Xanthophyll by Hunter Hammersen

Xanthophyll

no longer available from 1 source show
Knitting
September 2009
Fingering (14 wpi) ?
32 stitches = 4 inches
in blocked stockinette
US 1 - 2.25 mm
350 - 450 yards (320 - 411 m)
Written in four sizes and three gauges to fit most anyone (see notes below for more).
English

This pattern (along with most of my earlier work) was retired in the summer of 2022. However, it may be available for a few days once or twice a year. Read on for details!




In the summer of 2022, I realized that maintaining a back catalog of hundreds of patterns was kind of 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.

Since then, a handful of my favorites have come back, and lovely new things have come out. But the vast majority of the old patterns are retired and will no longer be generally available.

However, enough folks have asked about some old favorites that I’m planning to make many of the retired patterns available for a few days once or twice a year (most likely in late spring and then again in the fall around Thanksgiving).

  • If you see the buy buttons on this page, you’ve caught it on one of the days it’s available, and you’re welcome to grab it!
  • 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 will be available, subscribe to the mailing list or patreon, or keep an eye on my instagram.



Xanthophyll noun a yellow pigment that colors autumn leaves




I’ve never understood why people think of yellow as a spring color. It’s always reminded me far more of autumn. Between the rich yellow and the spiky stitch pattern, these socks are perfect for fall.

At their heart, these are a Basic Ribbed Sock (so they fit perfectly), but oh what a lovely rib it is! Slipped stitches and cables keep things lively (and break up pooling) and totally stave off the ribbed sock blues. They’re great for everyone (even those who insist on sedate socks) and are sure to be a welcome addition to the sock drawer when temperatures drop.




They’re written in four sizes (56, 64, 72, and 84 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 fa foot (measured around the ball of the foot) between 6.75 and 12.75 inches (with lots of points in between).




These are perfect for you if:

  • You love how ribbed socks fit but want something a bit more exciting
  • You want to play with cables and slipped stitches

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)