Socktober Special: My Favourite Sock Yarns, Patterns & Designers

[@knitsiphappy]

Thanks for including me! I'm gobsmacked to be included with such lovely designers!!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I have your Missing Mojo Socks ready to be cast on! Love those ones!

[@knitsiphappy]

@@Thestashdowndiaries Yay!! Me too...its just the perfect combination of stitches that needs a little bit of focus, but the knitting is steady to read. Can't wait to see themn🧦

[@sarahwenger1284]

My favorite Canadian yarn dyer is Arcane Fibreworks! I love how their dyes work up and how they have a “theme” for each of their yarns

[@sarahwenger1284]

My favorite sock designer is stone knits! She does all colorwork socks, I have her first book and she’s coming out with a second!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I love her socks too and her new book looks amazing!

[@annelane9399]

You are a new-to-me podcast. I will definitely be binge watching your other podcasts. Thank you for sharing all your socks, patterns and yarn. They are Beautiful. I love seeing all the socks. I hear ya, when it comes to buying American yarn, it’s double the price, with shipping to Canada. I am also from Atlantic Canada.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Glad to have you! I always feel bad about the yarn prices and shipping but we have so many great yarn sources right here in Atlantic Canada

[@loavesandletters]

Hi Jen, I’m Jen as well and I also love knitting socks. If only we could introduce ourselves like that to everyone 😊

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Hello fellow sock knitting Jen!

[@carriemarman9482]

Your … first sock…. Put it in a sock blocker and hang it in your room …. Since it’s your first sock it’s a memory that you can keep and display 🧶🧦

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

That's a great idea! I might have an unused shadow box kicking around too.

[@carriemarman9482]

Since it’s your first sock… 🧦

[@knitty781]

Love a "box of socks" video. It's always great to see what others are doing. I agree with your assessments of all the designers mentioned. Especially CSL and Helen Stewart. Share more of your knits!!

[@lizhatch1466]

Loved this episode! ❤

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yay! I love talking about socks!

[@foreverchasingthesunsets5842]

Loved the photos of all your socks at the end!

[@marie-elysedugal8629]

Just discovered your channel and it’s so lovely to see a fellow sock lover! I am in Ottawa and my favourite yarn dyers are in Ontario ( they have been also incredibly supportive when I started designing too which makes me love them even more!) Alley Cat Yarns (her bfl is awesome! And she is a wonderful person!) also The Lab Fibers and Ravelution Yarns are absolutely lovely! I also love the beautiful fades of Shirley Brian Yarns! Can’t wait for your next episode! PS I love many of the same designers as you though now that I am designing, I have less time to knit their patterns…. Though I still buy many 😊

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Thank you! I will look up those yarn dyers. Alley Cat sounds familiar.

[@vickyosborne3517]

Just found your channel, I've been knitting (mostly plain vanilla) socks for years and years and am just knitting my first pair of basic ribbed socks by Kate Atherley. Really enjoyed your sock yarn and pattern review

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yay! Knit all the socks!

[@lindagerard4723]

New subscriber. Thank you for all the great duggestions. My go to pattern is by Ann Norling. The Yarn Harlot recipe looks just like the Norling. I like your show!

[@CyndiFontaine]

My first time watching. Very much enjoyed your episode on socks as I am an avid sock knitter as well. KP Felici is back with 15 new colors. 🎉

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Glad it's back, it's such a favourite amongst knitters!

[@lisab.3116]

Loved hearing about your sock knitting adventures and your style of sharing it with us. Great video. A few of my favorites are Rhinebeck Roomies, Blueberry waffle, Holly white,Vintage fairy lights and Maybe baby.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Blueberry Waffles is another good one that I've done. I just purchased Rhinebeck Roomies during Kay's sale and am looking forward to trying that one out.

[@jodi_caffeinatedyarn]

I love that Blueberry Waffle sock pattern, too! Fun to knit and easy, lots of good texture. I CO 48 stitches on US 2.5 needles and I like to use Knit Picks Hawthorne DK (that yarn doesn't have a ton of yardage, so I either buy two skeins, knit shorter legs, or use a contrast color for the cuff/toe).

[@johannesingleton1788]

I too like the short row heel…now I do a heel flap for the last 3-4 cms before doing the heel I find I get a firm fitting heel that copes with the wear from the movement of the foot in the shoe, stops the sock slipping down in the shoe.. happy knitting. Joh

[@jodi_caffeinatedyarn]

I am blown away by how many beautiful socks you've knit! So much sock knitting inspiration in this video! Thank you for sharing this -- I feel like this is an unusual and very welcome combination of useful information AND gorgeous (sock) eye candy.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I’m so glad that you enjoyed it and got something out of it! 😁

[@mickiwhite4754]

Always happy to see sock knitting podcasts! So funny that one of my first socks were Monkey Socks as well. I'm a lover of sock knitting! Glad I found you! Btw...I heard Felici is back.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Thank you! I looked up the Felici...there are a few colours there that are a little enticing...

