Fair Isle Sock MKALendar
☝️ Download the free MKAL info package here!
DESCRIPTION
With the Fair Isle Sock MKALendar you'll create a pair of mid-calf or knee-high socks in 25 days while waiting for the holidays. The mystery KAL is released in 25 daily clues: 24 days of colorwork charts for the advent and a peasant heel with short-row mini gussets on Christmas Day.
Each day's clue is presented as a stranded colorwork chart. All charts can be worked with just two colors but you can use as many as you wish! Your color choices determine whether your advent will be filled with classic or modern interpretations of traditional Fair Isle motifs. Regardless of how many colors you pick, all colorwork rounds are knit with just two colors and short floats.
The socks are worked from the toe up in stranded colorwork using all sorts of fingering-weight sock yarn leftovers, scraps, half-a skeins, unicorn tails, or advent calendar minis. The patterns comes in five sizes with adjustable foot length, leg length, and leg circumference. For mid-calf socks, work clues 1–12 of the MKAL on one sock and clues 13–24 on the other. For knee-high socks, work clues 1–24 on both socks.
Download the MKAL info sheet now and cast on the toes today! The pre-release information package comes with a list of materials, a detailed schedule, tips for planning your color palette, and instructions for casting on the toes. Join my Mighty Networks community to access the daily colorwork clues starting December 1, 2023.
The pattern is written with both metric and US terminology. Only charted instructions are given for the daily colorwork patterns.
Share your socks on Instagram with the hashtags #fairislesockmkalendar and #talviknits.
MKAL SCHEDULE
This pattern is free for a limited time! The clues will be available free in my Mighty Networks community from December 1, 2023 to January 31, 2024.
Available now in the MKAL info package
- November 14: MKAL Info
- November 17: Sizing & Measurements
- November 21: Materials & Abbreviations
- November 24: Choosing and Using Colors
- November 28: Casting on: Toes
Sock #1
- December 1: Day 1 chart
- December 2: Day 2 chart
- December 3: Day 3 chart
- December 4: Day 4 chart
- December 5: Preparing for the Heel, Day 5 chart, Calculating Heel Length
- December 6: Day 6 chart, Adjusting Leg Fit
- December 7: Day 7 chart
- December 8: Day 8 chart
- December 9: Day 9 chart
- December 10: Day 10 chart
- December 11: Day 11 chart
- December 12: Day 12 charts, Cuff
Sock #2
- December 13: Day 13 chart
- December 14: Day 14 chart
- December 15: Day 15 chart
- December 16: Day 16 chart
- December 17: Preparing for the Heel, Day 17 chart
- December 18: Day 18 chart
- December 19: Day 19 chart
- December 20: Day 20 chart
- December 21: Day 21 chart
- December 22: Day 22 chart
- December 23: Day 23 chart
- December 24: Day 24 charts, Cuff
- December 25: Heels
SIZING
- XS [S, M, L, XL]
- 56 [64, 72, 80, 88] sts in foot
- To fit shoe size approx. EU 30/31 [36/37, 39/40, 43/44, 47/48] / US kids' 12–13 [adults' 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 11–12]
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
- Foot circumference: approx. 16.5 [19, 21, 23.5, 26] cm / 6½ [7½, 8¼, 9¼, 10¼]"
- Foot length: approx. 18.5 [22, 23, 25.5, 27.5] cm / 7¼ [8½, 9, 10, 10¾]" or adjustable within pattern
- Leg circumference: approx. 16.5 [19, 21, 23.5, 26] cm / 6½ [7½, 8¼, 9¼, 10¼]" or adjustable within pattern
- Leg length, mid-calf: approx. 18.5 [17.5, 17.5, 19, 21] cm / 7¼ [7, 7, 8¼, 10]" or adjustable within pattern
- Leg length, knee-high: approx. 44 [43, 43, 44, 46] cm / 17¼ [16¾, 16¾, 17½, 18¼]" or adjustable within pattern
As colorwork is not very stretchy, start with a size with approx. 0–5% of negative ease in foot circumference. Leg circumference can be adjusted as the sock progresses.
MATERIALS
Yarn
Fingering-weight sock yarn in as many colors as you want (at least 2)
- For mid-calf socks: approx. 300 [350, 400, 470, 560] m / 320 [380, 440, 510, 610] yd in total
- For knee-high socks: approx. 570 [620, 700, 780, 890] m / 620 [680, 760, 850, 980] yd in total
Needles
- 2.5 mm / US #1½ double-pointed or circular needle(s) or size needed to obtain gauge
Notions
- Colorwork yarn guide (optional)
- Fingering-weight waste yarn to mark heel placement
- 1 locking stitch marker (optional)
- Darning needle
GAUGE
- 34 sts × 42 rnds = 10 cm / 4” in stranded colorwork, blocked
Gauge is independent of suggested needle size. Please take time to check your gauge before casting on.
TECHNIQUES USED
This pattern uses the following techniques: working small circumferences in the round, increases, decreases, stranded colorwork, German short rows, and twisted ribbing. Instructions for the colorwork patterns are provided only as charts.
The pattern assumes knowledge of a cast-on and bind-off method for toe-up socks; references are given for a few alternatives.
