My First Stranded Colorwork Socks

Knitting socks has always been a passion of mine, but this pair is extra special — they’re my very first attempt at stranded colourwork.

The inspiration came from an old cross stitch pattern I had tucked away. I thought the little sheep motif would be perfect for socks, so I reworked it into a knitting chart and set myself the challenge.

For the main colour I used my own hand-dyed yarn, Wildwood (a speckled 4-ply sock base). The sheep are knitted in white with black faces and legs, I added a couple of green stripes to frame the design and green toe.

These socks were knitted on my favourite 9" circular needles, with a 64-stitch cast-on, a K2, P2 rib, and my go-to shadow wrap heel. The stranded section was so much fun — once I saw those little sheep appearing row by row, I couldn’t stop smiling!

I’ve included the chart below so you can try the motif yourself. It repeats perfectly around a 64-stitch sock, but you could also use it for mitts, hats, or even a cosy sweater yoke.

This project reminded me that sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected places — like an old cross stitch pattern finding new life in a pair of knitted socks.

Little Sheep.pdf

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