[@nikkicruzan9901]

OMG. Please do a “All the hats” video. I also LOVE knitting socks and hats but mostly socks😉☺️

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Oh, I could totally do that! Hats are one of my favourite things to knit so I have a lot of them.

[@alexzandra75]

So glad I discovered you today! I am now a follower and I am so happy you shared all the yarns and patterns you have used. Thank you!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Thank you so much!

[@celestedouville2529]

I bought the summer lee year of socks - so far I have knit just the first month. I have to knit bigger than I normally do because of the colourwork. Yes to always having socks on the needles and rarely documenting my knits, I've likely knit over a hundred pair as well. I knit almost exclusively two at a time toe up on magic loop. 64 stitch, size 0 needles.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I want to knit some colorwork as well.

[@josemuylaert3466]

Oh wow, this was very inspirational ! 🤩 Thank you ! Two favorites of mine are: the jaywalker socks, for selfstriping yarn, and the colourwork socks by Kerstin Balke.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Ya know, I tried the Jaywalker socks back when I was just starting to knit socks and I kept frogging and gave up because I couldn’t get the fit correct with that stitch pattern. Now that I’m a bit more experienced, I should give them another go. I really love the look of them.

[@gloriafarmer7501]

That way a nice video i like all the socks, One patterns that I like is Kay Jones, Fairground Sock, it is perfect for stripe yarn, I have knitted 6 pairs.

[@lizhatch1466]

I agree. I love Kay Jones patterns.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I totally ended up purchasing the Fairground socks pattern :)

[@MakingLifeCount]

My queue just tripled in length! Thanks for sharing such great patterns.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Lots of suggestions in the comments as well! My queue is growing and growing!

[@jodi_caffeinatedyarn]

Also, I was able to find the vanilla latte sock pattern earlier this year -- I might have used the Wayback machine or something! Tech-savvy people willing to put in a little time and persistence can probably find it, too.

[@heatherinoklahoma]

Another favorite sock designer is Olivia Villarreal of This Handmade Life or it might be Handknit life.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I think she’s the designer of the Brambleberries socks that I’m working on. If it’s the one I’m thinking of, she has some great free patterns.

[@jennenns654]

I do enjoy the heel to do si do pattern. Dana has great patterns too. I love Carlie Perrins of Northwoodsknitco sock patterns

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I will check out Carlie's patterns. I always love finding new to me sock designers.

[@heatherinoklahoma]

I'm also an obsessive sock knitter! Some of my favorite patterns are Moss Eccles, Snowy Forest and Just add Magic byKay Jones of the bakery bears, Second Breakfast socks by Sock Witchery and Hermione's Everyday Socks by Erica Luder.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Ya know what…Hermione’s everyday socks were in my notes and I completely forgot to mention them 😳.

[@jennifersparks3027]

That was amazing, and love that you are a fellow Canadian !

[@suetupper9162]

I have just recently found you and love the socks that you showed...then you mentioned N.S....well I almost squealed! lol......I am in Parrsboro, N.S ..and knit socks obsessively..lol...where in N.S are you....and I almost detect a newfoundland accent?..am I mishearing?..lol.....

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I'm in Cape Breton, so not a NL accent, but a very similar one! I did live in NL for two years so there might have been a little influence there LOL I love it when other Nova Scotians find me because it's so fun to share information with each other about yarny businesses that we can visit.

[@iceangels76]

I love Heel Toe Do Si Do so much but a newer pattern that is equally fun for self striping yarn is the Fairground Socks by Kay Jones! I completely agree about the exchange rate for Canadians, plus expensive shipping and duty charges on top of it is a killer. 😏😏

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I've got the Fairground socks queued up now! It looks super fun!

[@alexzandra75]

@@Thestashdowndiariesis there exchange and duties and such if a friend from the states ships the yarn? I don’t mail things to other countries so I don’t know about the customs and taxes and such on post but I would like to learn about it because I have KZbin knitters that I follow that are Canada based and I would like to mail them something nice like yarn or knitting project bags and such. Thanks for any help.

