I have wanted to knit a pair of cuff socks for some time now. I always think they look fun for wearing in the Spring, early Summer and Autumn. Very cute.
Last year I bought the book “A Cuff Above” containing 23 sock patterns by Cynthia Guggemos. Several patterns in this book really appeal to me. The first to actually be knit are the Lucy Anklet Socks. In the book, the designer, gives 3 different options for the cuff: a ZigZag Eyelet Cuff, Eyelet Rib Cuff, or Little Fountains Cuff. All of the options give a simple lace cuff.
(Neil decided they’d make rather a cute platter for the squirrel to eat peanuts from!)
I opted for the ZigZag Eyelet Cuff. I thought they looked very elegant. The pattern is written for 2 different sizes. I did the first where I cast on 60 stitches and knit the socks on 2.75mm Clover bamboo double pointed needles.
I chose Opal Best Friends Clique 8867 you can choose a pretty sock yarn that you love. I really love the colours in these socks although they are different to the colours I usually choose to wear. I love the combination of taupe, rust and pale sky blue. They are a very elegant colour combination.
Unusually for me, I didn’t make any changes to this pattern when I was knitting them. To the contrary, I actually found it really interesting that the heel flap was knit over an uneven number of stitches. This allows for the first and last stitch in every alternate row on the heel flap to be slipped.
After the heel flap, heel turn and gusset have been finished, the stitches are rearranged on the needles to make sure that they are the same as for the leg. The single moved stitch doesn’t make any difference to the comfort of the sock for wearing.
I rather like how Cynthia’s slip stitch heel looks. Every third stitch is slipped instead of every other. It is very attractive.
I think what I am least certain about is the way the fold line for the cuff is knit. If I was knitting the socks again, I’d probably change to a single row of garter stitch to create the fold line.
I knit 42 rounds of stocking stitch for the foot.
The classic toe is a comfortable one to wear and a favourite for me. The final stitches are grafted using kitchener stitch. These are beautiful socks and a pleasure to wear.
“A Cuff Above” has some nice sock patterns. A good mix of knee length, ankle and mid-calf for adults. A few baby socks and a couple of Christmas stockings. Like most of the sock pattern books in my collection the adult socks are in 2 or 3 sizes. There are a couple of other sock patterns I definitely intend knitting.
I want to unravel a pair of socks that turned out too big for me and want to reuse the yarn. I love the soft and beautiful yarn but never tried unraveling before. Can I use a little fabric softener in the water while soaking the yarn in place of what you use in Ireland that isn’t available here? Thanks! I do love your website and think you have a dream job- keep up the travel stories and knitting.
Kay- Arizona knitter
Hi Kay, You could use a little fabric softener, a little hair conditioner or a little washing up liquid. But you may find that when you put the yarn into the water that the kinks will come out of it right away. The important thing is winding the yarn into a skein and tying the skein in about 3 places so that it doesn’t become tangled. I leave mine in the water just soaking for about 30 minutes to make sure it is completely wet through. Then I rinse the yarn. There are some wool washing products around that you can soak your yarn in, such as Eucalan, and then you don’t need to rinse the yarn. I’d probably rinse it anyway, particularly if I’m not intending to knit with it right away. I wrote about the process I use in Unravel A Sock & Rejuvenate the Yarn. Hope that helps. Nicolette
Hi Nicolette,
Love the yarn–it looks brown, tan and gray on my monitor, but would like the colors you described too.
About the cute cuff–how would the leg of the sock look with the cuff unfolded and pulled up for wear in cooler weather?
Thanks for sharing a beautiful pair of socks.
Joyce in Utah
Hi Joyce, This was a very pretty colour combination.
With this particular cuff pattern it would not look nice pulled up for cooler weather. The lace isn’t a two sided lace, definitely a right and wrong side to it. The other thing about the socks is there is a definite fold line at the top edge of the cuff.
They are cute. First pair of socks with fold down cuffs I’ve knit and with the shorter leg probably more a Spring, Early Autumn pair of socks. Happy knitting, Nicolette