We’re making a little shift from flora to fauna to appreciate the little beings who dance from flower to flower. Honey bees are the best known and best loved of our pollinators, without whom there would be no beautiful gardens us to enjoy. They are fascinating creatures with complex societies and many talents. Not only do they fertilise our flowers and food crops and make honey: they also dance. Coordinating a hive of up to 60,000 individuals can’t be easy, but honey bees manage with some surprisingly sophisticated forms of communication. The “honey bee dance” is one of the most interesting. With waggles and circles they can direct each other to a particularly choice patch of clover or a delectable burst of apple blossom.

The Honey Bee Dance Socks are a lighthearted tribute to our fuzzy, buzzing little friends. With a feature panel at front and plain stockinette at back, they are interesting enough to hold the knitter’s attention, but with plenty of relaxed knitting too. The socks are knit top-down, starting with a ribbed cuff. An easy bee-inspired lace motif takes centre stage, with an accent of honeycomb cables at each side. The pattern includes three sizes and is finished with a heel flap and gusset and wedge toe, but as with all the Handmade Sock Society designs, you can easily substitute your own favourites for a customised fit.

Photo Credit: Deb Hickman
Huge thanks to my sample knitter Deb and test knitters Tracey and Erin