Pretty Lace Socks (And Sock Blocking Questions Answered!)

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I just finished knitting these beautiful socks as a gift for my cousin and I love how they turned out!

The pattern is my go-to lace sock pattern, Monkey by Cookie A, and since I used a free pattern, I was allowed to splurge a bit on the yarn, right? This is a beautiful artisan sock yarn by Hazel Knits that I picked up on my honeymoon in Portland. It reminded me a lot of Hawthorne by Knit Picks – it has the same level of twist and vibrant colors that make your stitches really pop. So, if you aren’t visiting Oregon anytime soon, Hawthorne would make a great substitution – check out the Alameda Multi colorway.

Lace socks like this always benefit from a good blocking, which is so much easier than it sounds: you just need a plastic sock blocker and some wool wash, like Soak. I didn’t snap a before & after photo of the blocking, but I filmed this little reel showing the difference. Pretty neat huh?

 

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A post shared by Pepper Hayes (@pepperknitsblog)

So you may be wondering: does my cousin need to block these socks every time she wears them? The answer is no – she doesn’t need to buy her very own sock blocker. As I mention in the reel, blocking these socks made them look beautiful and crisp for the “big reveal” when she unwraps her gift, but for ongoing wear, her foot will pull on the lace enough to make them look just fine while she wears them.

How will I instruct my cousin to wash her hand-knit socks? In most cases, I tell folks to put their socks in a delicate bag and machine wash on cold, then take them out and let them hang or lay flat to dry – give them a few tugs to put them into shape if needed. Hazel Knits recommends handwashing this yarn to preserve the vibrance of the dye, so I’ll share that info with my cousin. However, I think she has better things to do with her life than handwash socks, and I’m okay with that.

yarn details

Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Bloomstruck
Heavy Fingering Weight
90% Superwash Merino, 10% Nylon
handwash cold and lay flat to dry
120 g/400 yd skein
Purchased in April 2024

project details

pattern: “Monkey” by Cookie A (free download here or available in Knitty)
size knit: CO 64
needles: US size 1.5 (2.5 mm), Karbonz DPNs
yarn used: 233 yards (70 grams)
gauge: 8 stitches and 10 rows over 1 inch in stockinette (blocked)
finished size: Foot (tip of toe to back of heel): 10”, Leg (top of cuff to bottom of heel flap): 8.25′, Leg Circumference: 7.5” (blocked)
duration: May-August 2024