Socks in Hayfield Journey DK - 8189 - Downloadable PDF

Hayfield Journey DK Socks – Pattern 8189: Full Summary

Pattern 8189 from Hayfield is a knitting pattern for a pair of classic socks worked in Hayfield Journey DK yarn. The pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and presents two distinct sock designs — a Ribbed Sock and a Patterned Sock — both sized to fit approximately shoe size 4 to 6½, with a foot length of 22 cm (8¾ in) and a leg length to the top of the heel of 22 cm (8¾ in). This is an intermediate-level knitting project, making it well suited to knitters who are comfortable with basic sock construction and ready to explore more decorative stitch work.

About the Two Designs

Ribbed Socks

The Ribbed Socks are a timeless, structured design built around a rib pattern worked throughout the leg and foot. Ribbing is one of the most practical and popular sock constructions in hand knitting — it creates a naturally elastic fabric that hugs the leg and ankle comfortably, providing a secure, flattering fit without the need for additional shaping. The rib pattern used in this design is established in the first two rows and maintained consistently from cuff to heel, giving the finished sock a clean, uniform texture.

The construction follows a traditional top-down sock method, beginning with the cuff and working down through the leg, heel, and foot. Stitches are held on stitch holders during heel construction, a standard technique in flat-knitted sock patterns that allows the knitter to work back and forth across the heel flap before rejoining for the foot.

• Yarn: Hayfield Journey DK, shade 552, 1 x 100g ball
• Needles: 4mm (UK8 / USA6) and 3¼mm (UK10 / USA3) knitting needles
• Tension: 26 sts and 32 rows to 10cm over rib pattern on 4mm needles; 22 sts and 28 rows to 10cm over stocking stitch on 4mm needles
• Key stitches: Knit, purl, rib pattern, stocking stitch, slip stitch techniques (yft, ybk, s1)

The slip stitch detail — yft, s1, ybk — used during the heel construction is a classic technique that reinforces the heel flap, creating a denser, more durable fabric in the area that receives the most wear. This is a hallmark of well-constructed hand-knitted socks.

Patterned Socks

The Patterned Socks are a more decorative design that introduces a range of advanced stitch techniques to create surface texture and visual interest across the leg and foot. This version is what elevates the pattern to intermediate difficulty, as it requires the use of a cable needle and the execution of multiple cable and twist stitches, as well as a bobble stitch.

The patterned design incorporates a rich vocabulary of cable and twist movements, all carefully defined within the pattern's abbreviations. These techniques manipulate the order in which stitches are worked by temporarily holding stitches on a cable needle, producing crossing lines, twists, and three-dimensional bobble details that give the sock a highly tactile, decorative finish.

• Yarn: Hayfield Journey DK, shade 551, 1 x 100g ball
• Needles: 4mm (UK8 / USA6) and 3¼mm (UK10 / USA3) knitting needles, plus a cable needle
• Key stitches and techniques include:

• T3L — slip 1 stitch to front on cable needle, k1, p1, then k1 from cable needle (left-leaning twist)
• T3R — slip 2 stitches to back on cable needle, k1, then p1, k1 from cable needle (right-leaning twist)
• T3F — slip 1