Carried away by the waves

These long-legged colorwork socks capture the stormy sea—free pattern for wave socks!

The long-legged socks are adorned with a blue-hued colorwork pattern reminiscent of sunlight playing on the water’s surface—hence the name Aallokko, Finnish for “Waves”! Despite their multicolored appearance, you only need two colors of yarn for these socks.

Author Hanna Sandström, Minna Metsänen

Images Johanna Myllymäki

August 26, 2025Lue suomeksi

Size: EU 38/39.

Wave socks: materials

Novita Muumitalo yarn in shade Muumipeikko (007, white), 150 g
Novita Majakkasaari yarn in shade Meidän meri (814, blue hues), just under 100 g
double-pointed needles 3 mm (US 2.5)–3.5 mm (US 4), or according to your gauge.

Stitch patterns:

Twisted rib: *knit 1 through the back loop (= twisted st), purl 1*, repeat from * to *.
Stockinette stitch in the round: knit all rounds.
Colorwork in the round: work stockinette according to the chart.

Gauge: 25 sts of colorwork = 10 cm.

The charts for the Aallokko socks. You can download the charts as a PDF at the end of the article.

How to knit the Aallokko socks

1. Cast on 80 sts with the white Muumipeikko yarn for the leg, and divide them onto four needles, 20 sts each. The start of the round is between needles I and IV. Knit 4 cm of twisted rib. Then knit 3 rounds in stockinette with the Muumipeikko yarn. Begin the first colorwork stripe from row 1 of Chart I, repeating the 20-stitch pattern 4 times. Knit rows 2–19 of the chart. Knit 3 cm of stockinette in Muumipeikko.

2. Knit two more colorwork stripes as before, knitting rows 1–19 of Chart I and working 3 cm of stockinette in Muumipeikko between the stripes.

Note: When the leg measures 15 cm, begin the decreases. At the start of needle I, knit 2 sts together, and at the end of needle IV, make an skp decrease (= slip 1 knitwise, knit 1 and pass the slipped st over). Always work the decrease in whichever color fits the pattern.

The pattern is broken in the center back at the point of the decreases. Repeat the decreases every 4th round a further 9 times. After the decreases, you will have 60 sts. Distribute the stitches evenly onto four needles, 15 sts each.

3. After the third colorwork stripe, knit stockinette in Muumipeikko until the leg measures about 34 cm.

The skillful dyeing of the yarn makes the waves appear three-dimensional.

4. Begin the heel flap by knitting the stitches from needle I onto needle IV in Muumipeikko (= 30 sts). Leave the other stitches on hold. Turn the work begin working reinforced stitch:

1st row: slip the first stitch purlwise, leaving the yarn on the wrong side of the work, and purl the rest of the stitches. Turn the work.

2nd row: *slip 1 purlwise with the yarn on the wrong side, knit 1*, repeat from * to * 14 more times.

3rd row: slip the first stitch purlwise with the yarn on the wrong side, and purl the remaining stitches. Turn the work. Repeat rows 2–3 a total of 14 times = 28 rows.

5. Work one more wrong-side row and begin the heel turn decreases, continuing with the same reinforced stitch as before. Work the right-side row of the heel flap until 11 sts remain. Make an skp decrease and turn the work. Slip 1 purlwise, purl 8, purl the next 2 sts together, turn the work. Slip 1, knit until 10 sts remain, make an skp decrease. Continue in this manner so that the side stitches decrease and the center group of 10 sts remains. When there are no more side stitches, divide the heel flap stitches onto two needles (5 sts and 5 sts).

Knit the 5 sts on needle IV to move the yarn between the needles.

Then pick up 14 sts + 1 st between the needles along the left edge of the heel flap onto needle I. Knit the heel flap’s 5 sts, then knit the picked-up sts through the back loop. Knit the sts on needles II and III. Pick up 14 sts + 1 st between the needles along the right edge of the heel flap, knit the picked-up sts through the back loop, then knit the 5 heel flap sts on needle IV.

Continue with all 70 sts in stockinette and begin the gusset decreases: at the end of needle I, knit the last 2 sts together, and at the start of needle IV, make an skp decrease. Repeat the decreases every other round until there are 15 sts left on each needle.

6. Knit 3 rounds in stockinette with Muumipeikko. Then begin the colorwork stripe on Chart II on row 1 and work the 60-stitch pattern. Work chart rows 2–19. Next, work stockinette in Muumipeikko until the foot length is about 19 cm or your little toe is covered. Then start the toe decreases.

Wedge toe decreases: At the end of needles I and III, knit 2 sts together, then knit 1, and at the beginning of needles II and IV, knit 1 and make an skp decrease. Repeat these decreases every other round until there are 6 sts left on each needle. After that, decrease on every round. When 8 sts remain, cut the yarn, pull it through the remaining stitches, tighten, and weave in the ends. Knit the second sock in the same way.