[@sunnystitcher5400]

I enjoy that I'm knitting a new sock pattern with a new yarn dyer while watching this video. I have been loving the scrappy quilty socks by Kay F Jones of the Bakery Bears. It has just enough interest to keep me engaged while it's simplistic enough that it flies off my needles.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I’ll look that one up. I’ve knit at least one of her sock patterns before and enjoyed it

[@selfishknitter]

What a great collection! The socks hanging on the line are a great visual.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I need to get my clothes line back up so I can do an updated one 😆

[@shaunastitches]

I love hearing about your favorite socks! I've knit many of the same to include the Monkey socks, Mina's patterns, and the Simple SKYP. You make me want to go back and re-knit some of those patterns, they are all good!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Now that I’ve looked at Mina’s patterns again, I kinda want to go back to them. There are a few in her collections that I haven’t knit yet.

[@cindynixdorff2601]

Just found your podcast and really enjoyed your sock pattern/yarn dyer line up 😊. I am also a Canadian. Another great sock pattern designer is Carlie from Northwoods Knit Co. if you're looking for more...lol! I am always on the lookout for great new sock designs that are fairly intuitive.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Always looking for more and I’ve added her to my queue 😁

[@sun101rype]

Hi Jen, this was great and you've given me a wonderful visual as to how the patterns look knitted up in the different yarns. Plus I didn't know about the knitty website so thank you once again for a fantastic episode ! Cheers from Alberta 😊

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Glad it was helpful! Knitty is such a great resource for free patterns.

[@jandearlivinglife4433]

Loved this .. I’ve been stuck in second sock problem for a month now and this was needed to get me excited to get back at my sock and cast on a new one ❤ 🧦

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yay! Sometimes when I get second sock syndrome, I alternate socks for different pairs just to mix things up.

[@sjorchatodman34]

Love your sock collection! I'm addicted to sock knitting, never knew it was a thing until I discovered a whole world of creative patterns. Hermione's everyday sock is a popular one that I make as a palette cleanser, but I like to make socks with texture. General Hogbuffer on Ravelry has amazing sock patterns and quite a few of them are free. Some have very different construction. Scarlet Plume is another sock designer on Ravelry, which I've made all of her designs. I've used the Japanese stitch dictionary a few times to make my own patterns. Much love from Australia.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I completely forgot to mention Erica Leuder's sock patterns which I will make up for in my next video. Hermione's everyday socks is one that I knit a few times as well as Weasley Homestead. I can't believe I forgot about them! I will check out the General Hogbuffer and Scarlet Plume patterns. My queue is growing!

[@KariFellWeaves]

Love this episode! Your sock drawer is drool worthy. I knit my first sock about a year ago and today I took the 13th pair off the needles. My online teachers have been Kay, the Crazy Sock Lady and Summer Lee (her new book is great!). I have spent way too much time experimenting with dyeing skeins and sock blanks in different ways in order to see how they knit up. Loved your photo montage at the end of this episode.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I am going to have to do another Summer Lee pattern. There are a few in my library that I haven't cast on yet. I love her designs!

[@maureenlehman139]

I enjoyed seeing all your socks. Several of the designers are my favorite. Especially Helen Stewart

[@carin.zwaneveld]

Wonderful socks. I like the pattern from Kay Jones of the bakery bears. A fun one for selfstriping yarn is her Fairground socks.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Fairground socks are now added to my queue! Thanks for the recommendation, they look really fun!

[@carin.zwaneveld]

@@Thestashdowndiaries it is a very addictive pattern 😂

[@elisemenz9387]

Loved this one!! Socks 🧦

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Can't get enough socks!

[@craftychatscafe6342]

Single sock...sock puppet monster😂

[@kellygagne5919]

I’m only about 1/2 way through, so maybe this comes up later…if you like knitting a short row heel, but want more room, have you tried Mina Philipp’s mini heel flap adjustment? I know it was included in some of her collections (at least when I purchased them) and those few extra stitches really do make a huge difference. I’d recommend trying it if you haven’t! Bonus, the adjustment is written for toe up and cuff down.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yup, I've tried the adjustment but unfortunately it still isn't roomy enough to sit right on my foot.

[@FirnMamaMakes]

Hooray socks!!🎉❤

[@NedaMay]

I knit a lot of socks for family birthday presents. They seem to prefer plain with ribs for the fit. I’ve knit a lot of the same patterns as you and love Turtlepurl and Timbre yarns as well as Kroy. SKYP and Heel-Toe-Do-Si-Do are about as adventurous as they will like. Enjoy your podcasts, from another Province next door that you haven’t mentioned :-). Beautiful closing montage.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Skyp has a enough ribbing to be very forgiving in the fit. I've knit a few of those for family.

