Christmas Sock KAL '25: Sydäntalvi Calf Socks
Join us for the season's most hearty Knit-along! Our sock designer Grandmasters Minna Metsänen and Sisko Sälpäkivi have hidden colourwork hearts all over these beautiful Christmas socks. The Sydäntalvi (Heart of Winter) socks are available in three different lengths and sizes - choose our suggested colour combinations or pick your own favourites!
Designer
Minna Metsänen
Sisko Sälpäkivi
Size(s)
38/39(40/41)42/43 (EUR)
Finished dimensions
Foot length adjustable
Yarn demand
Novita 7 Veljestä (060) Sand 80(100)100 g (646) Copper 60(70)80 g (391) Spruce Forest 40(50)60 g (064) False Morel 20(30)40 g
Needles and other supplies
Double-pointed needles Novita 3.5 mm (US 4) or size needed
Finished dimensions
Foot length adjustable
Stitch patterns Ribbing in the round:*k2, p2*, repeat *–*. Stockinette stitch in the round: knit all rounds. Colourwork in the round: work stockinette st following the chart. Twist the yarns around each other on the WS (at different points on back-to-back rows) to avoid long floats. Always take the contrasting colour from under the main colour. This will make the contrasting colour the dominant colour and you’ll get a neat result.
Gauge 23 sts in colourwork = 10 cm / 4 in
Construction The socks are knitted from cuff to toe.
Part 1
Leg
Using Copper, cast on 60 sts and divide them across four needles, 15 sts each. The beginning of round is between needles I and IV, at the centre back. Join for working in the round. Work ribbing for 8 rounds, then knit 2 rounds using Copper.
Begin the colourwork pattern on row 1 of chart I. Work the 60 st pattern. Work rows 2–17 of the chart. Work row 18; size 38/39 only: decrease 1 st at the end of each needle. 56(60)60 sts on the needles.
Part 2
Proceed as follows:
Size 38/39: Work rows 19–31 of chart II. On rows 23 and 28, decrease 2 sts as shown: at the beginning of round, skp (= slip 1 knitwise, k1, pass the slipped st over); at the end of round, k2tog. 52 sts on the needles after the decreases. Redistribute the sts so that there are 13 sts on each needle.
Work rows 32–44 of chart II. Work row 45; decrease 1 st at the end of needle III = 51 sts. 12 sts on needle III.
Size 40/41: Work rows 19–30 of chart III. Work row 31, evenly decreasing 6 sts = 54 sts. Redistribute the sts: 13 sts on needles I and III, 14 sts on needles II and IV.
Work rows 32–45 of chart III = 54 sts.
Size 42/43: Work rows 19–31 of chart III. 15 sts on each needle. Work rows 32–44 of chart IV. Work row 45; decrease 1 st at the end of needles I and III = 58 sts. 14 sts on needles I and III, 15 sts on needles II and IV.
Part 3
Heel
Set up the heel flap by placing the sts from needles I and IV onto the same needle = 26(27)29 sts. Leave the other sts on hold. Use Spruce Forest to knit the heel flap. Turn work. Purl the WS row, decreasing 2(1)1 st(s) = 24(26)28 sts.
Turn work and begin reinforced stitch pattern:
Row 1 (RS): *slip 1 with yarn in back, k1*, repeat *–* to end. Turn work.
Row 2 (WS): slip 1 with yarn in back, purl to end. Turn work.
Repeat rows 1–2 a total of 12(13)14 times. There are 25(27)29 rows in total in the heel flap.
Begin turning the heel: Work reinforced pattern as established. Work RS row until 9(10)11 sts remain. Skp, turn work. Slip 1, p6(6)6, p2tog, turn work. Slip 1, work to last 8(9)10 sts, skp. Continue in this manner, decreasing at the ends with 8(8)8 sts in the centre. When only the centre sts remain, divide the heel sts onto two needles, 4 sts each. The beginning of round is now here, at the centre of the heel. Do not break yarn.
Foot
Using the left needle with 4 sts, pick up 12(13)14 sts from the left end of the heel flap + 1 st from between the flap and needle II. Continue on row 46 of chart II(III)IV. Knit the 4 heel flap sts and knit the picked-up sts through the back loop following the chart. Work across needles II and III. Using the needle with 4 sts, pick up 12(13)14 sts from the right end of the flap + 2 sts from between needle III and the flap. Knit the picked-up sts through the back loop and k4.
Proceed with these 60(64)68 sts. Work rows 47–59 of chart II(III)IV. Work gusset decreases following the chart. 50(54)58 sts on the needles after the decreases: 12(13)14 sts on needles I and III, 13(14)15 sts on needles II and IV.
Part 4
Work rows 60–82(87)87 of chart II(III)IV; on the last round, decrease 1 st at the beginning of needles II and IV: k1, skp. 12(13)14 sts on each needle. The foot now measures approx. 19(21)21 cm / 7.5(8.25)8.25 in. Join Copper; size 44/45: work stockinette st until the foot measures 23 cm / 9 in.
Note: If you need a shorter foot section, begin the toe decreases during the colourwork section and work to end of chart. If you need the foot section to be longer, work more rounds using Copper before starting the toe decreases.
