As we prepare to embark on our sixth (!) adventure with The Handmade Sock Society, it’s the perfect moment to refresh our memories of everything that’s come before.
Each “season” of the Society stands alone, so whether you’ve traveled alongside me from the beginning or you’re new to our little band of curious knitters, you can jump right in where you are. But it’s nice to look back and see where we’ve been, and maybe get an idea of where we might be headed.
I thought you might like to take a look at what we’ve done in the past. I’ve been doing these mystery collections for a while now, and I know it takes a very adventurous kind of knitter to sign up for six secret patterns, sight unseen! If you’re new to the Curious Crew and are wondering what on earth to expect, this might help. And if you’ve been a Society Member since the very first collection, it might be fun to revisit some old favourite patterns!
The joy of a good theme
Over five seasons, we’ve explored gardens and oceans, skies and countryside retreats. Each collection begins with an idea, a feeling, or a place that speaks to the imagination—and then unfolds, stitch by stitch, hopefully warming our hearts (and feet!) along the way. The theme helps spark my inspiration in the design process, and it seems to do the same for knitters along the way. Just how into the theme you get is part of your own creative exploration! Some knitters like to theme their yarn, project bags, and accessories. Others enjoy creating their own interpretations based on what’s in their beautiful stash.
This upcoming season’s theme involves libraries, old books, and cosy reading nooks. I’m excited to watch your interpretations of it unfold!
For now, for all the adventurous souls considering joining us for Season 6, let me take you on a tour of the worlds we’ve created together in past collections.
The Handmade Sock Society: Season 5
Our fifth season invited knitters into a world of wonder and discovery, celebrating the human impulse to collect and preserve objects of fascination. Like the Renaissance collectors who created elaborate Cabinets of Curiosity, we explored the allure of small treasures that capture our imagination.
We knit patterns inspired by a world overflowing with tiny marvels: glittering crystals formed over centuries, pebbles polished by patient waves, fossilised remnants of ancient lives, delicate feathers shed in flight, and shells abandoned by creatures of the deep. We considered how these collections represent a peculiar and beautiful blend of science, art, and magic—not unlike knitting itself, which transforms simple string into objects of both utility and beauty.
This collection celebrated the powerful human drive to gather, preserve, and find meaning in the objects that fascinate us. Each pattern became a specimen in our own textile cabinet of curiosities, preserving techniques and traditions passed down through generations of knitters.
Patterns, clockwise from top left: Shadow Box Socks, Feather Vane Socks, Seed Pod Socks, Studiolo Socks, Mermaid Shell Socks, Paper Wings Socks
Buy the whole Handmade Sock Society 5
The Handmade Sock Society 4
For our fourth season, we ventured into the Australian countryside, sharing a thematic connection with that year’s Shawl Society. This collection celebrated the romantic essence of rural living, finding inspiration in gardens, forests, and wide-open spaces.
We imagined early mornings with cool breezes carrying the scent of lavender and eucalyptus as we walked up hillsides. We heard the crunch of gravel beneath our shoes and the contented murmur of chickens awakening with the sun. Our designs played with a sense adventure waiting beyond the horizon and the deep satisfaction of discovery right where we stood.
These patterns reflected the resilient beauty of native spinifex grasses, the industrious community of wild bees, the mysterious markings on scribbly gum trees, the fragrant rows of lavender fields, the simple joy of picnics on checkered blankets, and the quiet coolness of morning mist curling through valleys.
Patterns – Clockwise from top left: The Spinifex Socks, The Wild Bees Socks, The Scribbly Gum Socks, The Lavender Fields Socks, The Picnic Blanket Socks, The Curling Mist Socks
Buy the whole Handmade Sock Society 4
The Handmade Sock Society 3
Our third season lifted our gaze upward, beyond earth and sea to the endless skies above. We explored the atmosphere—both the physical world of clouds, stars, and weather, and the emotional atmospheres that shape our experiences.
This collection celebrated our human ability to find meaning everywhere: in shapes formed by passing clouds, in stories written across the stars, in the subtle shift of energy when we walk into a room. This capacity to interpret the world around us is the heart of creativity. It was fun to bring that to something as humble as handmade socks.
These designs explored the quality of light filtering through clouds, the quiet comfort of raindrops tracing patterns down windowpanes, the majesty of stars illuminating the night, the shifting moods of weather, and the breathtaking change in perspective gained from altitude.
Patterns: Clockwise from top left:
Luminary Socks, Ambient Socks, Rainy Window Socks, Cirrus Socks, Vapour Socks, Altitude Socks
Buy the whole Handmade Sock Society 3
Handmade Sock Society Season 2
For our second season, we imagined ourselves in a quiet cottage in Cornwall, a remote hideaway perched above a restless sea.
Outside, waves crashed against ancient rocks, but we remained snug and warm, wrapped in blankets and basking in the warmth of a wood-fired stove. These designs captured both the wild freedom of coastal winds and the comfort of finding shelter from the storm.
Our stitches traced shells left behind on sandy shores, fronds of samphire growing among the rocks, exhilarating vistas from cliff-top pathways, the simple pleasure of cream tea in a coastal café, the precise mathematics of sailing school knots, and the sleek movement of hidden creatures gliding beneath the waves.
This collection offered a voyage away from the noise and demands of modern life to a seaside retreat where we could steal time for ourselves, our thoughts, and our handmade projects.
Patterns:
Clockwise from top left: Shell Cottage Socks, Samphire Socks, Cliff Walk Socks, Cornish Cream Tea Socks, Sailing School Socks, Dorsal Socks
Buy the whole Handmade Sock Society 2
Handmade Sock Society Season 1
Our journey began close to the earth, where secrets hide beneath fallen leaves and between blades of grass. Our very first collection invited knitters to slow down and notice the miracles happening just beneath our feet.
A bit of earth. A little patch of garden. A place where we could kneel down, dig our fingers into the soil, and feel a blossoming kinship with growing things.
This collection was intimately connected to The Shawl Society 3, which celebrated the Secret Garden. For our socks, we ventured even closer to the ground, where the real magic of gardening happens—in that intimate space where transformation begins.
Six patterns bloomed from this earthy inspiration. Delicate winter roses that defy the snow. The soft perfection of magnolia blossoms. The star-burst beauty of astrantia flowers. The mesmerising dance of honeybees. The cheerful company of red robins. The quiet nourishment of hazelnuts tucked away in their shells.
Patterns:
Clockwise from top left: Winter Rose Socks, Magnolia Socks, Astrantia Socks, Honey Bee Dance Socks Red Robin Socks, Hazelnut Socks
Buy the whole Handmade Sock Society 1
As we prepare for Season 6, I hope this journey through past collections sparks your curiosity. What new worlds will we explore together? What textures and patterns await our needles? The mystery is a big part of the joy.
If you’re new to sock knitting and feel a bit intimidated by the prospect, don’t worry! You can sign up for our free Simply Curious Socks Workshop. You’ll receive a vanilla sock pattern and step-by-step guidance so you can get comfy before we begin.
And for the sock enthusiasts already reaching for their needles in anticipation, make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter so you don’t miss early bird pricing, yarn hints, and the beginning of The Handmade Sock Society 6 presales on Monday, April 7th.
Until then, happy knitting!
x, Helen
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