Kirkwall

Kirkwall Socks by Mary Jane Mucklestone

What Is Being Made

Kirkwall is a pair of knitted socks featuring Fair Isle–style stranded colorwork. These socks are designed to be worked from the calf down, with finished measurements accommodating three sizes: small (ankle and foot circumference 8 ¾" / 22 cm, upper calf circumference 13" / 30.5 cm), medium (9 ¾" / 25 cm ankle, 14" / 35.5 cm calf), and large (11" / 28 cm ankle, 15 ¼" / 38.5 cm calf). The total height above the heel is 13 ½" / 34.5 cm, with foot length options of 9, 10, or 11 inches (23, 25.5, or 28 cm).

Techniques Used

This pattern employs Fair Isle–style stranded colorwork, a traditional technique in which two colors are worked simultaneously within each round. The color not in use is stranded loosely along the wrong side of the piece to maintain consistent tension and fabric integrity. Crafters are instructed to cut stranded colors if they will not be used within two rounds, leaving a 4" / 10 cm tail for weaving in during finishing.

All shaping in the Kirkwall socks is strategically executed in the first plain row of a new pattern stripe, allowing the colorwork pattern to remain uninterrupted while increases or decreases are worked. Rounds begin at the center back of the leg, which is a standard construction method for top-down sock knitting.

An important consideration for stranded colorwork socks is that this technique produces less stretch than plain knitting due to the stranded yarn carried on the wrong side of the work. To achieve optimal fit, knitters may want to work their socks one size larger than they would if making them in a single color.

Stitches Used

While the full stitch abbreviations are not detailed in the provided content, the pattern utilizes knit stitches as the foundation for the Fair Isle colorwork. The pattern incorporates plain rows (rounds worked in a single color without pattern) that serve as the locations for all shaping, alternating with patterned rounds that feature the stranded colorwork design.

Materials

The suggested yarn is Quince & Co. Chickadee, a sport-weight yarn composed of 100% American Wool. Each skein contains 181 yards / 166 meters and weighs 1 ¾ ounces / 50 grams. The pattern calls for 2 skeins in Peacoat (navy, serving as the main color) and 1 skein in a contrasting color for the stranded colorwork design.

This is an intermediate-level knitting project suitable for knitters with experience in basic sock construction and colorwork techniques. The downloadable PDF format allows crafters to access the complete pattern digitally.