Berroco Valentina Socks Knitting Pattern

Berroco Valentina Knit Socks

What Is Being Made

The Berroco Valentina socks are a pair of colorwork knit socks designed by Amy Palmer. This is an intermediate-level knitting project that creates finished socks with approximately 7½ to 8½ inches of leg circumference and an adjustable foot length of around 9½ inches. The design features a striking two-color construction with a split-leg colorwork pattern that showcases contrasting colors in the upper sock portion.

Techniques Used

The Valentina socks employ a combination of knitting techniques to create their distinctive structure. The sock begins with a top-down construction, where knitters start at the leg opening and work downward toward the foot. The upper leg section is worked flat on straight needles using two colors held together, creating a divided colorwork panel. This flat-worked section transitions to a seamed construction where the two-color leg panels are later joined. The heel is worked using a short-row heel technique, which creates a shaped heel cup without requiring a separate heel flap pick-up. After the heel, the foot stitches are picked up and the sock transitions to being worked in the round using double-pointed needles, allowing for seamless circular knitting down to the toe.

Stitches Used

The pattern primarily utilizes stockinette stitch (abbreviated St st), which is the fundamental stitch throughout the sock. The gauge for this stitch is 22 stitches and 35 rows per round over 4 inches, making it essential for knitters to check their gauge before beginning. The colorwork sections employ stranded knitting techniques, where two colors are held simultaneously and alternated across rows to create the two-tone leg design. The pattern instructions specify a particular yarn-holding method—holding the new color to the left and picking it up from underneath when changing colors—which twists the yarn to prevent holes in the colorwork.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The Valentina socks are designed to be knitted with Berroco Tuscan Tweed yarn. The pattern calls for 1 ball each of two colorways: #9034 Nightshade (main color) and #9026 Cosmos (contrasting color), with each ball weighing 50 grams. This yarn choice provides the texture and drape suitable for a finished sock with good stitch definition.

For needles and notions, the pattern requires straight needles in size 3 (3.25 mm) for the flat-worked leg sections and one set of double-pointed needles (dpns) also in size 3 (3.25 mm) for the in-the-round foot and toe sections. Knitters should select needles that help them achieve the specified gauge of 22 stitches over 4 inches. Additional notions include a stitch holder for temporarily holding the foot stitches while the heel is being worked, and a tapestry needle for weaving in yarn ends and any necessary seaming.

Pattern Notes

The Valentina pattern is available as a downloadable PDF from Berroco and is suitable for intermediate-level knitters. The sock features size options with leg circumferences of 7½, 8, or 8½ inches, allowing for a customized fit. The foot length is adjustable, giving knitters flexibility to create socks that match their specific measurements. The pattern emphasizes the importance of checking gauge before beginning to ensure proper fit and finished dimensions.