Valley Yarns Brookside Socks Knitting Pattern

Valley Yarns Brookside Socks

What is Being Made

The Brookside Socks are a pair of knitted socks available in two sizes: Small (size 6-7 shoe) and Medium (size 8-9 shoe). This is a seamless, top-down sock pattern designed by Mary Kubasek that features decorative lace detailing throughout the leg and foot sections. The pattern is worked in the round using double-pointed needles, creating a finished sock with no seams.

Techniques Used

The Brookside Socks employ several intermediate-level knitting techniques that make this pattern ideal for knitters who have mastered the basics and are ready for a more challenging project. The primary techniques include:

• Seamless, top-down construction: The socks are cast on at the leg and worked downward toward the toe, eliminating the need for seaming
• Worked in the round: Using a set of five double-pointed needles (DPNs), the sock is knitted continuously in circular rows rather than flat pieces
• Lace stitch work: The pattern incorporates yarn-overs and decreases to create an openwork lace design that repeats throughout the sock
• Heel turn shaping: A structured heel flap is created using short rows with slip stitches, followed by a gusset pick-up that integrates the heel smoothly with the leg
• Gusset decreases: Strategic decreases on either side of the foot reduce stitches from the expanded gusset back down to the original leg stitch count
• Toe shaping: Decreases are worked at the instep and sole to gradually close the toe

Stitches Used

The Brookside Socks utilize a variety of fundamental and decorative stitches:

• Stockinette stitch (st st): Used for the heel, gusset, and sole sections to create a smooth, durable fabric
• Ribbing (k3, p3): A 3-knit, 3-purl repeat that forms the main pattern stitch on the leg and instep
• Lace pattern: Rows 1-4 repeat the k3, p3 ribbing; Row 5 introduces the lace motif with yarn-overs (yo), slip stitches (sl 1), and a centered double decrease (k2tog, psso), creating an openwork design that repeats across the width of the sock. Row 6 returns to the k3, p3 ribbing
• Decreases: Knit two together (k2tog), slip-slip-knit (ssk), and purl two together (p2tog) are used throughout for shaping the heel, gusset, and toe
• Slip stitches: Used at the beginning of heel-turn rows to create neat edges

Materials

The Brookside Socks pattern calls for specific materials to achieve the correct gauge and finished fabric:

• Yarn: Valley Yarn Franklin by the Kangaroo Dyer, 4 oz./450 yards, in the colorway Spruce. This yardage is sufficient for both socks
• Needles: Size 1 double-pointed needles (set of 5), or the size needed to obtain the required gauge
• Gauge: 8 stitches = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Pattern Notes

Although the Brookside Socks pattern may initially appear complicated due to the lace stitch work and heel-turn shaping, the pattern notes indicate it is fairly easy to execute once you remember the yarn-overs. The pattern is well-suited as a "second sock" project for knitters who have already learned the basics of sock construction and are ready to advance to a design with more visual interest and technical challenge. The combination of seamless construction, lace detailing, and proper heel shaping makes this an excellent intermediate-level sock pattern.