If you’re in a hurry for comfy and warm socks, you’re in the right place! TrÍScote and I partnered one more time to create a new sock / slipper pattern: Marked Trail. Knitted with Ístex Álafosslopi Icelandic wool, it will only take you a few hours before you’re able to wear your new boot socks. Worn indoors, they will make perfect winter slippers as they can be worn over your traditional fingering socks and keep your feet from getting cold.
How it’s made
Worked from the cuff down with a reinforced heel flap, the Marked Trail socks feature a simple and quick-to-knit colourwork pattern on their leg and toes. Colour dominance charts as well as two versions of each colourwork chart (one with a dark main colour and one with a light main colour) are included in all colourwork charts which make it easy to follow even for a colourwork beginner.
The yarn
I have a soft spot for Icelandic wool. Even if the (unwashed) yarn is quite rough, I fall back in love with it every time I work with it, I can’t help it. And it does wash and age beautifully as my sweaters can testify. It’s the only ones which didn’t shrunk, pilled, enlarged, or felt over the years. Ístex (the only Icelandic mill) offer quite a large yarn weight choice, from lace/fingering with Einband to bulky yarns such as Bulkylopi and Álafosslopi, in a wide plain or heather colour range perfect to play with in colourwork.
While planning and talking about the Marked Trail sock pattern, Christine and I decided to use the bulky Álafosslopi to make it a quick and fun knit. Ístex Álafosslopi yarn is made from 100% pure new wool and feature 100 m / 109 yds per 100 g ball (special love from my side of the designing pond because it makes calculations extra easy).
I’ve chosen two different colour scheme : one full of colours for myself, with MC in gloxinia (col. 1241) and CC in golden heather (col. 9964), and soft neutrals for my man, with MC in ecru heather (col. 9972) and CC in chocolate heather (col. 0867). Mine is done but I still have to start his!
Get knitting
The Marked Trail sock / slipper is already available in my Ravelry shop or in my e-shop, both in French and English. It has been professionally tech-edited by James Bartley and reviewed by some skillful Sneak-Peekers (thanks ladies!). Three sizes are provided in the pattern, to fit foot circumference of 19-21 [21-23, 23-25] cm / 7 ½-8 ¼ [8 ¼-9, 9-9 ¾ ]”.
What you’ll need to knit your own Marked Trail :
- The Marked Trail sock pattern (obviously!) – PDF download available in Ravelry or my e-shop.
- Main Colour (MC) = 80-120 m / 88-131 yds of bulky weight yarn.
- Contrasting Colour (CC) = 45-75 m / 49-82 yds of bulky weight yarn.
- 4.5 mm / US #7 – at least 60 cm / 24” circular needle for magic loop, or double-pointed needles, or two circular needles to work in the round.
- 1 tapestry needle.
- 1 stitch marker.
TrÍScote compiled seven different colour choices for the Yarn + Pattern kit available in her e-shop! You can find them all here. Both yarns and pattern are included in the kit, you’ll only need your needles to get knitting!
