Graupel (plus giveaway)
You know how the right yarn and the right stitches can come together to make something that’s niftier than it has any right to be? That’s totally what happens with Graupel, and I’m so excited to have them back out!
The leg has a little sample of everything (a bit of cabling, a bit of lace, and a bit of ribbing), all in a four row repeat. Yet somehow, it manages to feel calm, not busy.
Then when you get down to the foot, stitches come swooping in from the side to wrap your foot in soothing stockinette. Now of course you could continue the pattern all the way down the foot, and that would be lovely (and the pattern does tell you how you would do it) but this way is much more fun!
I love how nice big areas of stockinette show off a gorgeous yarn. You’ll want to pick a yarn with fairly subtle color variations for these. The columns of purl stitches can be up to four stitches wide, and more heavily variegated yarns can look a bit unruly on the purl side.
This Midsommar Sock from Solstice Yarn is just perfect. The colors are varied enough to be interesting, but subtle enough to show off your fancy stitches. I’ve got a skein of it in Catnip to send home with someone. Just leave a comment telling me how you feel about variegated yarn to be entered to win. (Pretty in the skein but not so much fun knit up? Love the challenge of finding the right pattern? Better to stick with solids? Unable to resist? There’s no wrong answer, we’re just chatting!)
And while I can’t send yarn to everyone, I can give everyone a discount. Just use the code SOOTHE to get a dollar the price between now and Friday. Just put Graupel in your ravelry cart, click on the ‘use a coupon code’ button, and type in the code SOOTHE. You’ll see the change in price reflected right away.
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, October 30, 2015 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send yarn their way. Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner). If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them. Sorry, but I can only ship physical prizes to US addresses.
I’m not generally a fan of variegated yarn unless I am using it with a solid, to break up the pools and streaks.
But semisolids or subtly variegated yarns like the one you used here? MY FAVORITE! Love it.
I fall into the category of “unable to resist” variegated yarn. I buy a LOT! … Love your sock patterns.
I love variegated yarn, but I will totally use a solid or semisolid for these socks, which I totally want to start right now! Since I just downloaded the pattern, and all. ;o)
Lovely socks and lovely yarn AND a word that only came into my vocabulary last week: graupel! We don’t have bad winter weather where I live, but wool socks are a staple.
Intriguing design! Need to get some more socks in my drawer…..
This is a lovely sock! I find I buy lots of variegated yarn- but usually knit with solid colors. Someday I’ll break out!
I love variegated yarns but until recently had no idea what to do with some of them. I’m learning a lot through podcasts and blogs so I’ve found some patterns that work well with different types of variegated yarns. This one looks lovely!
Subtle variegated yarn makes the knitting more interesting and beautiful but it is very tricky to pick out. I really like the yarn used for these socks it was made for this pattern.
I love variegated yarns, the combinations are so pretty. They’re a challenge when picking patterns, and like a mystery waiting to be knit.
I love these socks…. I do enjoy knitting socks, and lucky for me I don’t have “Second Sock Syndrome”. That would be a bummer :). I do like variegated yarn as it gives the knitting an interesting look.
Variegated yarns can be a challenge sometimes. I prefer those with subtle contrast so the pattern shines through.
Love any variegated yarns, I don’t always know the best way to use but life is for learning…………………
Graupel socks look elegant, going to download the pattern now, thank you
You have such a way with simple-yet-stunning stitch patterns. I love variegated yarns, but the subtle ones that look solid from a distance but host a rainbow of colors up close are my favorite.
I have a love/hate affair with variegated yarns but this skein is so subtle it is beyond gorgeous and can see me using it up quickly!
You are a sock maestra!
I went through a phase where I bought wildly variegated yarn (look up Socks That Rock in Sherbet). It’s hard to use them for anything other than vanilla socks. I am finally using a yarn I bought about 10 years ago to make a Decay shawl because it uses variegation/space-dyeing rather cleverly. But for the most part now I stick with kettle-dyed and very subtly tonal yarn.
Lovely yarn shown off in a beautiful pattern! The rows of eyelets are eye-catching. 🙂
I have a hard time using variegated yarns unless it is a very subtle colorway. I tend to shy away from them. I much prefer solids.
Love variegated yarn but have trouble fitting them into patterns, so stick with more tonal for socks. Love this classic sock and the subtle variegation that fits it perfectly!
I think this is one of your most elegant designs! Beautiful!
I LOVE variegated yarns. Both subtle and striking.
I LOVE variegated yarn, but I admit it’s not for everything. Love how the subtle variations in this yarn play well with the pattern, like you said. I hate when I see something on rav with a busy variegated yarn and a complicated stitch pattern. Why do all that work only to have it lost? It’s like a busy stitch pattern and a busy variegated yarn cancel each other out. Let the colors do the work for you!
P.S. Was just looking up graupel the other day in attempt to identify what was falling from the sky here in Syracuse, NY. Not graupel, but one her cold cousins.
Love variegated yarns with the right pattern. This is a really beautiful sock!
Good morning Hunter,
The socks are really beautiful! I finally started my first pair -just a basic ribbed pair for beginners- last week & am going to attempt the heel today. I’m both excited & anxious.
I chose a variegated sock yarn & do not like the way it looks @ all. I like the ones that transition, but this one makes stripes in repeating, spotted colors & it looks funky.
Although I have always wanted to learn to knit them, your designs have probably done more to inspire me than any I have seen! Thanx for offering this lovely pattern.
Kat
I am drawn to the wildly variegated yarns and then I sit there staring at them and puzzled what to knit with them. Slightly variegated are much easier to match with a pattern.
Very cool sock pattern. Good geometry.