Finnish Train Socks or Junasukat

Knitting socks has become a part of who I am. Most of the time, I knit women’s or unisex socks. Sometimes men’s. And rarely, children’s. But Finnish Train Socks or Junasukat deserve special attention. Because these aren’t just any socks.

First, they’re a local specialty. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Finnish sock knitter who hasn’t made a pair of Junasukat – Train Socks. And you’d be just as hard-pressed to find a baby in Finland who hasn’t owned at least one pair.

Second, these socks fit a child’s foot perfectly. Thanks to their unique shape, they stay snugly on little feet, and babies can’t kick them off.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, there’s a story. A very touching one.

All of this makes these socks special.

I offer you a concise base pattern. You can easily adjust the parameters to fit the sizes you need. The download link for the PDF file is at the end of this post.

But first, The Story Behind the Junasukat:

In 1940, during the war between Finland and the Soviet Union, Kerttu Latvala was forced to evacuate by train with her 2-month-old daughter, Terttu. The train journey was interrupted for several hours due to bombed-out tracks. As they waited, an elderly handcrafts teacher, sitting across from them, noticed the baby’s bare feet. Wanting to help, she unraveled part of her own woolen jacket and used the yarn to knit a pair of socks for little Terttu.

Inspired by this act of kindness, Mrs. Latvala began a lifelong tradition. Whenever someone welcomed a new baby, she would knit them a pair of socks. Over her lifetime, she crafted several hundred pairs. Her daughter, Terttu Latvala, carried on this loving tradition, knitting more than 200 pairs herself.

Finnish Train Socks or Junasukat

DOWNLOAD PATTERN

Happy Knitting!