I adore the luxury of handmade socks on my feet particularly on a cold winter’s night at home here in Shetland. Inspiration for these came at Shetland Wool Week 2024 during a class I was pair teaching at when I was explaining how a Fair Isle chart can be put into a variety of garments, accessories or even household items.

These Fair Isle socks knit in the round from top down with a heel flap and gusset knit on smaller needles with the main colour yarn doubled to give a denser fabric and also on the toes.

The traditional Fair Isle pattern on leg and top of the foot is very effective and looks great in a variety of colours.

I’ve used yarn from here in Shetland that’s fingering weight, or jumper weight, 4ply - these descriptions are all used to describe the same yarn weight.

The length of the leg can be varied between two or three pattern repeats. The socks in picture have three and yarn quantities are for longer legged socks. The foot length is adjusted to recipient’s foot.

2 x 25g balls of wool for main colour used in heels, toes and cuffs and in some of the background. Jamieson and Smith’s, Shetland Natural Heritage Fawn.
2 x 25g balls of the teal/blue/green (Jamieson and Smith’s jumper weight 141 Dark Teal)
1 x 25g (Jamieson’s of Shetland Optic White)
1 x 25g (Jamieson’s of Shetland shade 2 Grey Brown
I used a very small amount of yellow from Jamieson’s of Shetland which is used as the colour ‘pop’. Roughly 3g.

These socks were knit on 9” circular needles 3.25mm and 2.25 for cuff, heel flap and toes. And I used dpns for the heel flaps and toes as I find easier. Use your own usual preferred needle type for sock knitting.