With the book Socks of Iceland, Hélène Magnússon is reinventing the tradition of socks in Iceland. Taking inspiration from old Icelandic socks, historical patterns, but also traditional Icelandic mittens, the book contains 17 socks patterns with a definite Icelandic flair. The socks involve all sorts of techniques and constructions that will ravish beginners and more advanced knitters alike. The book also draws a complete history of sock knitting in Iceland.
For more info, please visit https://icelandicknitter.com/product/socks-of-iceland

Embroidering socks is something I always wanted to do and I did just that on the Briem socks. I was very excited however to discover that I was not the first when I found a pair of embroidered socks in the National Museum of Iceland. The Museum had them from the Heiberg Collections - Sogn Folk Museum, one of the oldest and biggest folk Museums in Norway. The socks had originally been bought in Ísafjörður, in the Westfjords of Iceland, by Norwegian Captain Jonas Krohn, right before 1900.
The original socks are half socks dyed black with the cuff, toe and heel in a contrasting white color. It was not unusual to knit the toe and heel with a stronger yarn, with more tog in it, and moreover to knit them in a cheaper yarn, that is not dyed, since they were likely to be mended and reknitted again and again with wear. The socks are knitted from the top down with a wedge toe , embroidred in simple cross stitch with diamond shaped motifs at the back and front and red initials in the cuff.
I reinterpreted the socks with a topdown fleegle heel and a star toe and reduced the embroidery slightly so it will fit the socks that are knitted at a larger gauge.
The Galsardia socks have their name from the Basque-Icelandic pidgin (a simplified language made of different languages) that was spoken in Iceland in the 17th century and was written down in the Westfjords in Iceland.
In those times, Ísafjörður, which had remained a rather isolated settlement until the 16th century, became a well-known trading port for foreign merchants.

Sizes: 1(2,3,4)5 to fit foot 19.5(21.5,23,24.5,26.5) cm / 7¾(8¼,9,9¾,10¼)“
Sample shown is a Size 2.

Finished measurements
Foot circumference: 17(18.5,20,21.5,23) cm / 6¾(7½,7¾,8½)9”
Foot length (adjustable): 16.5(18.5,21,23)25.5 cm / 6½(7¼,8¼,9)10”
Leg (adjustable): 13.5(13.5,14,14,5)14.5 cm / 5¼(5¼,5½,5¾)5¾“
Recommended fit: 15% negative ease around the foot and 10% in length.

Yarn: Katla sokkaband by Hélène Magnússon: pure new Icelandic lambswool with a dash of silk (1%), DK/sport weight sock yarn, 4 ply, non superwash, 100g skein = 220 m / 240 yds: MC and CC1, 1 skein each; CC2 and CC3 left overs

Yardage used (estimation):
MC, Natural black (very dark brown, undyed): 118(137,160,183)210 m / 129(148,174,200)229 yds
CC1, Natural white: 32(36,3943)47 m / 35(39,43,47)51 yds
CC2, Anis green: 5 m / 2 yds
CC3 Arctic coral: 7 m / 3 yds