La Plata Socks by Nancy Bush

La Plata Socks

Knitting
January 1996
Sport (12 wpi) ?
26 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches
in Stockinette stitch (St st) using size 3 needles (Woman's Socks)
US 4 - 3.5 mm
US 3 - 3.25 mm
300 - 450 yards (274 - 411 m)
To fit woman's (man's) size
English

Pattern description from Knitting in America: “Nancy wanted her design contribution to this book to have its base in the United Stated and to be derivative of the West, which is where she was born and has lived for most of her life. The pattern motifs in the socks were adapted from a photograph of an Anasazi black-on-white olla, or large jug, that was found in the La Plata Valley of northern New Mexico. The colors for the first pair she knit (with the raspberry colored background) were inspired by the red rock country of southwest Utah and the Four Corners (the spot where Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado meet). Subsequently, we asked another knitter to make two more pairs, playing with different color combinations to see how the changes we made would affect the design. La Plata Socks are knit with Happy Trails yarn, a sportweight yarn made with seventy-five percent wool and twenty-five percent nylon. Nancy describes it as al dente. ‘It’s got grip and isn’t really slick,’ she says. The pattern appears on page 204.”

Materials for Woman’s Socks:

  • One 1.75oz / 50g skein each of Happy Trails Sock Yarn for Buckskin Sock: Buckskin (A), Campfire (B), Bandana (C), Raspberry Jam (D), Larkspur (E) or for Green Sock: Sage (A), Cactus (B), Larkspur (C), Miss Kitty (D), Rabbit Rush (E)
  • One set (4) double pointed needles size 3 or size needed to obtain gauge
  • Stitch marker

Materials for Man’s Socks:

  • Two 1.75oz / 50g skein each of Happy Trails Sock Yarn for Buckskin Sock: Stetson (black) or Cloud (white) (MC), 1 skein each of Cloud or Stetson (A), and Sagebrush (green/gray) (B)
  • One set (4) double pointed needles size 4 or size needed to obtain gauge
  • Stitch marker

Additional Gauge for Man’s Socks: 24 sts and 30 rnds to 4” over St st using size 4 needles (Man’s Socks).

Note: When changing colors, twist yarns on WS to prevent holes