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Spruce Socks. Photos © Originally Lovely
Spruce Socks by Kaitlin Barthold of Originally Lovely are a beautifully detailed pair of top-down knitted socks featuring tiny spruce trees along the outer ankle.
Designed with fingering-weight sock yarn, these socks combine classic sock construction with slipped stitches and small cable techniques to create the distinctive evergreen motif. The pattern includes four adult sizes from S through XL and instructions for either Magic Loop or double-pointed needles.
The feature that makes these socks immediately recognizable is the spruce tree motif positioned on the outer ankle.
Instead of using traditional stranded colorwork, the design creates texture within a single-color sock using slipped stitches, increases, decreases and small cable movements.
The result is subtle enough for everyday wear but detailed enough to make the socks especially attractive for winter and holiday knitting.
Spruce Socks are a particularly interesting choice if you love the look of seasonal knitted motifs but don't necessarily want to manage several yarn colors at once.
The spruce trees are formed through stitch manipulation rather than conventional stranded knitting.
This allows the tree motif to emerge from the texture of the knitted fabric itself.
The pattern includes four sizes: S (M, L, XL).
Finished foot circumferences are approximately:
The designer provides approximate women's and men's US shoe-size guidance as well, making this a versatile unisex sock pattern.
Approximate women's US shoe sizes are:
Approximate men's US shoe sizes are:
Foot circumference is generally the more useful measurement when selecting your pattern size, while foot length can be adjusted during knitting.
Spruce Socks are constructed one at a time from the cuff down.
After the cuff and decorative ankle section are completed, the pattern transitions into a traditional heel-flap construction.
The gusset is then formed before the foot continues in stockinette stitch toward the toe.
The spruce tree design is intended to sit on the outer ankle of each sock.
This means the left and right socks need slightly different positioning when the knitting reaches the heel section.
The pattern includes separate adjustment instructions so that after the heel flap is positioned, the decorative trees remain on the outside of each ankle rather than both appearing on the same side.
The heel uses a classic heel flap, heel turn and gusset construction.
This is a useful technique to learn because heel-flap socks offer a familiar fit and make it possible to reinforce the back of the heel through slipped stitches.
After turning the heel, stitches are picked up along the heel flap and gusset decreases gradually return the sock to its original stitch count.
Once the heel and gusset are complete, the foot is worked in stockinette stitch.
This section can be adjusted to suit the wearer's actual foot length. The designer instructs knitters to begin the toe shaping before reaching the desired total length.
This is particularly useful because shoe size alone doesn't always provide the best indication of knitted sock length.
After the toe decreases are complete, the remaining stitches are grafted together using Kitchener stitch.
Grafting creates a smooth join across the toe rather than a bulky seam, which is especially desirable for socks that will be worn inside shoes.
The pattern is written so you can knit the socks using either Magic Loop or double-pointed needles (DPNs).
Both methods use US 1 (2.25 mm) needles, or the size required to achieve the correct gauge.
This flexibility lets you use whichever small-circumference knitting technique you find most comfortable.
Spruce Socks use approximately 330–450 yards (302–411 m) of fingering-weight yarn, depending on size and any length adjustments.
The original sample was shown in Kenyarn Cirrus Fingering in the Sitka Spruce colorway.
A fingering-weight wool blend containing nylon is a practical choice for socks because it combines warmth with additional durability.
You don't need to use the original yarn to make Spruce Socks.
Look for a fingering-weight sock yarn that can produce the required gauge of 32 stitches per 4 inches in stockinette.
Because the spruce motif relies on visible stitch texture, a solid, tonal or lightly variegated yarn may show the trees more clearly than a very busy multicolored yarn.
The specified gauge is:
32 stitches = 4 inches (10 cm)
in stockinette stitch
Gauge is particularly important for socks because even a relatively small difference can noticeably change the finished circumference.
If necessary, adjust your needle size rather than automatically using the needle listed in the pattern.
Useful techniques for this project include:
Spruce Socks are best suited to a knitter who is already comfortable with basic knitting and wants to develop more sock-knitting skills.
The pattern combines small-circumference knitting, slipped stitches, simple cables, heel construction, picking up stitches and Kitchener grafting.
If you have already made a basic pair of socks, this can be an especially enjoyable next project because the construction remains familiar while the spruce motif introduces something new.
The tiny evergreen trees naturally give Spruce Socks a festive winter character.
They can work beautifully as Christmas socks without relying on bright red-and-green colorwork, especially when knitted in forest green, charcoal, cream or another wintry shade.
The same understated motif also makes them wearable throughout the colder months rather than limiting them to the holiday season.
A pair of hand-knitted socks makes a thoughtful gift, and the spruce detailing gives this design an extra handmade touch.
Because the pattern includes four circumferences and guidance for both men's and women's shoe sizes, you have considerably more sizing flexibility than with a one-size sock pattern.
Spruce Socks combine a dependable top-down sock construction with an unusual textured motif that makes the finished pair instantly recognizable.
The slipped-stitch spruce trees provide visual interest without requiring traditional stranded colorwork, while the heel flap, gusset and grafted toe give you a classic sock structure.
With four adult sizes, adjustable foot length and instructions for both Magic Loop and DPNs, the pattern also offers useful flexibility for different knitters and recipients.
The complete Spruce Socks by Kaitlin Barthold of Originally Lovely are currently available as a paid digital knitting pattern from the designer's Ravelry store.
Get the Spruce Socks Knitting Pattern →
This pattern is not currently free. Pattern availability and pricing on external websites may change over time.
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| Photo above © Little Yellow Wheelbarrow |