This pattern (along with most of my earlier work) was retired in the summer of 2022. However, it may be available for a few days once or twice a year. Read on for details!

In the summer of 2022, I realized that maintaining a back catalog of hundreds of patterns was kind of overwhelming. I couldn’t do it and still release new things. So I took my old patterns down so I could keep doing new work.

Since then, a handful of my favorites have come back, and lovely new things have come out. But the vast majority of the old patterns are retired and will no longer be generally available.

However, enough folks have asked about some old favorites that I’m planning to make many of the retired patterns available for a few days once or twice a year (most likely in late spring and then again in the fall around Thanksgiving).

• If you see the buy buttons on this page, you’ve caught it on one of the days it’s available, and you’re welcome to grab it!
• If you don’t see the buy buttons on this page, then it’s not currently available.
• If you want to hear when the retired patterns will be available, subscribe to the mailing list or patreon, or keep an eye on my instagram.

Whippersnapper noun presumptuous or cheeky person, often a young one

I sort of love these. They’re marvelously unisex and undeniably dapper, if I do say so myself!.

They are simple to make (you’ll have them memorized in no time), but the cabling is enough to keep you from getting bored to death some time around the middle of the foot. Even better, they’re mirrored, so your chances of finishing the second one are much better than usual (at least if your knitting projects go anything like how mine do…two of the exact same thing is hard!).

They’re written in three sizes sizes (56, 64, and 84 stitch cast ons) and you should feel free to adjust your gauge a bit to fine tune the fit of the sock. Just be sure that you’re working at a gauge that gives you a sturdy sock fabric with your chosen yarn!

I recommend working at something around 7, 8, or 9 stitches per inch, and I’ve included a table to help you figure out what gauge you’ll want to use for the size you need. With that range of sizes and gauges, the socks will fit a foot (measured around the ball of the foot) between 6.75 and 13.25 inches (with lots of points in between).

These are perfect for you if:

• You want something more interesting than a basic rib, but still classic
• You’re looking for something a bit more engaging than your basic vanilla sock, but still pretty mellow

They’re not for you if:

• You don’t like charts (the pattern uses charts)
• You hate swatching (you need to swatch to check your needle size)