Paintbox sock fair isle yarn

[Icebethy]

Hi, 

I really would like to crochet socks using the fair isle sock yarn that paintbox yarn makes, but will crocheting change the pattern to the point it won't look fair isle or will it be ok? Also is there any good patterns out there?

 

If this won't work, what other uses for the fair isle sock yarn do you have, I'd really like to use this yarn.

Thanks in advance

[Granny Square]

Hi and welcome to the 'ville!  This yarn, right? https://www.paintboxyarns.com/yarns/socks-100g/

This sort of yarn is designed for the pattern to look like that specifically for the small diameter of knitted socks.  (There are lots of other yarn brands that are similar, example Premier Yarns Serenity Sock weight, which I've used to [knit] many pairs of socks with).  Even so, the patterning would look different if you knitted socks for a small child than for a basketball player, say.  Take a look at the tiny hook size suggested, 1.7mm is about the size I use to crochet thread doilies with (between US steel hook #6 & 7).

You should be able to get a close approximation of the look with crocheted socks.   It might look 'not bad' if you used it combined with matching solid  colors for blanket squares (which would be a big undertaking for such fine yarn), or perhaps a striped hat, or scarf.  Actually it would probably be pretty close to the pattern if you made a headband/ear warmer in the round in the 'short' direction (not in rounds around your head), that would be a similar construction to making a looong sock and should get a look close to the photo.

Or...in knitting, there's a 'thing' called 'faux isle', which is colorwork with 1 solid color and 1 variegated which makes the pattern look more complicated than it really is.  The pic below is a sweater I knitted with solid off-white for the background and variegated for the pattern.  A bit of apples and oranges as this is knit, and not your yarn's color spacing so the effect may be different, but you get the idea.