Stitch Socks in Lion Brand Wool Ease - 70250AD - Downloadable PDF

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Duplicate Stitch Socks – Free Knitting Pattern (70250AD)

This free downloadable PDF knitting pattern from Lion Brand Yarn guides knitters through creating a pair of colorful, snowflake-decorated socks sized for young children. Known as the Wool-Ease® Duplicate Stitch Socks (Pattern Number 70250AD), this project is rated Intermediate skill level and is designed to fit sizes ranging from 24 months (approximately 2 years) through 5 years, making it an ideal handknit gift for little ones. The foot length can be adjusted as desired, giving knitters added flexibility across the included size range.

What Is Being Made

The finished project is a pair of children's knitted socks featuring cheerful snowflake motifs worked in multiple colors. The socks are constructed in the round using double-pointed needles and are sized for toddlers and young children. The colorwork decoration is added after the sock body is complete using the duplicate stitch embroidery technique, which gives the appearance of stranded colorwork without the complexity of carrying multiple yarns simultaneously while knitting.

Techniques Used

• Knitting in the round – The sock body is worked entirely in the round on double-pointed needles, a classic method for seamless sock construction.
• Duplicate stitch – A surface embroidery technique where yarn is threaded onto a blunt needle and stitched over existing knit stitches to mimic the look of knitted-in colorwork. This approach allows the snowflake motifs to be added after knitting is complete, making the construction more approachable for intermediate knitters.
• Heel turn with Slip and Wrap (SW) – The pattern uses a defined SW (slip and wrap) technique to shape the heel. This involves bringing the yarn to the front, slipping a stitch, turning the work, wrapping the yarn around the slipped stitch, and then working the wrapped stitch together with the stitch on the left-hand needle on the following row. This creates a smooth, tidy heel with minimal gaps.
• SSK (slip, slip, knit) – A standard left-leaning decrease used in sock shaping, worked by slipping two stitches individually as if to knit, then knitting them together through the back loops.
• Stitch marker placement – Markers are used to track rounds and key shaping points throughout the construction.
• Gauge swatching in the round – The pattern emphasizes checking gauge in Stockinette stitch worked in the round to ensure proper sizing and yarn usage.

Stitches Used

• Stockinette stitch in the round (knit every round) – Forms the smooth, classic fabric of the sock body. Gauge is set at 22 stitches and 28 rounds = 4 inches (10 cm) in Stockinette stitch in the round.
• Slip and Wrap (SW) – A specialty stitch used specifically for heel shaping.
• SSK decrease – Used for shaping throughout the sock.
• Duplicate stitch – Applied as a surface embroidery stitch over completed Stockinette fabric to create the snowflake colorwork design.

Materials Used

• Lion Brand Wool-Ease® in Lemongrass (Color #172) – 1 ball (Color A)
• Lion Brand Wool-Ease® in Paprika (Color #188) – 1 ball (Color B)
• Lion Brand Wool-Ease® in Sage (Color #173) – 1 ball (Color C)
• Lion Brand Double-Pointed Needles, Size 5 – Used for knitting in the round
• Large-Eye Blunt Needles (set of 6) – Used for working the duplicate stitch embroidery
• Lion Brand Stitch Markers – Used to mark rounds and shaping points

About the Yarn

Lion Brand Wool-Ease® is a popular worsted weight yarn known for its blend of