Child’s First Sock in Shell Pattern
February’s socks are finished! I swear I finished them last month, but have put off posting until I retook the photo. They kind of blend in with the background, no? I suppose I can be stealth kelp in these, at least on my back porch.
Pattern: Child’s First Sock in Shell Pattern, from Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Yarn Botanika Merino/Tencel in colorway Rum Runner
I heart the look of this pattern! Naturally, I made some modifications:
- I changed the top rib to 2×2. I prefer my rib to consistently match (or not match) with the sock patterning, and the 2×1 rib didn’t sync with the pattern repeat.
- I flipped the chart for the second sock.
- I’ve read that the gusset depth is pretty shallow for this pattern, so I extended it to 16 slipped stitches.
The only issue I have with these socks is the yarn dye job. I really wanted a semisolid yarn, but I opened up the skein to find this:
The yarn was tied too tightly before it was dyed and the dye barely penetrated in that spot. There were lots of white flecks in about 75% the skein. The left sock leg was knit with the semisolid portion, and the patterning in the rest of the socks is obscured by all that white. Boo, but I like them anyway!


They are so pretty, I think the dye job looks OK knitted up!
Purple-icious! I didn’t even notice the white in the socks until you pointed it out. Every once in a while I come across a hand-dyed skein of yarn with that same problem. It is *so* disappointing.
You will be stealth kelp! That’s the perfect background for these socks :)
I think they look lovely knitted up, the white makes them speckly!
very pretty! I knit that same pattern with purple too! that stinks about the yarn. i’ve run into that a couple of times, but not that drastic! the socks look great though!
They are beautiful, though. “Stealth kelp”–snicker!
You know, with the white, they look like shells! But I would have been really annoyed to find that white patch, too.
I think the socks are lovely. Lacy and pretty and perfect for spring.
They’re still very pretty! I love this colourway.
They’re gorgeous. I know what you mean about the pooling, but I think they look lovely.
Good to see you last night, despite all that caucus nonsense.
Eek, what a weird dye job! But the socks look fantastic, anyway.
I wouldn’t have even thought about the dye job if you hadn’t shown it. I think the socks looks great!
Very pretty – inspiring me for my next sock project!
Very pretty! I am slowing warming to purple, and this shade of it is lovely indeed. I can understand being disappointed when you untwisted the skein, but in a pattern so chock full of YOs I don’t think the underdyed bits detract too much from the final effect. Maybe if you get a really deep tan…! But we should all be sticking to high SPF stuff anyway, right?
I think they look lovely.
Very pretty! I’m glad that weird dye job knit up so well.
Lovely! The colorway is still really gorgeous, even with the flash.
they’re dazzling! the dye job might of been a little unexpected but its amazing what a little white can do to an entire pattern. i have some handmaiden sea silk that i bought because of the white flash!
Those socks are so pretty!
I think the color is great! The white is way more noticeable in the skein than when it’s knit. These are wonderful socks.
I love all that purple.
Don’t you just love this pattern? I heart it, too. Your socks turned out great, even with the white flecks. And go you for being so clever as to flip the pattern for mirror-image socks! I confess I never thought of that.
Have a good weekend!
It’s funny I like the white bits in the yarn. It adds a nice depth and variation to the color.
Nice socks. If you’re unhappy with the skein, I’d let them know. Most people like to improve their product.
Pretty socks! I have to buy that book.
Kelp, you sure do make the purtiest socks. I wish I had the patience to do the same. I’ll just enjoy looking at yours! Take care!
Sometimes when I experiment with dye, I try specifically to get that effect. I think it looks pretty neat, personally. The closest I can come to the same sort of tie-dye effect one normally sees on t-shirts.
Most of the time, though, it seems I can’t tie things tight enough, or use something that the dye will soak through anyway, because I most often just get paler patches instead of small areas of white surrounded by paler patches. Ah well. That’s why experimenting is fun, after all.
Very lovely! This might have to be my next sock project.
Those are pretty much fantastic–I LOVE the purple!
Pretty! The yarn knit up nicely–you can’t even tell there was a white patch from the FO. And purple is always a good choice for any knit, I think!
I’d say that the white blends in really well – especially being unintended!
Beautiful socks. I love lacy patterns for their lightness.
I think those are the prettiest socks I’ve ever seen.
You get my “You Make My Day” Award! I’m certain other people have already awarded this to you, but still, I really enjoy reading your blog and it does indeed make my day.
Keep making pretty things!
Jessica