Hand-knit Gairloch kilt hose

**Tobus** · 29th July 23, 02:37 PM

Here's a pair of kilt hose I recently finished knitting, using the stocking pattern from the Gairloch Museum.

I thought using variegated-colour yarn would lend a charming rustic look to the socks, but I'm not overly happy with that choice. I think the variegations in the green yarn were too dramatic (and the hues sometimes overlapped with the deep blue) which muddled the pattern. It really needs more contrast between the colours for the pattern to pop. Oh well, lesson learned.

I used Malabrigo "ultimate sock" yarn, fingering weight, on 3.5mm needles for the ribbing and 3.75mm needles for the stranded work. I deviated from their pattern and did a shadow-wrap short-row heel instead of a flap-and-gusset heel.

It's 100 degrees F outside right now with searing sunshine, so I rushed through the fitting/photos.

**Verity** · 29th July 23, 02:41 PM

Nicely done!

**Steve Ashton** · 29th July 23, 03:28 PM

May I ask please. How many stitches did you cast on for the cuff and upper leg?

Originally Posted by Tobus

Here's a pair of kilt hose I recently finished knitting, using the stocking pattern from the Gairloch Museum.

I thought using variegated-colour yarn would lend a charming rustic look to the socks, but I'm not overly happy with that choice. I think the variegations in the green yarn were too dramatic (and the hues sometimes overlapped with the deep blue) which muddled the pattern. It really needs more contrast between the colours for the pattern to pop. Oh well, lesson learned.

I used Malabrigo "ultimate sock" yarn, fingering weight, on 3.5mm needles for the ribbing and 3.75mm needles for the stranded work. I deviated from their pattern and did a shadow-wrap short-row heel instead of a flap-and-gusset heel.

It's 100 degrees F outside right now with searing sunshine, so I rushed through the fitting/photos.

**Tobus** · 29th July 23, 03:57 PM

Steve, I went with the pattern instructions for 78 stitches at the 3x3 ribbed cuff (13 sets of 6 stitches), then increased to 90 stitches for the pattern on the leg. It's a 30 stitch pattern, so there are 3 sets at the calf. It decreases down the leg to 60 stitches, or 2 pattern sets, at the ankle and foot.

**Steve Ashton** · 29th July 23, 05:07 PM

And may I ask what your Gauge is please.
The reason I am asking is that I am trying to convert the Gairloch museum's pattern to my Circular Sock machine.

**Tobus** · 29th July 23, 05:37 PM

Steve, I'm coming out around 7.5 stitches per inch. The 90 stitch pattern gives me a 12 inch circumference at the calf, which is just about right for my 14 inch calves, giving me about 16.6% negative ease. But that's based on my own needle selection and tension. Next go-round, I'll probably step down a size for more negative ease, like 20%. I'm fairly new at stranded colour work, and the stretch is different than plain stockinette, especially with the 25% nylon content in this sock yarn. Lots of variables to consider!