three hours in a Zoom webinar format, on Friday, June 21. You won’t want to miss this chance to learn with Fatimah.
My concerns are two-fold: the durability of the yarn – actual wearing with shoes, not padding around the house; and the “stay upness” of a sock without a ribbing cuff. Any notes from actual experience would be greatly appreciated!
These are beautiful socks. How does that gorgeous yarn wear? One reason why I quit knitting socks (although I did always enjoy the process) was because the socks always got holes in them and wore out so quickly.
I’d hesitate to buy such expensive yarn for socks (even though it is gorgeous) unless I could be assured that it does wear well.
Barbara, I’m not an expert, I find silk is super tough. My husband is awful on socks, and that seems to be the best for him, although I’ve used silk blends when spinning I haven’t used it in a DK blend yet.
This winter I bought Tanis Lavalee’s merino/silk/yak yarn to make a cardigan. The glow of the silk, the deep tones of the yak, the squishy density of the merino! This was the most I have ever paid for yarn, and I wanted to make something I would wear forever… I changed my mind on the bottom-up cardigan about two-thirds of the way through and ripped it down. Began Asa Soderman’s Mayhem DK, a beautiful design. Finished and blocked it, and in a complete triumph of hope over reality, discovered the size 36 I needed was about a size 50. I ripped back that long suffering yarn and am part way through Asa’s Blue Basalt. Last week, when I got to the bust darts of this top-down cardigan, I washed and blocked to check size. The yarn is perfect, perfect! I didn’t do anything to straighten the kinks but it’s smooth and lustrous. I lost some surface black yak fluff, but I still see its deep tones. I can hardly believe it. And a bonus: my skin isn’t irritated by contact. I think you will be good with this amazing yarn blend!
We have yet to road-test this yarn ourselves, but silk is often used as a natural-fiber substitute for nylon, it’s super strong (think: parachutes) in addition to warm.
I’ve only worn hand knitted socks for years. The yarn with some nylon wears better that that without. The expensive yarn I use for what I call boudoir socks, only worn in the house with slippers. The other thing is I have learned to darn. Perhaps MDK could do a tutorial on that skill.
I would SO appreciate a darning tutorial. I have a pile of hand knit socks with holes in the heel and am contemplating re-using the yarn instead of darning them! My darning efforts to date have not pleased me.
Me, too, on the darning tutorial.
Stay tuned! We are dipping a toe (ha ha) into darning very soon….it seems timely since we are going to be knitting socks all summer!
This yarn and socks look absolutely wonderful… but to put them on my feet is sacrilege. Granted, my feet would like that but no one can share their beauty or the tactile pleasure if I wear this yarn on my feet, hidden under trousers ;-)).
Unless – I find a way to make something convertible to a neckwear, hmm….
Lets’s go with a cowl design instead.
Using that lovely luxe yarn for socks is certainly a triumph of hope over experience.
Such a smart-looking sock, and an enjoyable knit! I will wear mine with capri pants and best Birks.
Love to all Bessie
I am so excited to make these socks! Actually, I’m excited to make all these socks! I learned how to knit so I could make socks and sweaters, so this is perfect for me!
I can attest that the yarn is incredible in person.
My mom used to make our socks so I already know how to darn, but I would love to learn how to do fancy darning, where the yarn is “reknit” into the pattern.
I am thrilled to see multiple sizes in sock land, this alone is a triumph. (Rant about store socks being sold in one size fits all, I beg to differ!)
And that I won’t have to use size 0 needles, yes please.
How many skeins does a pair use? I have big feet (11 mens shoes, I hardly ever find nice women’s shoes in my size) so I always need more yarn for socks. I’ve only made a couple pairs because of the cost. If I’m going to spend that much on yarn, I want it to be something that will be seen, and that will last.