Lilacs at Night Socks, PDF pattern

About the Design

First published in Heels and Toes Gazette, Spring 2002, Issue #6

These are soft, cozy socks that will chase winter’s cold with remembrances of Spring!

This design was inspired by “Lilac Time”, a lace pattern in Marianne Kinzel’s Second Book of Modern Lace Knitting. But, in looking at the lace pattern, I saw colorwork!

And so, I charted the lilac-shaped motif and started to play with colors. I chose a dark navy ground color, to make the lilac colors pop. After working the navy socks, I chose a natural background, as not all knitters like to work with dark colored yarns – the lighter version feels like Daytime Lilacs.

They are worked in Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted, a worsted that knits easily as a DK wt, thanks to its great yardage and comes in tons of great colors.

This pattern has a large color chart, for easy following. And, though, it appears to be knit with 3 colors on some rounds, it is purely illusion! Those bits of ice blue color are duplicate stitched later – maximum impact with little extra effort!

Size: medium woman

Finished Measurements

Length Heel to Toe: 9.5”

Length Floor to Cuff Top: 7.25”

Foot Circ: 9”

Materials

Brown Sheep Nature Spun Worsted, 100% wool, 245 yds/3.5 oz pull skeins: 1 skein each #119 Bulldog Blue or #730 Natural (MC), N64 Platte River Blue (CC1), N66 Mill Blue (CC2), and N80 Mountain Purple (CC3) (2 skeins of MC will allow 2 pair to be knit!)

US size 2 (2.75) double pointed needles (dpns)

Tapestry needle

Gauge

28 sts & 34 rounds (rnds) = 4” (10 cm) {7 sts and 8.5 rnds = 1” (2.5 cm)} over charted pattern using size 2 ndls, or size to give gauge. To save time, take time to check gauge.

Substitute Yarn Weight: DK

Happy Knitting!

Dawn