When you walk into Baa!, or any knitting shop for that matter, looking for yarn, it’s impossible to walk past the self-striping sock yarns without at least taking a second look. There’s something so joyful about them, probably how colourful they are. Obvs they look good knitted up, but they just look great in the ball too. I think that’s one of the reasons self-striping sock yarns are so popular. They’re just fun.
If you’ve ever knit socks with a self-striping yarn before, like the super posh Kremke Lazy Lion you can see just below, you’ll understand the delight of watching your handknit socks come to life with absolutely zero effort. As if by magic, without the counting, charts and concentration, you’ve got all the beauty of colourwork knitting – and if that wasn’t enough, you’ll only have the cast on and cast off tails to weave in at the end of it!
Socks are an excellent knitting project, too. The fact you have to knit two is mildly annoying – a bit like sleeves, really – but everyone needs a pair of socks every day (pretty much). They’re a knitting project you can almost guarantee will be worn, and what knitter doesn’t like to see their handknits in use? Whether that be by themselves or the giftee.
I know it’s a bit of a cliche, but socks, especially handknit socks, do make brilliant presents (this is your sign to start thinking about those Christmas gift knits, by the way. I promise your December self will thank you!) They’re also a great size for knitting on the go, and depending on the pattern, they’re an easy knitting project you can dip in and out of. I’m relatively new to the sock knitting world, but as a plain old beige girl, I love a plain, vanilla sock. Pair that with a self-striping sock yarn, and you’ve got yourself a winning combination for sofa knitting on an evening.
Let’s take the focus off self-stripers for a second and take a step back to look at sock yarns in general. What makes a sock yarn a sock yarn – and what makes it a good’un?
Generally speaking, sock yarns are a 4-ply (or fingering weight) yarn that’s been specifically designed for – you guessed it – knitting socks. It’s not just about the thickness though, the composition matters too. Most sock yarns are a blend of wool and nylon) which makes them particularly good for the job at hand, or should I say ‘foot’?…
You’ve got that lovely warmth and bounce from the wool, while the nylon adds strength and stretch, crucial for handknit socks that need to stand up to daily wear. There’s no point making all that effort to knit up a pair only for them to grow holes as soon as they touch the inside of your boots, is there, so durability is key.
A lot of sock yarns are also machine washable, thanks to the use of superwash wool, which is handy, you know? It makes them much easier to care for, which is a big plus when you’re knitting something that’ll (hopefully) get worn often. Especially if you’re making them as a gift for a non-knitter (although, in all fairness, I’m a well-established knitter and even I’ve managed to felt a pair of socks… not my finest moment, I hasten to add!).
Some sock yarns, like Jawoll, even come with a little reinforcement thread you can knit together with the main yarn at those hardworking areas like the heels and toes. You’ll also find completely natural sock yarns with no synthetic fibres at all. These usually have a high twist, which gives them extra strength to help resist wear and tear.
So, to sum up: a good sock yarn is durable (often thanks to nylon or, in the case of all-natural yarns, a high twist), washable, and ideally comfortable to wear (merino is a common choice ‘cause it’s so nice and soft). And obvs, it’s got to look good too.
Essentially, If you’re after socks that last, a wool/nylon blend is always a solid place to start.
We’re big fans of a self-striping sock yarn here at Baa!, and are always adding to our collection of colour-changing yarns. In fact, if you’ve popped into our Stonehaven knitting shop recently, you might’ve spotted our latest addition – the rather dreamy WYS Signature 4ply Butterflies Collection on the shelves which West Yorkshire Spinners launched just this month.
We love a yarn that does all the hard work for us, and self-stripers do exactly that. With these yarns we can knit up stripes, colour changes and even fancy fair-isle style colourwork, all without thinking about it!
We’ve had loads of lovely customers admiring our self-striping sock yarns lately, so we thought we’d share a few of our personal faves to help you knit up the fanciest socks in town.
