This autumn, I accidentally adopted a colony of moth caterpillars into my house from some fresh flowers. Although they all made it outside, it made me wonder what they would look like all grown up. The pretty creatures on these socks represent the Adela genus of moths, part of the fairy longhorn family. These moths will look so elegant in that one-of-a-kind hand-dyed skein of yarn that’s been in the stash for a while, and the textured stitch pattern creates extra interest without adding too much detail.

Techniques
The Adela Socks are knit top-down with 2 colorwork charts and a heel fap and gusset. After the colorwork, the socks feature an Andalusian stitch pattern and a purled gusset for extra texture.

Materials
Yarn: 2 colors of Malabrigo Ultimate Sock fingering weight yarn, or similar. Exact yarn usage for socks will depend on size, height of leg, and length of foot. Sample socks are shown in:
MC – Sunset: 50-100g & CC – Teal Feather: 25-50g
Needles: Size 1 and 1.5 needles, or needle size required to achieve sock fit preference. Needle style may be DPNs, 24” circular needle, 9” circular needle, or a combination, as preferred.
Additional Materials: Tapestry needle, stitch markers (3), scissors

Sizing
This sock pattern is written for 3 sizes: S (M, L). The socks are designed to fit approximate foot circumference 8 (9, 10) inches. Actual sizing can vary based on gauge, needle size, and fit preference. Please ensure that your chosen size matches with your knitting style, materials, and preferred fit. You can size up or down to fit your preferences.