FO and Pattern: Hootenanny. - Amy Herzog Designs

Sneaking in juuuuust before the end of the month, I’m pleased to share Hootenanny (rav link).

Pattern: Hootenanny, by yours truly.

Yarn: Shown in Sundara Sock in “Glacier” and Madelinetosh Tosh Sock in “Twig”, but of course it will work in any sock yarn.

Time Elapsed: A couple of weeks, including the writing and tech editing!

Pattern Notes: This is a different idea than the one I originally came up with (the one involving this sock yarn) when Elinor announced her most awesome, excellent contest. The “cutevil” owls adorning Hootenanny are the result of a gmail chat conversation with someone who mentioned that they couldn’t be arsed to do “much more than plain stockinette these days”. I wondered: Could I make a mostly-stockinette sock with enough interest to be fun, and enough mass-appeal to do well in the contest?

How well they’ll do in the contest is anyone’s guess, but I think Hootenanny fits the bill for a sock pattern with a smidge of interest and cuteness, but enough stockinette that you can bring them to a movie or knit night (or both).

The technical specs: I like a nice tightly-knit (read: longer wearing) sock, and have written this pattern for a gauge of 8 stitches/12 rows to the inch in stockinette. It’s offered in three sizes: An “XS” suitable for a child and two adult sizes. I’ve given yardage estimates slightly on the generous size and think that with 250 (300, 350) yards of the main color and 25 (50, 75) yards of the contrasting color, you’ll be plenty safe. (The large adult size (with leg sized up for my gigantor calves by knitting the large owls on US 1.5 needles) took almost an entire hank of Sundara sock yarn in the main color and not very much Madelinetosh in the contrasting brown.)

Naturally, avian socks need an Eye of Partridge heel.

(A close-up of the colorwork.)

The stockinette sections really fly, and I went from owl chart to finished socks in about 2 weeks. So there you have it. From the twisted rib top to the contrasting-colored bottom, Hootenanny is a quick knit sure to bring a smile to the wearer’s face. I hope you enjoy it!