This year’s Advent Sock is inspired by vintage Shiny Brite Christmas ornaments.

The perfect project to use up some of those stashed mini bits and bobs. These can be knit to any adult size in fingering, sport, or DK weight yarn.

Sample shown is knit with a set of 6 Frankie Grey Fibres fingering weight 20g minis in Phantom, Viva Magenta, Aquamarine, Lemony Limey, Tangelo, and Blush along with an undyed fingering weight sock yarn with 5% stellina (I used 20 g).

Measurements and gauges are included for a variety of yarn weights, needle sizes, and stitch counts. I have included 5 stitch counts at 4 different gauges to make it as easy as possible for you to get the exact fit you need.

Gauge for colourwork portion:
1) 38 sts x 40 rounds = 4” (10 cm) in colourwork on US1.5 (2.5 mm) needles (suitable for fingering weight).
2) 35 sts x 37 rounds = 4” (10 cm) in colourwork on US2 (2.75 mm) needles (suitable for fingering weight).
3) 28 sts x 30 rounds = 4” (10 cm) in colourwork on US2.5 (3 mm) needles (suitable for sport weight).
4) 22 sts x 30 rounds = 4” (10 cm) in colourwork on US4 (3.5 mm) needles (suitable for DK weight).

Yardage required: 250 - 400 yards depending on yarn, gauge, and size (stitch count).

Circumference: 5 1/4” to 16 3/8” depending on yarn, gauge, and size (stitch count).
Length: Customizable

This sock pattern is designed to be knit for either Advent or a Christmas Countdown, for the 12 days or Christmas, or at your own pace for your own winter celebrations.

Advent 2024 / Christmas Countdown: Starting December 1, knit one section per day per day, per sock, weaving in ends as you go.

12 days of Christmas: Start on Christmas day, and knit one section of each sock until January 6.

Solstice or any other winter festival: knit at your own pace to finish in time for your holiday celebration.

The pattern is written as a cuff-down sock, with options for a short-row heel or an afterthought heel. It can be knit toe-up with some minor manipulation of the charts.

Heels, toes and cuffs FOR MY SAMPLE were done in fingering weight yarn on 2.25 mm needles. Colourwork was done on a 2.75 mm needle.

In my sock sample, I used a total of 332 yds of fingering weight yarn to fit a 9.5” foot, knitting the 70 stitch size.

Scraps and leftovers needed for each stripe range from 3 - 10 grams of each colour, per colourwork section depending on yarn weight and size you selected. Your yardage will vary depending on the gauge, needle size, and yarn you choose, as well as the finished sock size.

I based my colour choices on ornaments from my own collection as well as from Shiny Brite ornaments I have only seen in photographs. Half the fun of these socks will be seeing everyone’s colour combinations, especially if people match their own collections.

You can make your socks identical, or you can really have fun with colours and make them wild. You can keep to one colour palette or really let loose. You can even swap leftovers with friends for almost matching socks.