‘Bluestockings’ – The Ultimate Sock Knitting Book
A few years ago, when the incredible Kate Davies asked if we wanted to provide all the sock yarn for the book she was writing, it was easy to give her an answer… yes please!
Kate’s publications are always beautiful, and alongside Nicole Pohl, Kate created the stunning Bluestockings book which focuses on all things sock and is inspired by famous literary feminists. It’s a glorious book and we are absolutely thrilled that every sample is knit up in our trusty Exmoor Sock yarn.
Our own Sonja even contributed an article all about our yarn for the book, so if you ever wanted to know a bit more about Exmoor Sock or the Bluestockings women, we heartily recommend picking up a copy (we stock it ourselves if you fancy a gander)!
The book has 7 toe-up sock patterns all in Exmoor Sock and 1 shawl pattern. Among the Bluestocking-inspired designs you’ll find openwork and texture, stripes, chevrons and stranded colourwork.
Setting top tips about knitting toe-up socks alongside an exploration of historic dyestuffs, and bringing ground-breaking women writers together with accessible, wearable design, this lavishly illustrated volume offers an exciting in-the-round combination of material history, contemporary making, and early feminism.
Bluestocking woman of letters, Elizabeth Montagu, is the inspiration behind a gorgeous design full of crisp twisted stitches and lace, in both long and short versions, while a go-to sock and stocking recipe is named for talented eighteenth-century classicist (and knitter) Elizabeth Carter.
Montagu’s younger sister, Sarah Scott, herself a popular writer, is honoured in a sock pattern with long and short variations, featuring bands of floral motifs echoing Sarah’s love of peonies. The Mercy Otis Warren socks feature a spiralling colourwork design, while those named after Catharine Macaulay have a stunning, subtle texture of fine cables creating vertical zig-zags.
The striking and colourful Phillis Weasley Peters socks, with their bold stripes, honour the first woman of African descent to publish a book either in Britain or America. Those named after Mary Delany pay tribute with an all-over colourwork design including florals inspired by her ‘mosaicks’ — paper collages that combined her love of creative and scientific subjects.
Which is your favourite pattern? We can’t decide! We do have samples knit up for the Elizabeth Montagu socks in Dimity, and the Sarah Scott shorties in Mizzle, Heedy Peep and Blooth which we think are great alternative colourways to the originals.
Alongside all that amazing sock inspiration, you’ll also find the stunning ‘Hap for Harriet’ shawl—named after Harriet Guest whose research shone a light on the important contribution of the Bluestockings women. The shawl uses our beautiful Alpaca Supreme Lace in the colourway Mr Smoke.
You can find all our sock kits on our website here.