Notes from the Season: The Selvedge Team – Miko Takama, Shop Manager

Wool and Candlelight: Stitches for a Finnish Christmas

In Finland, the Christmas season unfolds with a quiet grace that feels almost sacred — a season of candlelight flickering against deep snow, of woodsmoke curling from saunas, and the gentle hush of forests resting under winter’s spell. Known as Joulu, it is a celebration rooted in simplicity and warmth, where time slows and attention turns to the tactile comforts of home. In such an atmosphere, the tradition of giving handcrafted gifts feels especially fitting. A handwoven scarf, a piece of turned birch, or a carefully stitched ornament carries with it more than material value — it holds the maker’s care, patience, and devotion. In a world often hurried by consumption, these gifts offer a quiet rebellion: a return to authenticity, to the human touch. To give something handmade at this time of year is to share not only an object, but a story — one shaped by time, craft, and the enduring beauty of generosity.

Here, I share with you a knitting pattern for a pair of simple, top-down socks, worked in the round with a ribbed cuff, classic heel flap, and neatly grafted toe. Designed for warmth, comfort, and everyday wear, they use two colours to gently highlight the structure of the sock. I hope you enjoy the knitting them, and the pleasure of creating something handmade to carry through the winter.

Joulu Socks

Material

• 4.5 mm circular needles or 5 of double pointed needles.
• 2 Stitch markers
• Darning needle

Knitting Pattern

These socks are worked top down, from the cuff to the toe, and are worked in stockinette stitch except for the cuff and the heel.

Gauge: 22 stitches x 25 rows = 10 x 10 cm in stockinette stitch on 4.5 mm needles

Sizes: Small (EU shoe size 36 - 39), Big (EU shoe size 40 - 43)

Cuff

With colour 1 yarn, cast on 40 (44) sts on 4.5 mm needles.

Join to work in the round, making sure that the cast-on edge is not twisted, and place a marker for the beginning of the round.

Work in the round in (k1, p1) rib for 8 rows.

Cut the colour 1 yarn

Leg

Join the colour 2 yarn, work stockinette stitch for 35 rows (or to the desired length.)

Do not cut the yarn.

Heel

The heel is worked back and forth across 18 (18) sts with colour 1 yarn, while the remaining 22 (26) sts rest on the needle.

From the beginning of the round, work as follows:

Row 1: *Sl1p, k1, repeat * across 18 (18) sts.

Row 2:  Sl1p, purl across rest of the sts.

Work Row 1-2 9 (10) times (i.e., a total of 18 (20) rows).

Heel Turn

The heel is now shaped with short rows. No special short row technique is used here – the work is just turned and the “holes” that are created when the work is turned are closed again with the heel decreases.

Knit 11 (11) sts, ssk, k1, turn. Slip the first stitch purl-wise with the yarn held in front, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.

Continue as follows:

Row 1 (RS): Slip the first stitch knit-wise with the yarn held in back, knit to 1 stitch before the “hole”

from last turn, ssk, k1, turn.

Row 2 (WS): Slip the first stitch purl-wise with the yarn held in front, purl to 1 stitch before the “hole” from last turn, p2tog, p1, turn.

Repeat Rows 1 and 2 until all the sts have been worked and the heel is formed. There are now 12 (12)

sts on the heel. The next row is a right side row.

Cut the colour 1 yarn.

Pick-up the Gusset Stitches

Now work in the round across all sts again, while at the same time picking up and knitting sts along the sides of the newly formed heel flap.

With the colour 2 yarn, place a stitch marker, pick up and knit 9 (10) sts along the side of the heel flap (one stitch for every 2 rows), knit across the 12 (12) 12 (12) 14 heel sts, pick up and knit 9 (10) sts along the side of the heel flap, place a stitch marker, knit across the resting 22 (26) sts. Now this is the beginning of the round.

Work 2 rounds in stockinette stitch.

Gusset decreases

Now decrease one stitch at each side of the foot, every other round, until the stitch count is back down to the original cast on number.

Round 1: Slip the stitch marker at the beginning of the round, k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before the next stitch marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, knit to the end of row (2 sts have been decreased).

Round 2: Knit all sts.

Repeat rounds 1-2 until you have a total of 40 (44) sts on your needles, your original cast on stitch count.

Continue in the round in stockinette stitch until the sock measures 14 - 16 (18 - 20)  cm from where sts were picked up at the heel (or to the desired length – try the sock on along the way!).

Cut the colour 2 yarn.

Toe

The toe is worked in the round in stockinette stitch and shaped with decreases. Distribute the sts so there are an equal number for the instep and the sole on 2 needles. The beginning of the round is now 1 stitch before and starting from the sole.

Join the colour 1 yarn and knit 2 rounds in stockinette stitches.

Now start decreasing to shape the toe.

Round 1: k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before instep sts, k2tog, k1, (now work the instep sts on the other needle) k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before sole sts, k2tog, k1.

Round 2: knit all stitches.

Continue working round 1-2 until you have 14 sts on each needle.

Now decrease every round and work round 1 twice, until ther are 8 sts on each needle.

Finishing

Cut the yarn, leaving about 10 cm and thread your darning needle.

Graft the toe stitches together using the Kitchener Stitch.

Carefully weave in the end on the wrong side.

-

Abbreviations

k: knit

k2tog: decrease, knit two stitches together

p: purl

st(s): stitch(es)

ssk: decrease, slip 2 sts knit-wise, one at a time, insert the left needle from left to right through the 2 sts and knit them together through the back loops

Sl1p: slip 1 st, purl-wise

Written by Miko Takama

-

Image Credits:

Lead: Knits in progress by Miko Takama