Favorite Socks (15 page)
Authors: Ann Budd
Evelyn A. Clark
A pair of warm, pretty socks is an undeniable pleasure. In a soft, luxurious merino, this pair would make a great gift for a friend, or yourself! The short cuff is worked in a lace ladder pattern, and a simple combination of vertical stitch patterns runs from the cuff to the toe. The stitch patterns repeat every four rounds, so they’re easy to memorize and simple to knit.
INISHED
S
IZE
About 6" (15 cm) foot circumference, relaxed, and about 9½" (24 cm) foot length. To fit a woman.
Note:
To make the socks larger or smaller, use needles one or two sizes larger or smaller and lengthen or shorten the foot as necessary.
ARN
Fingering-weight yarn (CYCA #1 Super Fine).
Shown here:
Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solids (100% merino; 370 yd [338 m]/4 oz): Nantucket red, 1 skein.
EEDLES
Size 1 (2.25 mm): set of 4 double-pointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
OTIONS
Marker (m); tapestry needle.
AUGE
18 stitches and 26 rounds = 2" (5 cm) in stockinette stitch worked in the round.
N
OTE
Because this lace pattern has a lot of stretch, it is important to try on the sock or to stretch it widthwise when measuring the length.
Loosely CO 60 sts. Arrange sts on 3 dpn so that there are 18 sts each on Needle 1 and Needle 2, and 24 sts on Needle 3. Place marker (pm) and join for working in the rnd, being careful not to twist sts. Purl 1 rnd. Work Rnds 1–2 of Cuff chart 5 times, then purl 1 rnd—piece should measure about 1" (2.5 cm) from beg. Work Rnds 1–4 of Leg chart 20 times—piece should measure about 7¼" (18.5 cm) from CO.
Heel Flap
K12, turn work around, sl 1 pwise with yarn in front (wyf), p27—28 heel sts centered at back of leg; rem 32 sts will be worked later for instep. Work 28 heel sts back and forth in rows as foll:
Row 1:
(RS) *Sl 1 kwise with yarn in back (wyb), k1; rep from * to end of row.
Row 2:
(WS) Sl 1 pwise wyf, purl to end.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 a total of 18 times, then work Row 1 once more—18 chain sts at each selvedge edge; heel flap measures about 2" (5 cm) long.
Work short-rows to shape heel as foll:
Row 1:
(WS) Sl 1 pwise wyf, p14, p2tog, p1, turn work.
Row 2:
(RS) Sl 1 pwise wyb, k3, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 3:
Sl 1, purl to 1 st before gap formed on previous row, p2tog (1 st each side of gap), p1, turn.
Row 4:
Sl 1, knit to 1 st before gap formed on previous row, ssk (1 st each side of gap), k1, turn. Rep Rows 3 and 4 until all heel sts have been worked—16 heel sts rem.
Pick up sts along selvedge edges of heel flap and rejoin for working in the rnd as foll:
Rnd 1:
With Needle 1 (needle holding heel sts), pick up and knit 19 sts along left edge of heel flap; with Needle 2, work 32 instep sts according to Rnd 1 of Instep chart; with Needle 3, pick up and knit 19 sts along right edge of heel flap, then knit the first 8 heel sts from Needle 1 again—86 sts total; 27 sts each on Needle 1 and Needle 3; 32 instep sts on Needle 2. Rnd begins at center of heel.
Rnd 2:
On Needle 1, k8, [k1 through back loop (tbl)] 19 times; on Needle 2, cont in instep patt as established; on Needle 3, [k1tbl] 19 times, k8.
Rnd 3:
On Needle 1, knit to last 2 sts, k2tog;
on Needle 2, cont in instep patt as established; on Needle 3, ssk, knit to end—2 sts dec’d.
Rnd 4:
On Needle 1, knit; on Needle 2, work instep patt as established; on Needle 3, knit.
Rep Rnds 3 and 4 until 60 sts rem—14 sts each on Needle 1 and Needle 3; 32 instep sts on Needle 2.
