Kettle lakes are formed when enormous blocks of glacial ice separate from a melting glacier and are left behind as it retreats. They disrupt the flow of meltwater around them, then get buried in the sediments the glacier was carrying in the ice as it flowed. When the isolated block of ice finally melts, it leaves behind a shallow depression in the landscape filled with water.

Just like how these lakes are created by ice disrupting the flow of water, these socks are created by short rows disrupting the pooling of colours in your yarn!

Pattern Description

Designed for yarns that pool, these unisex socks use wide short row sequences to form subtle distortions in the yarn’s natural pooling pattern, just like the geological formations they are named for. Both toe-up and cuff-down instructions are provided. They have a comfortable, rounded afterthought heel with optional short-row afterthought gusset shaping and a 2x2-rib cuff.

This pattern requires the knitter to be able to knit a small circumference in the round (either on double-pointed needles or your preferred technique for socks) and clearly explains all techniques required. There are links to useful video tutorials as well, so this pattern is accessible to relatively inexperienced sock knitters.

Yarn Requirements and Sizing

These socks are available in three sizes: Unisex Adult Small (Medium, Large) for foot circumferences of 18 (20.5, 23) cm / 7 (8, 9) inches — 56 (64, 72) st. You will need approximately 300 (325, 350) m / 325 (355, 380) yards for standard sizes, but the socks are completely adjustable in length and height for a perfect fit!

These socks are designed for any yarn that repeats its colour sequence in a predictable way, from highly variegated yarns with short repeats of as little as a quarter of a round per colour, to “micro-striping“ yarns with colour repeats of about 1 round each, to self-striping yarns with very narrow stripes (no more than 2-3 rounds per stripe). This pattern will not work well with yarns that have random sequences of colours, with yarns with wide stripes, or with yarns where the colour changes are very subtle.

Whether the sections of each colour are short or long on the strand, every yarn will make for an unpredictable but interesting effect, as you can see from the two sample pairs. Embrace the pool — every yarn will look unique with this pattern!

These socks are rated 2/5 — Easy — on my sock pattern difficulty scale. This is because while they require a lot of short rows, the pattern is repetitive and each short-row section is quick to work.