Knitting Socks - Ben Nevis Style

The very first thing I ever learned to knit as a child was slipper socks. That’s a LONG time ago and I was never tempted to make socks again. That is, until I started to see people knitting socks during lockdown and the fun colours of yarn that are on sale.

Ben Nevis Yarn

I enjoy working through a pattern and getting a sense of the rhythms hidden in the code. I started with a yarn I don’t like very much, a kind of hairy sock yarn I bought cheaply. At least, I made my mistakes on something I would not choose to wear.

Yarn choice is a big part of crafting life. Not only because of colours and tones, but getting a comfortable blend to work with, that washes well makes the entire enterprise of knitting your own socks feel beautifully worthwhile. I found this 4-ply yarn from Stylecraft, which has been very easy to work with.

Pattern

I followed a free pattern for my first pair of socks and learned what did and did not work for my broader foot shape. Some adaptations made this knit work SO much better, particularly by elongating and widening the heel and toe while keeping the ankle in a loose but stretchy rib.

I am very happy with how these turned out and they’re super comfortable. That is, after all, the main point!

What’s on your needles?

Links

If you want to get something similar, this Patons sock yarn is a very competitive price - click here.

Or if you want to go fancy, I like the shade of blue in this Knit Picks yarn, but I’ve not tried the yarn before.