160 Brookside Socks - Knitting Pattern for Women in Valley Yarns Franklin

160 Brookside Socks – Knitting Pattern for Women by Mary Kubasek-Haber in Valley Yarns Franklin

The 160 Brookside Socks is a downloadable knitting pattern designed by Mary Kubasek-Haber and published by Valley Yarns. This pattern produces a pair of elegant women's socks featuring a delicate lace design worked throughout the leg and foot, making it a rewarding project for knitters who are ready to move beyond the basics and explore more refined sock construction techniques.

What Is Being Made

This pattern creates a pair of women's knitted socks worked in two sizes: Small (shoe size 6–7) and Medium (shoe size 8–9). The socks are designed to be both functional and decorative, with lace patterning that adds visual interest without overwhelming the knitter. As the pattern itself notes, the design "may look complicated, but it is actually fairly easy" — making it an ideal second sock project for those who have already learned the fundamentals of sock knitting and are ready to take the next step.

Construction and Techniques

The Brookside Socks are constructed using a classic top-down, seamless method, worked entirely in the round across multiple double-pointed needles. This approach is a traditional and well-loved method for sock knitting, allowing the knitter to try on the sock as they go and ensure a precise fit.

• Top-down construction: The sock begins at the cuff and works downward toward the toe, following a logical and intuitive sequence that experienced beginners will find approachable.
• Lace patterning: The defining feature of this design is its lace motif, which is incorporated into the leg and continues across the instep. The lace is achieved through the use of yarn-overs paired with decreases, creating an open, airy texture. The pattern specifically reminds knitters to keep track of their yarn-overs, as these are central to the stitch pattern.
• Heel flap and heel turn: The sock features a traditional heel flap construction. The heel turn is worked back and forth in short rows, using a combination of slip stitches, purling, and decreases (p2tog on wrong-side rows and ssk on right-side rows) to shape the heel cup neatly. Stitches are worked to one stitch before each gap and then closed, creating a smooth, well-fitted heel.
• Gusset: After the heel turn, stitches are picked up along both sides of the heel flap — 14 (17) stitches per side, plus 2 extra stitches at the top of each gusset to prevent holes. The gusset is then decreased over subsequent rounds to return to the original stitch count, shaping the foot smoothly.
• Seamless, in-the-round: The entire sock, from cuff to toe, is worked seamlessly on multiple needles, eliminating any need for seaming and producing a comfortable, professional finish.

Stitches Used

The Brookside Socks pattern draws on a focused set of knitting stitches and techniques that intermediate knitters will find both familiar and gently challenging:

• Knit and purl stitches — the foundational stitches used throughout the sock
• Yarn-overs (yo) — the key element of the lace pattern, creating decorative eyelets
• Slip, slip, knit (ssk) — a left-leaning decrease used in both the heel turn and gusset shaping
• Purl two together (p2tog) — a decrease worked on wrong-side rows during the heel turn
• Slip 1 (sl1) — used at the beginning of heel turn rows to create a neat, chained edge on the heel flap
• Pick up and knit — used to gather stitches along the sides of the heel flap for gusset construction

Materials

This pattern is designed to be knitted in Valley Yarns Franklin, a