First Leaves

First Leaves Socks by Corrine Walcher

What is Being Made

First Leaves Socks is a lace sock pattern designed by Corrine Walcher for the March 2018 Club Dragonfly. These are women's socks featuring delicate lace motifs inspired by the first leaves of spring or the final leaves of autumn. The design is described as a pretty, lacy, girly sock pattern, ideal for wearing during the transitional seasons when handknit socks are most appreciated. The pattern comes in three sizes: Small (7" around), Medium (8" around), and Large (9" around), all measured unstretched.

Techniques Used

First Leaves Socks are knit in the round, which is the traditional method for sock construction. This technique allows for seamless, tubular fabric that conforms smoothly to the foot. The pattern employs lace techniques to create the decorative leaf motifs throughout the sock. Working in the round requires either a set of five double-pointed needles or two circular needles, both of which allow knitters to maintain continuous rounds without seaming.

Stitches Used

The pattern utilizes fundamental knitting stitches combined with lace decreases to create the leaf pattern effects. The abbreviations referenced in the pattern include:

• K (Knit) — the basic knit stitch
• P (Purl) — the basic purl stitch
• Sl (Slip) — slipping stitches as if to purl with yarn in back
• PM (Place marker) and SM (Slip marker) — for tracking pattern repeats and shaping sections
• K2tog (Knit two together) — a right-leaning decrease
• P2tog (Purl two together) — a purl decrease
• SSK (Slip, slip, knit) — a left-leaning decrease

The combination of these decreases with knit and purl stitches creates the openwork lace pattern characteristic of the design. The base fabric is worked in stockinette stitch, which provides a smooth, classic sock fabric.

Materials and Gauge

The pattern is designed for 3-ply and 4-ply yarn weights. The sample was knit using Dragonfly Fibers Djinni, a premium blend of 80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon, providing durability, softness, and easy care. The yardage requirement is 420 yards per 4.2 ounces. The sample colorway used is the exclusive Club Dragonfly March 2018 colorway Persephone.

Needles required are US size 1 (2.5 mm) double-pointed or circular needles, or the size needed to obtain the specified gauge. The pattern calls for a gauge of 8 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch, knit in the round. Achieving the correct gauge is essential for the socks to fit properly in the intended sizes.

Difficulty Level

First Leaves Socks is rated as an intermediate knitting project. This difficulty level reflects the combination of working in the round, managing lace pattern repeats, and executing the various decreases required to create the leaf motifs. Knitters should be comfortable with basic sock construction and have experience reading lace charts or pattern instructions before attempting this design.