Rocks and Rivers by Kate Knuff
In the BC interior, and my family in particular, fall is when the lakes start to cool back down after a short and intense summer, and it's time to return from the campgrounds, leave the mosquitoes behind, and rediscover our own backyards. We can walk out of our own back doors and be just steps away from the forest and trails that surround our entire town.Fallis the perfect time to go see how the hundred-plus types of trees are changing (or not-those lucky conifers), and catch a glimpse of a deer or two. Even more prevalent than the deer are the men and boys out romping around the trails with their bikes and four-wheelers, or hidden in the denser parts of the bush, hunting. Sometimes, they're after more traditional prey like grouse or deer, but more often than not, they're stalking each other in the honorable sport of paintball. Whatever they're out there doing, it's just starting to get cold enough for the various males in your family to need some handknit socks. This is a mostly plain pattern with just a small geometric motif, ensuring that all but the fussiest of men wil wear them. The cable that runs down the leg and branches off onto the foot adds just enough interest to keep the knitter awake. SIZE Small [Large] (shown in size Large) To fit foot circumference 9.5 (10.5) inches
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 6[7] inches, unstretched and flattened
MATERIALS
DGB Confetti Superwash $[75\%$ superwash wool, $25\%$ nylon; 229yd/210m per 50g ball]; color: 9010; 2 [2]balls 1 set US #1/2.25mm double-point needles Stitch marker Cable needle Tapestry needle
GAUGE
36 sts/50 rows $=$ 4" in stockinette stitch [Always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below-every knitter's gauge is unique]
PATTERN NOTES
Key to Charts I Knit ·Purl · S1 1 st to cn and hold at front; p1, k1 from cn. ·/ Sl 1 st to cn and hold at back, k1, p1 from cn. $\gamma\swarrow\mathrm{Sl}\ 1$ st to cn and hold at back, k1, k1 from cn.
K2.p2 ribbing.
4 3 2 1
Leg Cable
Foot Cable 1
Foot Cable 2
PATTERN
Cuff CO 6o[68] sts. Divide sts between three needles, with 20[22] sts on needles one and three, and 2o[24] sts on needle two. Join to begin working in the round, pm to mark beginning of round, and work in K2, P2 ribbing until work measures 1 inch.
Work leg cable chart, k 18[22], work leg cable chart,k 22[26].
Repeat this round until work measures 6 inches, ending with row 6 of cable chart. P1, k1, p2, slip these 4 sts onto right needle. Turn work.
Heel Flap
Sl1, p29[33] sts onto 1 needle, remove marker, turn work. Heel flap is worked back and forth over these 30[34] sts; sl rem sts onto single needle to be held for instep. Row 1: (Sl1, k1) to end. Row 2: Sl1, p to end. Repeat these last two rows 15[17] more times.
Row 8: Sl1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn work. Row 9: Sl1, k12, ssk, k1, turn work. Row 1o: Sl1, p13, p2tog, p1, turn work. Row 11: Sl1, k14, ssk, k1, turn work. Row 12: Sl1, p15, p2tog, p1.
Turn Heel
Row 1: Sl1, k16[18], ssk, k1. Turn work. Row 2: Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1. Turn work. Row 3: Sl1, k6, ssk, k1, turn work. Row 4: Sl1, P7, p2tog, p1, turn work. Row 5: Sl1, k8, ssk, k1, turn work. Row 6: Sl1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn work. Row 7: Sl1, k10, ssk, k1, turn work. Size [Large] only: Row 13: Sl1, k16, ssk, k1, turn work. Row 14: Sl1, p17, p2tog, p1, turn work. 18[20] sts rem.
Gusset
${\cal I}^{s t}$ set-up round: Using needle 1, k remaining 18[2o] sts of heel flap, pick up and k 18[20] sts along side edge of heel flap (1 st in each slipped st) and i st between top of heel flap and held instep sts. Using needle 2, work foot cable chart 1, k18[22], work foot cable chart 2. Using needle 3, pick up and k 1 st between instep sts and top of heel flap, pick up and k 18[2o] sts along side edge of heel flap, k remaining 9[10] sts of heel flap. 86[96] sts: 28[31] sts on needle 1, 30[34] sts on needle 2, and 28[31] sts on needle 3. 2nd set-up round: K8[9], k 17[19]tbl, ktog,k1.Work foot cable chart 1, k8[2], work foot cable chart 2. K1, ssk, k 16[18] tbl, k9[10]. Round 1: K across needle 1, work foot cable chart 1, k18[22], work foot cable chart 2, k to end of needle 3. Round 2: Kto last 3 sts on needle 1, k2tog, k1; work foot cable chart 1, k18[22], work foot cable chart 2; k1, ssk, k to end of needle 3. Repeat these 2 rounds until 60[68] sts rem: 30[34]sts on needle 2, and 15[17] sts each on needles 1 and 3.
(K to end of needle 1, work foot cable chart 1, ki8[22], work foot cable chart 2, k to end) until foot measures 7.5[8] inches, or 1.5 inches less than desired length, ending with row 7 of cable patterns.
Round 1: K to last 3 sts on needle 1, k2tog, k1. K1, ssk, work even to last 3 sts on needle 2, k2tog, k1. K1, ssk, k to end of needle 3. Round 2: Work even across all 3 needles. Repeat these 2 rounds until 20[24] sts remain. Using needle 3, k to end of needle 1. Graft 2 sets of 1o[11] sts together to close the toe (or alternately, use 3-needle bind off method.)
FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block as desired.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Kate is a teenager from BC, Canada. She uses her excellent grades to convince her parents to spend most of their money on yarn, which she is stashing in a most squirrellike fashion for her long, wintry university years. This has had the unexpected effect of turning her into a woolen ski sock factory for her family, but she does get to knit the occasional sweater as well. Feel free to contact her via her Ravelry account (symphony91) or at shockeduser@hotmail.com if you have any questions or comments.
