Gardiner Yarn Works Sunset Beach Socks Knitting Pattern

Gardiner Yarn Works Sunset Beach Socks

What Is Being Made

The Sunset Beach Socks are a pair of women's fingering-weight knitted socks designed by Chrissy Gardiner. These intermediate-level socks feature a distinctive scalloped fold-over cuff and incorporate a knotted stitch pattern that is particularly well-suited to variegated yarn. The design was created especially for Lavender Sheep's Vineyard colorway and debuted at Sock Summit in 2009. The socks are available in three sizes: Women's Small (7" foot circumference), Medium (8" foot circumference), and Large (9" foot circumference).

Techniques Used

The Sunset Beach Socks are constructed using several specialized knitting techniques that create both visual interest and structural integrity:

• Toe-Up Construction: The socks begin at the toe rather than the cuff, allowing for precise fit adjustments and the ability to knit until yarn runs out
• Judy's Magic Cast-On: A specialized cast-on method used to create the toe, which begins with just 6 stitches that are increased through strategic increases
• Seamless, Worked-in-the-Round: The entire sock is knitted circularly without seams, creating a smooth, comfortable garment that lies flat against the foot and leg
• Lace Pattern: A knotted stitch lace pattern is incorporated into the design, which creates an elegant, open-work aesthetic that showcases variegated yarn beautifully
• Scalloped Fold-Over Cuff: A unique cuff construction that creates a decorative scalloped edge when folded over, adding visual interest and a refined finish

Stitches Used

The pattern employs fundamental knitting stitches combined in strategic ways to build the sock structure and lace pattern:

• Knit (k): The primary stitch forming the stockinette stitch base
• Purl (p): Used in pattern work and texture creation
• Knit-Front-and-Back (k-fb): An increase stitch used extensively during toe construction to expand from 6 initial stitches to the full leg circumference
• Knit 2 Together (k2tog): A right-leaning decrease used in lace pattern shaping
• Knit 3 Together (k3tog): A double decrease creating the knotted stitch pattern characteristic of the design
• Purl 3 Together (p3tog): A decrease stitch used within the lace and knotted stitch sections
• Pass Slipped Stitch Over (psso): A left-leaning decrease used in pattern work

Materials and Tools

The Sunset Beach Socks require fingering-weight yarn and specific needle sizes to achieve the correct gauge and fit:

• Yarn: Approximately 300 yards of fingering-weight yarn. The sample uses Lavender Sheep Tencel Sock in the Vineyard colorway, though the pattern is designed to work well with any variegated fingering-weight yarn
• Needles: Size 1 (2.5mm) needles are required to obtain proper gauge. Knitters may choose either a set of five size 1 double-pointed needles or two 24" size 1 circular needles, depending on personal preference for the magic loop or DPN method
• Gauge: 32 stitches and 44 rounds equal 4 inches in stockinette stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct sock dimensions
• Additional Notions: A yarn needle for weaving in ends and at least one stitch marker to indicate the beginning of the round

Pattern Difficulty and Construction Overview

Rated as intermediate difficulty (level 2), the Sunset Beach Socks require familiarity with circular knitting, increases, decreases, and lace pattern reading. The toe-up construction begins with Judy's Magic Cast-On, which creates a small circle of 6 stitches that are then increased through knit-front-and-back increases in each round until the full foot circumference is reached. The pattern divides stitches between instep (front of leg and top of foot) and heel (back of leg and bottom of foot) sections, which are