Country Socks

Pattern: Country Socks

Book: Folk Socks by Nancy Bush

Yarn: Oceanwind Knits Merino Sock (Colour: Slate)

           Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Solid (Colour: Natural)

Needles: Circular, 2.25 mm

This is my first pair of socks from Nancy Bush's Folk Socks book. She writes that the pattern is adapted from a pair found on the Shetland Island of Foula.

It is also the first time I have knit socks with a star toe. I learned sock knitting with Charlene Schurch's book, Sensational Knitted Socks. I learned to knit cuff down socks with a heel flap and a wedge toe and, regardless of the pattern, have never seen the need to do the heels and toes in any other way. But I wanted, with this book, to experiment a little more with traditional sock knitting. The star toe seems to fit just as well and looks good.

The only modification I made was to knit both the heel flap and the heel turn in natural. Bush did only the heel turn in the contrast color. I prefer the look of hers but the Lorna's Laces yarn had a higher nylon content than the Oceanwinds slate and I wanted the heel to be more resistant to wear.