Now begin the toe decreases: at the end of needles I and III, k2tog, k1; at the beginning of needles II and IV, k1, skp. Decrease as established on every other round until 28(28)32 sts remain. Then work the decreases on every round. When 8 sts remain, break yarn, pull it through the sts and securely weave in.
Knit the other sock in the same manner.
Christmas Sock KAL '25: Sydäntalvi Calf Socks
Size(s)
38/39(40/41)42/43 (EUR)
Finished dimensions
Foot length adjustable
Yarn demand
Novita 7 Veljestä (060) Sand 80(100)100 g (646) Copper 60(70)80 g (391) Spruce Forest 40(50)60 g (064) False Morel 20(30)40 g
Needles and other supplies
Double-pointed needles Novita 3.5 mm (US 4) or size needed
Stitch patterns Ribbing in the round:*k2, p2*, repeat *–*. Stockinette stitch in the round: knit all rounds. Colourwork in the round: work stockinette st following the chart. Twist the yarns around each other on the WS (at different points on back-to-back rows) to avoid long floats. Always take the contrasting colour from under the main colour. This will make the contrasting colour the dominant colour and you’ll get a neat result.
Gauge 23 sts in colourwork = 10 cm / 4 in
Construction The socks are knitted from cuff to toe.
Part 1
Leg
Using Copper, cast on 60 sts and divide them across four needles, 15 sts each. The beginning of round is between needles I and IV, at the centre back. Join for working in the round. Work ribbing for 8 rounds, then knit 2 rounds using Copper.
Begin the colourwork pattern on row 1 of chart I. Work the 60 st pattern. Work rows 2–17 of the chart. Work row 18; size 38/39 only: decrease 1 st at the end of each needle. 56(60)60 sts on the needles.
Part 2
Proceed as follows:
Size 38/39: Work rows 19–31 of chart II. On rows 23 and 28, decrease 2 sts as shown: at the beginning of round, skp (= slip 1 knitwise, k1, pass the slipped st over); at the end of round, k2tog. 52 sts on the needles after the decreases. Redistribute the sts so that there are 13 sts on each needle.
Work rows 32–44 of chart II. Work row 45; decrease 1 st at the end of needle III = 51 sts. 12 sts on needle III.
Size 40/41: Work rows 19–30 of chart III. Work row 31, evenly decreasing 6 sts = 54 sts. Redistribute the sts: 13 sts on needles I and III, 14 sts on needles II and IV.
Work rows 32–45 of chart III = 54 sts.
Size 42/43: Work rows 19–31 of chart III. 15 sts on each needle. Work rows 32–44 of chart IV. Work row 45; decrease 1 st at the end of needles I and III = 58 sts. 14 sts on needles I and III, 15 sts on needles II and IV.
Part 3
Heel
Set up the heel flap by placing the sts from needles I and IV onto the same needle = 26(27)29 sts. Leave the other sts on hold. Use Spruce Forest to knit the heel flap. Turn work. Purl the WS row, decreasing 2(1)1 st(s) = 24(26)28 sts.
Turn work and begin reinforced stitch pattern:
Row 1 (RS): *slip 1 with yarn in back, k1*, repeat *–* to end. Turn work.
Row 2 (WS): slip 1 with yarn in back, purl to end. Turn work.
Repeat rows 1–2 a total of 12(13)14 times. There are 25(27)29 rows in total in the heel flap.
Begin turning the heel: Work reinforced pattern as established. Work RS row until 9(10)11 sts remain. Skp, turn work. Slip 1, p6(6)6, p2tog, turn work. Slip 1, work to last 8(9)10 sts, skp. Continue in this manner, decreasing at the ends with 8(8)8 sts in the centre. When only the centre sts remain, divide the heel sts onto two needles, 4 sts each. The beginning of round is now here, at the centre of the heel. Do not break yarn.
Foot
Using the left needle with 4 sts, pick up 12(13)14 sts from the left end of the heel flap + 1 st from between the flap and needle II. Continue on row 46 of chart II(III)IV. Knit the 4 heel flap sts and knit the picked-up sts through the back loop following the chart. Work across needles II and III. Using the needle with 4 sts, pick up 12(13)14 sts from the right end of the flap + 2 sts from between needle III and the flap. Knit the picked-up sts through the back loop and k4.
Proceed with these 60(64)68 sts. Work rows 47–59 of chart II(III)IV. Work gusset decreases following the chart. 50(54)58 sts on the needles after the decreases: 12(13)14 sts on needles I and III, 13(14)15 sts on needles II and IV.
Part 4
Work rows 60–82(87)87 of chart II(III)IV; on the last round, decrease 1 st at the beginning of needles II and IV: k1, skp. 12(13)14 sts on each needle. The foot now measures approx. 19(21)21 cm / 7.5(8.25)8.25 in. Join Copper; size 44/45: work stockinette st until the foot measures 23 cm / 9 in.
Note: If you need a shorter foot section, begin the toe decreases during the colourwork section and work to end of chart. If you need the foot section to be longer, work more rounds using Copper before starting the toe decreases.
Now begin the toe decreases: at the end of needles I and III, k2tog, k1; at the beginning of needles II and IV, k1, skp. Decrease as established on every other round until 28(28)32 sts remain. Then work the decreases on every round. When 8 sts remain, break yarn, pull it through the sts and securely weave in.
Knit the other sock in the same manner.
