The Proud to Be socks were created to be a celebration of you — whatever and whoever you are.

Proud to Be honors my love of color, my love of socks, my love of rainbows and all that rainbows represent. They speak to my love for the LGBTQ+ people in my life and my support of the worldwide LGBTQ+ community. They’re also personal celebration of wrapping up my first year as a full-time professional designer and knitting instructor. In creating them, I wanted to honor all that’s exciting, true, and vibrant in me and all that’s exciting, true and vibrant in you.

The design for these socks evolved from my desire to add a little extra fun to the colorful rainbow stripes of Vesper Sock Yarn’s Rainbow Love colorway without obscuring the self-striping nature of the yarn. The slipped-stitch colorwork patterning does that with a pattern that is simple and intuitive to knit once you understand how it works. While it was designed to be worked over four-row stripes, the patterning will work on any self-striping sock yarn that creates stripes at least three rows tall.

Beyond the stitch pattern, this is a good, solid, toe-up sock pattern that will teach or expand your sock skills, full of tips and tutorials on Kitchener stitch, afterthought heels, textured colorwork, and a bind-off that may be new to you — because we can always be proud of learning new skills!

Difficulty Level: Adv Beginner/ Early Intermediate

Skills/Techniques: Judy’s magic cast-on, afterthought heel, sewn bind-off, Kitchener stitch—tutorials are provided for each of these techniques.

Construction: These socks are knit from the toe up with an afterthought heel.

Yarn: Knitterly Things Vesper Sock Yarn 80/20 Superwash Merino & Nylon 2ply, (400yds per 100g skein), one skein Rainbow Love plus one 20g mini skein Chartreuse, or one skein of any self-striping sock yarn that knits to a three-or-more-stripe repeat, plus a coordinating color for the heel.

Needles: US #2 (2.75 mm) needles suitable for working in the round (dpn, magic loop, or two circular needles), or size to obtain gauge.
US #1.5 (2.5 mm) needles suitable for working in the round (dpn, magic loop, or two circular needles), or one size smaller than needles that obtain gauge, for working the ribbing.

Notions: Stitch marker, scissors, tapestry needle, 18” of smooth scrap yarn that does not contrast strongly with your MC.

Gauge: 33 stitches and 48 rows to 4”/10 cm in stockinette stitch.

Sizes/Finished Measurements:
Adult S, M, L, XL
Choose the circumference that is slightly smaller than the wearer’s foot, to provide approximately
10% negative ease. Instructions are provided within the pattern for customizing between sizes.
S: 7” circumference, 8.5” length; 6.5” height
(Youth L/Women S)
M: 8” circumference, 9.5” length; 7.25” height (Women M/Men S)
L: 9” circumference, 10.5” length; 8.75” height
(Women L/Men M)
XL: 10” circumference , 11.5” length; 10.5” height (Men L)

#Pride