This pattern is retired and not usually available. However, I make many of my retired patterns available for a few days twice a year, and this is one of those times! It will be available from now through some time on Monday, December 2. Then it will go away again.

In the summer of 2022, I realized that I found maintaining a back catalog of hundreds of patterns overwhelming. I couldn’t do it and still release new things. So I took my old patterns down so I could keep doing new work.

A few favorites have come back, and lots of new things have come out! But the vast majority of the old patterns are retired and are no longer generally available.

However, enough folks have asked about old favorites that I make many of the retired patterns available for a few days twice a year (usually in early summer and around Thanksgiving).

• If you see the buy buttons on this page, you’ve caught it on one of the days it’s available!
• If you don’t see the buy buttons on this page, then it’s not currently available.
• If you want to hear when the retired patterns are available, subscribe to the mailing list or patreon, or keep an eye on my instagram.

Graupel noun soft hail or snow pellets

These socks start out with a lovely crisp ribbing. It’s a ridiculously simple 4 row repeat that you’ll have memorized in no time at all. Once you’re done with the leg, you make a nice neat heel flap with a tiny little decoration down each side to keep things interesting. A basic gusset is next. Then comes my favorite part - the nifty arch shaping. I promise it’s easier than it looks, and it produces a really marvelous effect. After all that excitement you’re due for a quiet spell, so after the shaping you just knit straight until you’re ready for the toes.

Of course there are also instructions for continuing the ribbing plain and skipping the arch shaping, but I think you’ll have more fun if you include it!

The pattern comes in three sizes (55, 65, and 75 stitch cast on) to fit most anyone. And of course you should feel free to adjust your gauge a bit to fine tune the fit of the sock. Just be sure that you’re working at a gauge that gives you a sturdy sock fabric with your chosen yarn.

I recommend working at something around 7, 8, or 9 stitches per inch, and I’ve included a table to help you figure out what gauge you’ll want to use for the size you need. With that range of sizes and gauges, the socks will fit a foot (measured around the ball of the foot) between 6.75 and 11.75 inches (with lots of points in between).

These are perfect for you if:

• You want something both impressive looking and easy
• You love how arch shaping makes your feet look

They’re not for you if:

• You don’t like charts (the pattern uses charts)
• You hate swatching (you need to swatch to check your needle size)