April 10, 2023: GTCO 64 sts on US 2.5 (3mm) needles. Changed to US 1.5 (2.5mm) for the body.

The YARN: This is my first time using Isager Sock Yarn. It’s a thicker yarn and so I’ using 2.5mm needles instead of my usual 2.25mm. The yarn is a blend of alpaca, merino and nylon. The alpaca makes it a bit hairy but very warm.

The Pattern by FiberTales is beautiful. I LOVE the pattern and these socks.

I am not a loose knitter and making the k3tog tbl sts were a bit tricky. But eventually I found a couple of nifty maneuvers to work them. Knitting the 3 st clusters loosely and using sharp needles are a must.

My GRO Socks: I started with 64 sts and knit 14 rows of 1x1 ribbing before starting the cables. Went down to 63 for the cables. I did not increase back to 64. Instead, I reduced to 60 just before the heels and knit the rest of the sock with 60 sts.

I was inspired by myknittedjournals’s project here to vary the lengths of the ferns. I worked the fern patterns in lengths short, medium and long. Also, since my ribbing was taller, my shortest fern has 4 sets of regular leaves. The medium had 5 and the tallest had 6.

Measurements Blocked:
Cuff to beginning of heel increases: 13.2cm
Cuff to end of heel increases: 19.5cm
Back of the heel decreases to the tip of the toe: 23.5cm
Ankle (diagonal): 11.2cm
Width-leg: 9cm
Width-ball of the foot: 18cm (to fit a 22cm-wide foot)

The sock label is from kateknitsalot on Etsy.