Cont even (work sts on Needle 2 in instep patt as established; work sts on Needle 1 and Needle 3 in St until foot measures 8" (20.5 cm) from back of heel, or about 1½" (3.8 cm) less than desired total foot length (measured with sock on foot or with lace pattern stretched horizontally; see
Note
), ending with an even-numbered rnd of instep patt.
Knit 1 rnd, redistributing sts as foll: On Needle 1, k14, k1 from Needle 2; on Needle 2, k30; on Needle 3, knit last st from Needle 2, then k14—15 sts each on Needle 1 and Needle 3; 30 sts on Needle 2.
Rnd 1:
On Needle 1, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; on Needle 2, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; on Needle 3, k1, ssk, knit to end—4 sts dec’d.
Rnd 2:
Knit.
Rep Rnds 1 and 2 until 32 sts rem, then work Rnd 1
only
until 12 sts rem. Knit 3 sts from Needle 1 onto Needle 3—6 sts each on 2 needles.
Cut yarn, leaving a 12" (30.5 cm) tail. With tail threaded on a tapestry needle, use the Kitchener st (see Glossary,
page 123
) to join sts. Weave in loose ends. Block lightly.
from the Summer 2002 issue of
Interweave Knits
Jaya Srikrishnan
Depending on the light or angle of view, Jaya Srikrishnan’s illusion socks reveal colorful stripes or “hugs and kisses.” The foot is worked flat as a strip that extends along the instep from the ankle to the short-row toe, then it continues along the sole to the heel, and is joined to the instep along the way. The heel is shaped with a standard gusset worked upside down.
Download the charts for this project here.
INISHED
S
IZE
7 (8½, 10)" (18 [21.5, 25.5] cm) foot circumference and 8¾ (9½ 10¼)" (22 [24, 26] cm) foot length. To fit adult small (medium, large).
ARN
Fingering-weight yarn (CYCA #1 Super Fine).
Shown here:
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock (80% superwash wool, 20% nylon; 215 yd [195 m]/ 50 g): Color A, 1 (2, 2) skein(s); color B, 1 skein. Shown in #2ns Manzanita (A) with #9ns pewter (B), and #43ns sage (A) with #7ns cedar (B).
EEDLES
Size 0 (2.0 mm): set of 4 double-pointed (dpn). One needle two or more sizes larger for binding off (optional). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
OTIONS
Markers (m); tapestry needle.
AUGE
18 stitches and 28 rows = 2" (5 cm) in stockinette stitch.
S
TITCH
G
UIDE
RS join
(worked on RS rows)
Sl the last st pwise with yarn in front (wyf) to right needle, use left needle to pick up the 2 loops of the edge st on the adjoining strip, sl the last st back onto left needle and purl this st tog with the 2 loops, turn, sl first st kwise with yarn in back (wyb), purl to end of row.
WS join
(worked on WS rows)
Sl the last st kwise wyb to right needle, use left needle to pick up the 2 loops of the edge st on the adjoining strip, knit this st, pass slipped st over it, turn, sl the first st pwise wyf, knit to end of row.
N
OTES
- Begin and end all rows (when working back and forth) with a chain selvedge as foll: K1tbl (through back loop) at beg of each row; sl 1 pwise wyf (with yarn in front) at the end of each row. This is not indicated on the chart.
- When changing colors, pick up the new color from
under
the old to prevent holes when working in the round and to give a smooth chain selvedge when working in rows.
With A and using the knitted method (see Glossary,
page 120
), CO 32 (38, 44) sts. Join B. Beg and end as specified for your size, work 54 (64, 74) rows of Hugs and Kisses chart across all sts for top of foot, always picking up the new color from
under
the old (see
Notes
)—piece measures about 3¾ (4½, 5¼)" (9.5 [11.5, 13.5] cm). Cut off B. With A only, work St st for ¾ (1, 1)" (2 [2.5, 2.5] cm). To adjust foot length, work more or fewer rows in St st here.