For this year’s annual Spin-Along, I have chosen to make Cymru Socks by Kate Larson, featured in the Fall 2025 issue of Farm & Fiber Knits and now available in the Spin Off Library. I found the pattern name curious, and a quick search online uncovered that Cymru is the modern Welsh name for Wales and that the daffodil is their national flower. When my kids were small, we planted naturalizing daffodils around our property, and the Juanita variety with the orange corona are my favorite. Their brightly colored flowers bring a bit of sunshine to our place and serve as the inspiration for my Cymru socks.
Kate Larson’s Cymru Socks. Photo by Gale Zucker
Choosing Color
To evaluate my chosen colors’ contrast with each other, I pulled off thin strips of roving and wound them around an index card. I took a photo with natural lighting and used the mono filter to see the color values without the distraction of the colors themselves. This trick helps choose clearly contrasting colors to ensure patterns are easily visible in finished textiles. The yellow and orange wools are similar in value, but contrast with the green, so the green will be my main color.
My green Corriedale fiber was pulled from a multi-colored, hand-dyed braid, so I gently carded it and pulled it through a diz for a semi-worsted preparation that is slightly tonal. The resulting skein is a traditional 3-ply yarn measuring at 305 yds/2 ounces and is a light fingering weight at 16 wpi. The orange fiber is a Targhee and nylon blend. I haven’t spun Targhee yet, and I am eager to see how this fiber compares to some of my other favorite sock blends. My third color will be a very familiar marigold yellow merino sock blend.
What Will You Make?
A few other spinners in our Ravelry group are spinning for socks or slippers, while others are still contemplating their projects. One group member has chosen to spin for a sock monster, and shared some other takes on the theme, such as a “Sock Foot Scarf.” We have spinners thinking about mini sock décor as well! Our diverse group of fiber artists learn from each other’s experiences with new techniques and fibers, which can help guide our fiber and pattern selections when we have so many choices. We’ve been discussing things like thrums, using a durable fiber blend for the foot of the socks and a more luxurious one for the leg, Hawser and opposing ply techniques, Bradford count, even circular sock machines. Several members already have completed socks and slippers!
I’m going outside of my sock comfort zone and spinning to weave straps for a pair of flip flops on my inkle loom once my Cymru socks are completed. What are your spinning plans? We would love it if you joined us in conversation and project sharing during the spin-along; it is always more enjoyable spinning together!
Join the Spin-Along
We can’t wait to see what new twists you’ll take on your spinning journey.
Share on Instagram by tagging @longthreadmedia. Join the conversation on the Ravelry forum where you’ll find the spin-along thread.
If you would like to share photos of your completed projects with us, please have them finished by May 1st and send them over to us via our email address.
Happy Spinning!