Resin
One accessory that's indispensable for spending time outside is a good pair of wool socks. Most hand knit socks are made with fingering weight yarn, but I love the extra thickness and durability of a DK weight boot sock.
For this week's pattern, Resin, I chose a tightly-spun 4-ply sock yarn, Hazel Knits DK Lively. Most of the patterns in Woodsmoke & Ash are worked in fairly muted neutral colors to avoid being too flashy, but I think a little bright color hidden inside your boots is just the thing to brighten up a winter day.
Photo Copyright Kathy Cadigan 2012
Resin is the perfect boot sock for active guys. They knit up quickly, with a geometric stitch pattern that creates extra warmth, and a dense gauge in DK weight yarn that makes for great durability.
Photo Copyright Kathy Cadigan 2012
They're simple but interesting to knit, with an engaging and easily memorized stitch pattern that excels at showing off hand-dyed yarn. Resin is knit toe up with a short row heel, which means the height is customizable. Use exactly half your yarn for socks that match perfectly. The hemmed cuff provides a clean, comfortable top.
Photo Copyright Kathy Cadigan 2012
Along with this pattern, I'm excited to announce the new Tutorials section of my website. I'll write more about it soon, but I wanted to make sure you all have the link to my Judy's Magic Cast On Tutorial. As I was putting it together, I realized that my way of doing the cast on is actually a little bit different than the one by Judy Becker. I must have looked at her fantastic Knitty tutorial years ago and then just made it up after that.
Pattern Info
Sizes & Finished Measurements
Foot Circumference: 7.5 (9, 10.5) in/19 (23, 26.5) cm
Yarn
290 (325, 390) yd/266 (300, 358) m DK weight yarn
Shown in Hazel Knits DK Lively (90% Merino, 10% Nylon; 275 yd/251 m per 140g skein)
Color Ruby Love; 2 skeins
Gauge
27 sts/48 rows = 4 in/10 cm in Horizontal Parallelograms Stitch Pattern
Needles & Notions
* Needle Sizes are recommendations only. Always use needle size necessary to obtain gauge.
Use double pointed needles, 32 in/81 cm or longer circular needle for magic loop method or 2 circular needles; use your preferred small-circumference circular knitting method.
US #3/3.25 mm needles
tapestry needle
place markers
Skills
Judy's magic cast on, shaping, knit-and-purl textured stitch pattern, short row heel shaping, sewing down a hem