It was as much a battle of wits and words as if of mitts and swords.

–Dean F. Wilson, Skyshaker Author 1987-present

Sock tubes are the new black thing!

What’s a sock tube?
It’s a tube made from a single skein of fingering weight yarn on a circular sock machine (CSM). They are usually made with a selvage or scrap yarn on each end that is easily unraveled to being using live stitches to knit.

CSMs are becoming much more available for the home knitter. And getting a sock tube “cranked” by an indie dyer or a friend, can have a knitter on the way to having a pair of socks much more quickly. Adding a heel, toe and cuff is a fast enterprise.

But what about the leftover tubes? Or what if your sock drawer is overflowing. Here’s another option for working up a sock tube into a pair of fingerless mitts or a pair of mittens.

PATTERN NOTES:
This is a checklist pattern; each row is written out for ease of execution. The pattern is written for a tube made from a circular sock machine. The pattern assumes you do not need to knit the tube and already have one in your possession.

Where can I purchase a sock tube?
KnitSpinFarm
RitualDyes
CrankySockMaker
LiftBridge
CandyShoppe
OldRustedChair
Many sites will allow you to ship your yarn to them and then crank a tube and also purchase a skein from them and make a tube before shipping to you.

SIZING: This recipe works with 64 (72) stitch sock tubes made on a circular sock machine.

SAMPLES were knit using fingering weight yarn in multiple colorways.

There is a supporting YouTube video tutorial for this pattern.

NOTIONS: Stitch markers, tapestry needle