[@SS_S.]

My taste in socks either runs to a 3x1 rib all over with pretty multicoloured yarn, or complex lace and cable designs in a solid or tonal. Cornish Cream Tea by Helen Stewart are my current favourite finished products, but I'm in love with Yuccas sock patterns. They're so elegant

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Love Cornish Cream Tea!

[@corgikat21]

What a fun episode! Now I have a list of sock patterns to try😊 I am currently knitting a 3:1 rib and plan to try Mina Phillips GSR heel with mini gusset. I’m hoping for a better fit on my I step. You might want to try it! Great for toe up and self striping.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I've tried the mini gusset and it just isn't roomy enough for my instep, unfortunately.

[@Knitgirl9]

The short row heels fit much, much better with a mini gust added.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I tried it with Mina’s patterns but it still wasn’t roomy enough and the heel would slip down my foot 🫤

[@sonjanordahl3158]

You might want to try yarn from Arcane Fiber and Sweet Georga. Both are Canadian companies. Both have great yarns.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Haven't tried Arcane (I'll look them up) but I've made beautiful shawls from Sweet Georgia.

[@foreverchasingthesunsets5842]

Knitting Rules! That is my sock recipe as well!! I believe I have that Custom Socks book... I just need to stop looking at new stuff and go knit some patterns from my acquired books! I love Knitty too!!! I will knit that pattern.. .it is so pretty and FREE! OMG! It still exists!! Your Party in the front, business in the back striped socks... what is the pattern? I don't see it listed... in Nomatic Yarns.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

The Heel Toe Do Si Do ones? The link is listed. I think that's the one you mean. It is my favourite self-striping pattern.

[@LindaNixon-ws4ge]

I usually use Hellen’s Favorite Socks for my go to sock pattern.

[@rebeccainspired]

If you add some bind offs, you can turn that lonely sock into yarn ball cozy's! The toe of a sock is my favorite yarn cozy for 100g fingering weight yarn. I need to start socks again. I get burned out by all my ideas and lack of time and its either way too many projects at one time or decision paralysis.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Decision paralysis can be a pain. To combat it, you can narrow your decision down to certain criteria. For example, your oldest sock yarn stash (I’ve done this) or oldest pattern in your library, or use mystery bags or random number generator.

[@kellyb739]

Just found your channel 👏👏 Love all your socks. Where do you purchase opal yarn in Canada ? 🇨🇦

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

I get mine mainly from my local yarn shop but there are quite a few Canadian shops who ship. The Loop in Halifax is one but I’m sure you could find others if you google “opal yarn Canada”

[@elenabeyers2088]

I just found you. I also love knitting socks. I’m curious whether you have tried Mina Phillip’s Mini gusset pattern that she added to her german short row heel. She does 4 rows of a mini gusset. I had to do 20 because I have quite a high arch. I did a shadow wrap heel for the second sock and liked the look and process much better. I subscribed and look forward to more of your content.

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yup, I tried it and it’s still not roomy enough. It still doesn’t sit on my heel properly. Thank you for the kind words!

[@elenabeyers2088]

You might try the 20 rows or as many as you need to get the proper height. I need 2 1/2 inches. The short row heel is 1 inch, the 20 rows give me the other 1 1/2,inches.

[@jeanneantha2832]

I'm a very new knitter, just hats so far. Question .. don't the heels wear out pretty quickly? Can you throw them in the dryer, do they shrink at all? Seems like lots of work for something that wears out?

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

With the right sock yarn, they don't wear out that fast. High twist and some nylon content is key. A good, sturdy wool with a long staple length helps as well. How a person wears their socks will play a part in how fast they wear as well. Some people just naturally create a lot of friction on certain parts of the foot as they walk. Luckily, my family doesn't seem to wear out their socks fast and I've had some pairs for years....though the number of socks that I have in rotation probably helps with that 😂

[@Knitgirl9]

Felici will be back later this year.

[@laurarimkis2472]

Needles at the ready is working on something for single socks for a charity. Watch their latest podcast

[@KarlaGustafson-vq1ch]

PRETTY PLEASE!! could you next time put your finished socks on sock blockers so we can see them more clearly. You have some lovely socks - but - it was not easy to see all the patterning when you stretched them out. Thanks!

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yup, I sure can. I never thought of that.

[@SweaterWeatherPodcast]

I think Felici is back no?

[@Thestashdowndiaries]

Yep, some tempting new colours too!

[@jennifersparks3027]

That was amazing, and love that you are a fellow Canadian !