This ball of joy is made from two individually dyed strands that are twisted together to create unexpected, ‘crazy’ colour combos as you go. A cracking sock yarn that’s just as fun to look at as it is to knit.
A sock classic for a reason. West Yorkshire Spiner’s seasonal collections (like the brand new Butterflies I was telling you about) mean there’s no shortage of beautiful colourways to choose from. They’re great value and, as I said we’re particularly smitten with these Butterfly-inspired colourways. Gorgeous pastel shades, perfect for summer sock knitting.
Fancy knitting fair-isle style socks without lifting a finger? This iconic self-striper is the easiest way to get jazzy handknit socks without any technical knitting. Opal sock yarns knit up into these faux Fair Isle patterns that make it look like you’ve done loads of work, when really, you haven’t! I think that’s my kind of sock knitting!
A sock yarn for when you want socks that feel properly luxurious. Super soft merino and beautiful dyeing make this one of our go-to yarns for special occasion socks or gift knitting.
If, like myself you’re relatively new to sock knitting, or if the joy of self-striping yarns has convinced you to give it a go, a vanilla sock knitting pattern is an excellent place to start. The thought of turning heels and grafting toes can be daunting, but thankfully for us, there are loads of brilliant sock knitting patterns out there that walk you through step by step.
In order to help you cast on sooner rather than later, I’ve rounded up 3 vanilla sock knitting patterns that you could pair with a self-striping sock yarn to get you started.
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A classic beginner-friendly sock knitting pattern, and it’s free too! Designed by Christine Perry AKA The Winwick Mum, it’s designed to make what can be a daunting knitting project (if you’ve not done it before) feel achievable. And, if you feel like you need a little bit more support as a beginner sock knitter, there’s a full series of Sockalong step-by-step tutorial posts on the Winwick Mum blog that covers everything from choosing yarn and needles to turning the heel and grafting the toe.
I also just spotted the Basic 4ply Shortie Socks version on Ravelry which I think I might need to add to my knitting queue to cast on in the not to distant future…
Construction: Cuff down, heel flap
Find the Basic 4ply Socks by Winwick Mum on Ravelry
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This is actually the pattern I am using at the moment to knit a pair of socks. Personally, i prefer the look of a short row heel so this sock knitting pattern is probably one of my favourites to get started with. I like the clean, minimal design and the pattern is well written and easy to follow. I also love that you can stripe them, or knit as one solid colour. Construction: Cuff down, short row heel
This is the sock pattern I’m knitting from at the moment, and I have to say, I’m really enjoying it. The design itself is clean, minimal, and the pattern is really well written and super easy to follow. I’m a fan of the look of a short row heel, so this one’s probably my favourites for an easy sock knitting pattern. I also love that you can knit them in a solid colour or play with stripes, like PetiteKnit has in her sample.
The only annoying thing about a short row heel is that they do disrupt the self-striping patterns a bit. If that’s something that would bother you, it’s probably worth knitting the heels and toes in a solid contrast colour.
Construction: Cuff down, short row heel
Find the Everyday Socks knitting pattern on Ravelry
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The next sock pattern in my knitting queue (after my everyday socks) and another free pattern, too. This one, like the basic 4-ply socks uses a heel flap construction which is great for adding strength and durability. Not as visually pleasing as a shortrow heel (in my humble opinion) but a solid option for socks that will stand up to lots of walking and wear.
The pattern itself looks super clear and I love that it walks you through step-by-step with accompanying links to tutorial videos and helpful pictures and explanations throughout for visual learners.
Construction: cuff down, heel flap
Find the I’m So Basic Socks knitting pattern on Ravelry here
Whether you’re new to sock knitting or just fancy an easy knitting project for an evening on the sofa, a vanilla sock knitting pattern paired with self-striping sock yarn is a match made in knitting heaven.
I know plenty of you are seasoned sock knitters, so we’d love to hear from you. What are your go-to sock patterns? Do you have a favourite yarn you always come back to? Find us on Instagram and drop us message – we’re always happy to chat.
