The Kastanja socks are knitted toe up with a lace and bobble pattern. Kastanja means chestnut in Finnish.

The socks are started with Judy’s magic cast on and are best worked with the magic loop technique. The Kastanja socks’ most prominent features are the bobbles on the sides and the leafy lace pattern. The heels are worked with gussets and a heel construction that mimics the French heel. The heel flaps are knitted in a reinforced stitch pattern to give them durability. All techniques needed for completing these socks are explained in this pattern.

The Kastanja socks look best in solid or slightly variegated colors for the stitch pattern to show in its full glory.

Size
1 (2, 3)
Circumference 20.5 (22, 23.5) cm / 8 (8.75, 9.25) inches, to be worn with slight negative ease
Length adjustable

Yarn
300-350 m / 330-385 yards of fingering weight sock yarn, shown with Town Dyer Super Sock (80% merino wool, 20 % nylon, 365 m / 399 yards per 100g) in colorway Walnut leaves.

Needles
2.5 mm / US 1.5 DPNs or circular needles with a cable suitable for small circumference knitting or Magic loop.

Gauge
30 sts and 38 rounds = 10 cm / 4 inches of Stockinette stitch, in the round after blocking.

Note: Always choose the needle size that gets you the right gauge. If you can’t match the gauge both across the stitches and across the rounds, choose the needle size that gets you closer to the gauge across the stitches.

Notions
2 stitch markers
sewing needle
blocking tools (sock blockers)