Ntaidrin (Wheat) Socks

About This Pattern

From 2017 to 2020, Irene Waggener worked with Amazigh shepherds in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco to document the oral knitting patterns they had learned from their forefathers. These patterns are like basic recipes and are used specifically with handspun yarn. Rather than relying on gauge swatches, they require the knitter to try on the garment as it is made, resulting in something that will fit any size.

The following sock pattern is based on the “Tqasher Qadeem” or “Old Sock” pattern that was taught to Irene by Hussein Mardi. Hussein knit only plain-colored socks with tall cuffs. For the Ntaidrin pattern, Irene eliminated the cuff and added motifs that are used in knitting from the region. The simple pattern is ideal for any stitch count divisible by two.

Materials

YARN DK or worsted weight yarn.

NEEDLES 7 Size 0 (2.0 mm) double pointed. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.

NOTIONS Stitch holder or waste yarn, stitch marker, tapestry needle.

Notes

• Any size needle and yarn are appropriate, but the slippers shown were knitted using a worsted weight yarn with US size 0 needles.
• This pattern is perfect for using up leftover yarn.
• If knitting with a tight gauge or thin yarn, follow instructions to CO 10 sts. If knitting with a looser gauge or thicker yarn, CO 5. Also, if making the slippers for a child, CO 5.
• A gauge swatch is not necessary. Just try the toe cap on as you knit and stop increasing when you reach both your desired size and an even number of stitches.

Resources

• Visit farmfiberknits.com/abbreviations for terms you don’t know.

• For more about the people, patterns, and history of knitting in Morocco, check out the book Keepers of the Sheep: Knitting in Morocco’s High Atlas and Beyond, available at 106metersfromtheroad.com.

About Irene Waggener: Irene Waggener researches knitting traditions around the world. She is the author of Keepers of the Sheep: Knitting in Morocco's High Atlas and Beyond, which she wrote in collaboration with shepherds from Morocco's Aït Boulli valley. She is currently living in Yerevan, where she is working on a new book about knitting in Armenia. You can find her work at 106metersfromtheroad.com or on Instagram @waggens_ho.

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