Opus 600 by Mel Browne and Linda Ocarroll
Opus series
Craft or artwork? You decide.
Description
Short summer socks with an outrageous triple ruffle on the ankle. Sizes: Medium: 2.75mm needle for UK size 6-7 feet Women's small and large widths are achieved by adjusting needle size. Samplesocks: The main yarn is Wharfedale Woolworks Merino Bamboo Sock (4 ply) and the ruffle is Sirdar Salsa.
Requirements
Yarn: 50g of any 4 ply yarn, around 30g of Sirdar Salsa or similar ruffle yarn. Needles: 2 circular needles for knitting either one at a time or both at once, or one circular to knit with magic loop. Metric: size 2.5mm for small; 2.75mm for medium; 3mm for large US: size 1 or 2 for small; size 2 for medium; size 2 or 3 for large UK/Canada: size 12 or 13 for small, size 12 for medium, size 11 for large
Gauge
Medium size: 7.5 sts per inch (30 sts per 4in) on 2.75mm needles
Stitches and tech terms
k =knit k2tog = knit 2 sts together cast off = bind off in USA p =purl p2tog = purl 2 sts together psso = pass slipped st over the st just knitted
Cast on
Cast on 61 stitches and transfer second 31 to another circular needle. Transfer 31st st to the end of the first needle to join, and knit the first and last sts together (60 sts). Continue the round in k1, p1 rib for that round.
Ruffles
Leave your main yarn hanging - don't break it. Join the Salsa for the next round: insert the needle as to purl, choose which colour of the salsa you want to be closest to the leg and pierce that edge of the yarn with the needle. Continue purling all sts in this round with the Salsa. Take your time -- make sure you have a small amount of the Salsa on the needle for each st. At the end of the round, change back to main colour and leave the salsa hanging. Work 6 rounds in k1, p1 rib before repeating the purl row with Salsa. Repeat this process until you have 3 ruffles, each with 6 rows of rib after them. You will now continue to knit with the main yarn so break off the salsa, turn the end over and sew a seam to prevent it from fraying.
Fisherman's rib heel flap
Working back and forth on one needle (30 sts) Row 1 (WS): Turn work and from the wrong side, sl1 then p to end, turn Row 2 (RS): (sl1, k1) repeat to the end, turn Repeat these 2 rows until you have worked 27 rows in fisherman's rib.
Turn heel
Row 1: k18, k2tog, k1, turn Row 2: p8, p2tog, p1, turn Row 3: k9, k2tog, k1, turn Row 4: p10, p2tog, p1, turn Row 5: k11, k2tog, k1, turn Continue in this way until all heel sts are used up. The last two rows will be: k17, k2tog p17,p2tog (18 sts)
Pick up gusset stitches
Knit across to right side of heel (i.e. the side that will be the right when you wear the sock). With RS facing pick up, twist and knit 14 sts down right side of heel onto the same needle. Knit across the instep stitches on the other needle then pick up, twist and knit 14 sts down the left side of the heel onto the heel needle. Then finish knitting all the sts on the heel needle. (30 sts on instep, 46 sts on heel)
Gusset decreases
Row I: Instep needle: k to end. Heel needle: k1, sl1, k1, psso then k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. Row 2: k all sts Continue with these decreases until there are 30 sts on the heel needle.
Foot
ontinue in stockinet as per measurement explained below in \*Measuring foot lengtl
Toe decreases
Row 1: On each needle, k1, sl1, k1, psso, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1 Row 2: k all sts Continue with these 2 rows until you have 12 sts on each needle Graft these 24 sts together using Kitchener stitch. Sew ends in and enjoy!
Measuring foot length
When knitting the foot, you need to know when to start the toe decreases. Measure your foot, from the back of the heel to the end of the toes. The easiest way to do this is to stand on the tape measure. Now you have the length, take off 10% for ease - this ensures they will fit snugly. Now you know how long you want the sock to be before you put it on. The toe decreases are 18 rows so you need to measure your knitting to see how long 18 rows is. When you know this, you can take that measurement off the finished sock length and this is how long your sock needs to be before you start the toe decreases. For example, my fot is 10 inches long, so I want my finished sock to be 9 inches long. In this sock, I got about 10 rows to the inch so 18 rows will take nearly 2 inches. I take the 2 inches of toe off the 9 inches and I know I need to knit the foot until I am 7 inches from the heel turn.
