Maine Island socks were designed as an exploration of the colors to be found on the rocky islands in the Gulf of Maine. Famous for their natural beauty, and beloved of summer vacationers, Maine’s coastal and offshore islands are amazing places with myriad seabirds, pounding surf, botanical treasures and iconic lighthouses. Maine Island Socks are just what you need on your feet for kayaking, tide pool exploring, and (if you’re really lucky) enjoying a genuine lobster bake on a foggy afternoon!

When designing these socks, I couldn’t limit myself to one colorway, but ended up with 5 different ones, each named for a noteworthy aspect of the natural world of Maine’s coastal islands. I also included a set of grey tone charts so you can choose the colors that suit you best.

These socks use 3 different needle sizes—one for the ribbing at the top, another for the colorwork sections and heel and a third for the plain stockinette sections. This helps assure uniformity of width throughout, and a comfortably snug, but not tight, fit at the top. Choose a size as close as possible to your leg circumference, as the colorwork sections have less stretch than the stockinette sections. It is very easy to lengthen or shorten the length of the foot. I used the magic loop technique, but the written directions work for any needle option.

Some features of this sock design include a Dutch heel, with a reinforcing pattern that wraps under the heel and a rounded toe (with a choice of 2 decrease methods) which is cinched together at the tip (no Kitchener grafting). The colorwork sections are quite simple with 4-stitch repeat patterns and no long floats to manage.

The available sizes will fit a range of feet from child through large adult.

SIZES: 4 sizes—Extra Small (Small, Medium, Large)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS:
Circumference: 6 (7, 8, 9) inches
Leg Length (above heel flap): 5.5 (6.6, 7.3, 8.4) inches
Foot Length: 7 (8.5, 9.5, 11) inches (adjustable)
Changes to gauge or yarn weight, or adding length, may require extra yarn

GAUGE and NEEDLES:
32 sts and 34 rnds = 4 inches/10cm with US 2.5 (3.0mm) needle(s) in blocked colorwork
32 sts and 36 rnds = 4 inches/10cm with US 2 (2.75mm) needle(s) in blocked stockinette
Choose needle types base on your preferred method of working small circumferences in the round.

YARN: Fingering weight woolen sock yarn (suggested yarn: The Woolly Thistle Rambler)
Amounts list total yardage, including all colors
X-Small 230 yards
Small 300 yards
Medium 410 yards
Large 520 yards

NOTIONS: tapestry needle, 3 regular stitch markers, 2 locking stitch markers, a 12-inch length of smooth scrap yarn for a holder

SKILLS USED: working in the round, decreasing (k2tog, ssk, CDD), picking-up sts, turning a heel, stranded colorwork

Rambler, the terrific, all-wool yarn I used in this design, is the in-house sock yarn at The Woolly Thistle, an on-line yarn shop specializing in “woolly wool”. They now carry kits for Maine Island Socks in their shop!

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Wondering how many pair of socks you can make with 4 full 100 g skeins of Rambler? I knit 4 pair (1 pair in each of the 4 sizes) in the Cinnamon Fern colorway (Pine, Lichen, Natural and Cinnamon Fern) and had yarn leftover in all colors!