The Helmsley Socks are my favorite socks to knit around the holidays! I designed these to be knitted in West Yorkshire Spinner’s Signature 4-ply in their holiday sparkle colorways. As a professional church musician, I spend a lot of time in church in December (as well as knitting socks for gifts!), so these are named after my very favorite Advent hymn - I always cast them on around Hemsley Sunday, or Advent I.

These socks are worked from the cuff down and include just one size, but you could easily knit them smaller or larger by following instructions for a basic sock pattern. They are written for magic-loop knitting and include a heel flap and gusset, but feel free to substitute your own needle preference and preferred heel/toe method. You could easily work these socks toe up, if that is your jam! Just substitute the texture pattern in for a basic vanilla sock. I have included instructions for how to change yarns for a contrasting heel and toe (and you could easily knit the cuff in a contrasting color as well, if you’d like).

You should be able to knit a pair of these socks for most foot sizes in fingering weight with approx. 100g of yarn. My samples are knitted in Vintage Tinsel and Yuletide.

This pattern includes only written instructions, and is suitable for an adventurous beginner sock knitter. I hope you find it accessible! Please contact me at barnabyknits@gmail.com with any questions.