Authors: Ann Budd
Favorite Socks (19 page)
Priscilla Gibson-Roberts
After researching the methods Eastern European folk knitters use to work seamless intarsia in the round, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts continues to discover new techniques. These footlets are worked from toe to cuff in typical Eastern style. Unlike most seamless intarsia designs, the color work is limited to the instep. Instructions for working this type of intarsia are given on
page 111
.
INISHED
S
IZE
About 8¼ (9½)" (21 [24] cm) foot circumference and 6¾ (8)" (17 [20.5] cm) foot length. To fit a woman (man).
ARN
Worsted-weight yarn (CYCA #4 Medium).
Shown here:
Classic Elite Waterspun (100% felted merino; 138 yd [126 m]/50 g): #5046 blue spruce (MC), 2 skeins; #5026 opal basil (dark purple) and #5035 fern green, 1 skein each.
Note:
This yarn has been discontinued; substitute the lightly spun worsted-weight yarn of your choice.
EEDLES
Size 4 (3.5 mm): set of 5 double-pointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
OTIONS
Marker (m); tapestry needle.
AUGE
14 stitches and 20 rows = 2" (5 cm) in stockinette stitch worked in the round.
S
TITCH
G
UIDE
Sssp
Slip 3 sts individually kwise, return these 3 sts to left needle, and purl them tog through their back loops.
OTES
- Work a sample to learn the intarsia technique described on
page 111
before beginning the footlets. - While color stranding the pattern on the instep band, use short lengths of contrasting color yarns instead of balls; this allows you to pull each strand free of the others as you use it and will reduce tangling.
- If working the intarsia section while color stranding the design seems overwhelming, work the intarsia section entirely in the background color, then add the color work in duplicate stitch.
With waste yarn, MC, and using the invisible method (see Glossary,
page 121
), provisionally CO 29 (33) sts. Work short-rows as foll: Knit to last st (leave last st unworked), turn, backward yo (see “Heel and Toe Construction” on
page 27
), purl to last st (leave last st unworked), turn. *Yo as usual (from front to back), knit to 1 st before yo, turn, backward yo, purl to 1 st before yo, turn. Rep from * until there are 11 (13) sts bet yarnovers, ending with a WS row. Turn. With RS facing, yo as usual, k11 (13) to first yo, correct mount of yo (so that leading side of loop is on the front of the needle), k2tog (yo and next st), turn. Backward yo, p12 (14) to first yo on left needle, ssp (yo and next st; see Glossary,
page 125
). **Turn, yo as usual, knit to first yo of 2 yos, correct mount of yo loop as before, k3tog (2 yos plus the next st), turn. Backward yo, purl to first yo of 2 yos, sssp (2 yos and the next st; see
Stitch Guide
). Rep from ** until all sts have been worked, ending with a WS row—the last 2 turns will produce 1 yo at each end of needle. Carefully remove waste yarn from provisional CO and place 29 (33) live sts onto 2 dpn. Knit 1 rnd, eliminating the yos by working k2tog to join first yo with first picked-up st from waste yarn, knit to last yo, ssk (see Glossary,
page 122
) to join last picked-up st to rem yo—58 (66) sts.
Place marker (pm) to indicate beg of rnd at side of foot. Cont even until piece measures about 4¼ (5½)" (11 [14] cm) from toe, or about 2½" (6.5 cm) less than desired length from tip of longest toe to ankle point. Working intarsia pattern as described on
page 117
, work Rows 1–22 of Instep chart.
The heel is worked in short-rows like the toe, beg with the underside of the heel using sts from the sole, not the sts used for the instep patt section. With MC, work to sole sts, place 29 (33) sole sts onto 1 needle for ease in working. Rem 29 (33) stitches will be worked later for instep. Work sole sts as foll: Knit
to last sole st (leave last st unworked), turn, backward yo, purl to last st (leave last st unworked), turn. Work as for toe from * until there are 11 (13) sts bet yarnovers, ending with a WS row. Turn. With RS facing, yo as usual, k11 (13) to first yo, correct mount of yo, k2tog (yo and next st), turn. Backward yo, p12 (14) to first yo on left needle, ssp (yo and next st). Work as for toe from ** until all sts have been worked, ending with a WS row—the last 2 turns will produce 1 yo at each end of heel needle.
When you have reached the location of your chosen pattern band, divide the stitches on four double-pointed needles (if they are not already in this arrangement) as follows: two needles to hold the instep stitches and two needles to hold the sole stitches. With main color, purl back across the sole stitches just worked (
Figure 1
). The main color yarn is now at the halfway point of the round. Hold the work with the main color sole yarn hanging from the left side when viewed with the instep facing you. Join the background color for instep chart at the right side of the work, the point where the row originally began, and knit across the instep stitches (
Figure 2
; for the project shown, this is Row 1 of the chart). Rotate the work so both yarns are now hanging from the right side when viewed with the sole facing you. Twist instep and sole yarns around each other at the side, then work back across the wrong side of the instep stitches (
Figure 3
: for the project shown, knit across on wrong side for Row 2 of chart). With the sole still facing you and twisted with the instep yarn, knit across the sole stitches (
Figure 4
). Both yarns are again at the original beginning of the round. Rotate the work so both yarns are hanging from the right side when viewed with the instep pattern facing you. Continue as follows:
Step 1:
Cross yarns at side, purl across sole stitches on wrong side.
Step 2:
Knit across instep stitches on right side according to chart—1 round completed.
Step 3:
Twist yarns at side, purl across instep stitches on wrong side according to chart.
Step 4:
Knit across sole stitches on right side—2 rounds completed; both working yarns are back at the original beginning of the round. Repeat these 4 steps until instep pattern is complete.
For the project shown, the last instep row is Row 22 of chart (knit across instep stitches on the wrong side with background color). To complete the round, work across the sole stitches with main color as given in Step 4. Break off the instep color, and continue in the round with main color according to the instructions.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
With MC, knit 1 rnd, eliminating yos as for toe—58 (66) sts. With MC, purl 1 rnd (1 garter ridge completed). Work 4 more garter ridges (knit 1 rnd, purl 1 rnd) in the foll color order: 1 green, 1 purple, 1 green, 1 MC. With MC, BO all sts.
Weave in loose ends. Lightly steam-block.
from the Summer 2000 issue of
Interweave Knits