I am so excited to announce the launch of my first pair of socks designed with handspun yarn in mind. The pattern is called Changing Lanes as the travelling rib pattern reminds me of cars changing lanes on the motorways. You can of course knit these socks out of any standard commercially spun sock yarn you would like, much like how you can knit any sock pattern with handspun as well!

But the beauty of these is that additional considerations were made for those wishing to use handspun in particular.

1. The first thing is that the pattern is written for toe up and cuff down so if you are unsure of how far your handspun will go you can choose to knit them toe up to ensure you get to use the maximum amount of yarn.
2. Secondly, the patterning of these socks are based on a ribbed texture so even if your handspun is not super consistent you will still get a nice fitting snug sock due to the ribbed texture throughout.
3. There are 5 sizes included from 48sts up to 80sts so you should be able to find a size that suits whoever you are knitting for.

PAY WHAT WORKS

I have created THREE coupon codes so you can either purchase the pattern for full price, or with 20%, 40% or 60% discounts. I wanted to provide this pattern with a range of pricing options as I know not everyone can afford patterns at full cost. If you would like to support my channel and the work I am doing, and you have the means to do so then paying for this pattern at one of the higher price points is a great way to do that.

The listed price most accurately reflects the time and work that went into creating this pattern, however, if this is not financially accessible for you then please use one of the codes below.

20% off code - PWW20
40% off code - PWW40
60% off code - PWW60

What you will need:

• Yarn – 100g Sock Yarn (approx. 300-400m / 328-440 yds) Sample knit in Handspun from Knitty In Colour, spun as a fractal 3ply sock yarn. You can use any commercially spun sock yarn as well for this pattern, however; if you wish to spin yarn specifically for this design there are instructions included in the pattern explaining what methods to use.

• Needles –2.5mm (US 1.5) on a Long cable for magic loop (I suggest 40” / 100cm for two at a time knitting), or whatever size needle you need to get a fabric you like with your yarn.

• Notions – You can use a progress keeper to keep track of your row count and how many rows I have done (this can also work to mark the instep side of your work).

• Gauge – Approx 8 sts/inch in stockinette

• Size – Socks are sized in a XS(S/M/L/XL). Sizes are based on foot circumference and not length as you knit the sock as long as you need to in order to fit the recipient. Please also note that socks need to have about 1-2 inches (2.5-5cm) of negative ease in order to provide a nice snug fit around the foot without being too baggy. Further, socks will loosen up over time and with wear so personally I prefer a nice snug fit at the start to reduce this effect later.

• 48 sts - X Small for a foot circumference of approx. 6-7 inches
• 56 sts - Small for a foot circumference of approx. 8-9 inches
• 64 sts - Medium for a foot circumference of approx. 9-10 inches
• 72 sts - Large for a foot circumference of approx. 10-11 inches
• 80 sts - X Large for a foot circumference of approx. 11-12 inches

Spinning Instructions:

There are spinning instructions included as part of the pattern incase you decide you would like to spin your own yarn for this pattern. These guidelines were provided by Alanna Wilcox (Spinnybuns) who also offers a How to Spin For Socks workshop on her website!

Note about Instructions:

• Instructions are shown XS (S/M/L/XL) throughout the pattern, where stitch counts vary.

• I knit my socks using the Magic Loop method, however the pattern can be adapted to be used with DPN’s or 9inch Circulars or your preferred method for knitting socks.

• Instructions are provided for both Cuff Down and Toe Up. The Cuff Down method is first followed by Toe Up instructions. A general outline of the sock construction is first provided followed by the stitch pattern to be used for the leg and foot.

• At the end of the pattern you will find the generic instructions for the German Short Row Heel which is worked exactly the same way for both Toe Up and Cuff Down socks.

• To work the GSR heel in Garter Stitch you will just need to knit every row rather than purl the wrong side rows.

• The Modified Heel Flap Adjustment (MHFA) instructions can be found as a separate PDF download along with this pattern. This was done to reduce the file size of this pattern.