Malabrigo Normandy Socks Knitting Pattern

Malabrigo Normandy Socks: Beginner Cable Knit Pattern

What is Being Made

The Malabrigo Normandy pattern creates a pair of cable-knit socks designed for women's shoe sizes 6-8, 8-10, or 10-12. These socks feature decorative cable stitching throughout the leg and foot, combining both functional and aesthetic elements. The finished socks have a calf circumference of 7½ to 8½ inches (depending on size) and extend to approximately 6¾ to 7½ inches before the heel begins.

Techniques Used

This pattern employs several key knitting techniques suitable for knitters at the beginner to intermediate skill level:

• Top-down construction: The socks are knit from the cuff downward, allowing for easy fitting adjustments and intuitive length customization.
• Seamless, in-the-round knitting: Socks are worked circularly on two 16-inch circular needles (rather than traditional double-pointed needles), which reduces the number of cables that cross over needle joins and creates a more polished finished fabric.
• Cable crossing: The pattern incorporates cable stitches that require a cable needle to create the signature twisted rope-like texture characteristic of cable knit designs.
• Ribbed cuff: The sock begins with a knit 2, purl 2 ribbed cuff that measures 1¾ inches, providing stretch and a secure fit at the leg opening.

Stitches Used

The Normandy socks utilize fundamental knitting stitches combined with cable techniques:

• Knit stitch (K): The primary stitch forming the main fabric.
• Purl stitch (P): Used in the ribbed cuff and to create contrast and texture within the cable pattern.
• Cable stitches: Created by slipping stitches onto a cable needle, working subsequent stitches, then returning to the cable needle stitches—this technique produces the dimensional twisted cables that define the sock's visual appeal.
• Slip, slip, purl decrease (ssp): A left-leaning decrease used for shaping and stitch manipulation throughout the pattern.
• Stitch markers: Used to denote the beginning of rounds and pattern repeats, essential for maintaining pattern accuracy when working in the round.

Materials and Specifications

The Normandy socks are designed to be knit with Malabrigo Sock yarn, a superwash merino wool available in 3½ ounce (100 gram) hanks with approximately 400 yards (365 meters) per hank. The pattern shown uses colorway #862 Piedras and requires one hank of yarn.

Needle requirements vary by size: Size Small uses two 16-inch circular needles in size 1 (2.25mm), Size Medium uses size 2 (2.75mm) needles, and Size Large uses size 3 (3.25mm) needles. The pattern notes that needles of different colors or lengths may be used to distinguish between the two working needles, and double-pointed needles are an acceptable alternative if preferred. Additional notions include stitch markers, a cable needle, and a tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Pattern Structure and Design Notes

The pattern follows a chart-based design beginning after the ribbed cuff. The cast-on uses the long-tail method to create 64 stitches divided evenly (32 stitches per needle) across two circular needles. The skill level is rated as beginner to intermediate, making this an accessible project for knitters new to cable work while remaining engaging for those with more experience. The use of two circular needles rather than double-pointed needles is specifically noted as reducing cable complexity at needle joins, a thoughtful design choice that simplifies the knitting process.