Rowanberry Socks in Novita Nalle and Nordic Wool - Downloadable PDF

Rowanberry Socks Knitting Pattern in Novita Nalle and Nordic Wool

The Rowanberry Socks are a beautifully detailed knitted sock pattern designed by Novita, available as a free downloadable PDF. Sized for women, these socks feature a striking colorwork aesthetic inspired by the rich tones of rowanberries, combining deep blacks, reds, and earthy naturals into a wearable piece of fiber art. The pattern is rated intermediate in difficulty, making it an excellent project for knitters who are comfortable with basic sock construction and ready to explore decorative embroidery techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a pair of knitted socks worked in the round on double-pointed needles. The socks are constructed from the cuff down, featuring a heel flap, gusset shaping, and a shaped toe. What makes these socks especially distinctive is the rowanberry motif, which is applied to the finished sock using duplicate stitch embroidery rather than being worked in during knitting. The motif appears on both the leg and the instep, following two separate charts provided in the pattern.

Yarns and Materials Used

The pattern calls for two different Novita yarn lines, used together to create the colorwork and embroidered details:

• Novita Nalle in black (099) 100 g and red plum (589) 100 g as the main sock colors, plus Christmas (549) less than 50 g and nutria (690) for motif details
• Novita Nordic Wool in heather (554) 100 g and pomegranate (532) 100 g as main colors, plus spruce (397) less than 50 g, dark ruby (590), and squirrel (645) for motif accents
• Double-pointed needles in Novita 3 mm and 3½ mm, or the sizes needed to achieve gauge

The yarn weight is DK, and the recommended gauge is 24 stitches in stockinette stitch over 10 cm. Achieving correct gauge is important for ensuring the socks fit properly.

Techniques Used

This pattern incorporates several core and intermediate sock-knitting techniques:

• Knitting in the round on four double-pointed needles, with stitches distributed evenly across the needles throughout construction
• Two-needle cast-on for the cuff edge, which provides additional stretch — an important detail for a comfortable sock opening
• Heel flap construction, worked back and forth before rejoining in the round
• Gusset shaping, with stitches picked up along both edges of the heel flap (14 stitches per side plus 1 between needles), worked through the back loop for a tighter join
• Gusset decreases using k2tog at the end of needle I and skp at the beginning of needle IV, repeated until 14 stitches remain on each needle
• Toe decreases using k2tog and skp at the ends and beginnings of designated needles, worked until 8 stitches remain, then finished by breaking the yarn and drawing it through the remaining stitches
• Duplicate stitch embroidery applied to the completed sock, following two separate charts — Chart I for the leg section and Chart II for the instep — to create the rowanberry motif

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch in the round — all rounds knitted, forming the smooth fabric of the sock body, sole, and toe
• K2tog (knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease used in gusset and toe shaping
• Skp (slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over) — a left-leaning decrease used to balance the shaping on the opposite side