Crate Socks

As I mentioned earlier, after I finished my Arctic Light Sweater, I had no idea what to knit. My go-to project when I'm between planned pieces is usually socks, but because I was feeling cranky, I didn't want just any old socks, I wanted interesting socks -- new, shiny, exciting socks. Luckily, there's a Ravelry button for that.

 

I set my search filters for free sock patterns, then sorted the results by "New to Ravelry."

I thought about making the Jali Socks by Lorraine Rayson, but having just come off of a major cabling project, I didn't want to risk burning myself out.

 

I also considered the Drops Garnet Glow Socks because the diamond heel looks hella cool, but it's a DK pattern and I was in the mood to do absolutely zero math.

 

Thus, I decided on Crate Socks, the debut pattern from Knits By Lois. They're simple, they're classic, they're textured, and they come in four sizes. Consider me convinced.

 

Because these socks have their own texture, I wanted to use a solid color. I think these would truly shine in a creamy beige, but when I went digging through my stash, I came up with some deep green that would do the trick. 

This is the now-discontinued Serenity Sock from Premier Yarns in "Woodsy Green."

Y'all. This has been in my stash since 2015. 

Yes, you read that right. This yarn is from an era when Obama was still president and Taylor Swift had just come out of the mainstream music closet.

Despite being nearly antique, this is a perfectly lovely yarn. It's a blend of wool, nylon, and bamboo (had we even invented bamboo in 2015?? it boggles the mind!), and if I'm not mistaken, this is the same stuff I used to make my first pair of Sleekit Mitts back in the day. 

With yarn in hand, I was ready to start the pattern. Here are my thoughts.

What's good about the pattern:

- It comes in four sizes and each size includes its own set of written and charted instructions.

- The stitch pattern is easy to work and makes a lovely texture. 

- The heel flap feels extra sturdy.

- The heel math actually works; you end up where you're supposed to end up without having to fiddle or think.

- There are two options for gusset decrease rates, something I haven't seen in other patterns.

 

What I changed:

- I worked two inches of ribbing before beginning the slip stitch pattern

- I used DPNs rather than Magic Loop, since that's what I'm more comfortable with. For anyone else working on DPNs, I would recommend shifting your stitches so that each needle begins with a knit stitch and ends with a purl stitch; this helps prevent gaps and ladders between needles.

 

What I would do differently next time:

- As written, the size M has a three-stitch pattern column flanked by two-stitch purl columns. Next time, I think I would do a 5-stitch pattern column with a single purl on each side. 

Overall, I'm very happy with this pattern and with the finished object. Even Samson approves:

If you're looking for a fresh sock pattern, I highly recommend the Crate Socks. They haven't gotten nearly as much attention as they deserve, and I hope they gain some traction soon.