The socks are knit from the top down, and use the following techniques: knitting in the round, reading charts, and knitting cables. The finished dimensions are 5.5” from cuff to top of heel, and about 7” foot circumference (relaxed) to fit woman’s average foot width.

This design was inspired by the Mallard colorway. Images of birds in flight as I used to draw them when I was little – strongly angular, almost like checkmarks – were incorporated into the leg using simple cables. The bird design fluidly transitions into simple ribbing for the top of the foot, so the socks are comfortable when worn with shoes. I took advantage of the highly variegated colorway by incorporating columns of three-stitch cables on either side of center panel: loops of yarn traveling over other stitches break up the blocks of color nicely. Similarly, the eye of partridge heel accentuates each beautiful color present within this yarn.

This pattern was formerly available through the Woolie Ewe.