Mile High Club Socks
by Taija Elo
This is the pattern for the size M socks. The size L will be introduced in a separate file.
Mile High Club Socks were designed for the first Lai-la-lai Yarnz Sock Club. The pattern also took part in the design contest at the Ravelry.com group Kahelit. The risque name was chosen for the colourway of the club yarn, and is supposed to be considered funny. A mile high knitting club is rather exclusive now, when most needles don't pass the security inspections! Feel free to take this pattern with you to the plane, but make sure your airline company allows The pattern itself combines a sophisticated cable pattern emerged from the cuff's ribbing with the simple knit 2, purl 2 ribbing. The heel is French, as is the toe. The sock is worked on a set of 5 dpns. If you have any questions, you can ask them by email elotaija@gmail.com Happy knitting!
What you will need
Yarn: Lai-la-lai Yarnz Super Sock ( $80\,\%$ merino, ${\bf10}\,\%$ cashmere, 10 $\%$ nylon; 380 yards / 100 grams) - 1 skein Needles: A set of five $2.25\:\mathrm{mm}$ dpns or size to obtain gauge. Other: a darning needle to weave in ends
Gauge
28 sts and 44 rows $=4"$ in stockinette stitch.
Abbreviations and chart symbols
${\bf k}=\mathrm{knit}$ $\ensuremath{\mathbf{p}}=\ensuremath{\mathbf{p}}\ensuremath{\mathbf{u}}\ensuremath{\mathbf{r}}]$ $\mathbf{k}\mathbf{t}\mathbf{b}\mathbf{l}=\mathbf{k}$ xnit through the back loop left twist $=$ place next stitch in front of the work, ktbl the next stitch, ktbl the stitch placed in front right twist $=$ place next stitch in back of the work, ktbl the next stitch, ktbl the stitch placed in back $\mathbf{C4R}=$ place next two sts in back of the work, knit two, knit the sts placed in back $\mathbf{C4PR=}$ place next two sts in back of the work, knit two, purl the sts placed in back $\mathbf{C4PL=}$ place next two sts in front of the work, purl two, knit the sts placed in front $\mathbf{C4L=}$ place next two sts in front of the work, knit two, knit the sts placed in front right purl twist $=$ place next stitch in back of the work, ktbl the next stitch, purl the stitch placed in back left purl twist $=$ place next stitch in front of the work, purl the next stitch, ktbl the stitch placed in front
Let's go, then! Lift off!
The cuff
CO 64 sts with the method of your choice. The original cast on used was the long tail cast on. Divide sts evenly on four $2.25\:\mathrm{mm}$ dpns and start the ribbing by the chart. Knit the ribbing for 1.5". The ribbing chart is worked from right to left:
The leg
Knit the leg chart once. Repeat rounds 1-26 once more.
Heel flap
Knit 38 sts according to the chart round 27, divided evenly on needles 1 & 2. The heel flap is worked on the last 26 sts, all on needle 3. Row 1: Slip 1 stitch. Knit 25 sts all on one needle, turn. Row 2: Slip 1 stitch. Purl 25, turn. Repeat rows 1 and 2 for 14 times more (30 rows in total, 15 slipped stitches on each side).
Turn heel
Knit 15, ssk, knit 1, turn. Slip 1, purl 3, p2tog, p1, turn. Row 1: Slip 1, knit to the 1st stitch before the gap, ssk, knit 1, turn. Row 2: Slip 1, purl to the 1st stitch before the gap, p2tog, p1, turn. Repeat rows 1 & 2 until you have run out of edge stitches. There are 14 stitches on the heel needle.
Gusset
The start of round is now moved to the middle of the heel. Keep knitting the first 38 leg chart stitches on the instep. Knit 14 sts from the heel needle on an empty needle - needle 1. Pick up and knit 17 sts on needle 1: 15 along the slipped sts on the edge of the flap and two between the flap and first instep needle. Knit the instep stitches by the cable charts on needles 2 & 3. On empty needle - needle 4 - pick up and knit 2 sts on the gap between the instep and the heel flap, pick up and knit 15 along the slipped stitches on the flap edge, knit 7 first sts of needle 1 onto needle 4. End of round. Decrease round: Knit to the last 3 sts on needle 1, ssk, knit 1. Needles 2 & 3 are worked by the chart. On needle 4, knit 1, k2tog, knit to end. Work one round even. Repeat the decrease round and an even round for 10 times more - 64 sts left.
Foot
Work even until you have worked rows $27\mathrm{-}36$ of the leg chart once, one full repeat of the chart and repeated the rows 1-26 once. It will seem too long, but it won't be since the french toe is shorter than the regular wide toe. Knit one round - on this round, on the start of needle 4, decrease one stitch: knit 1, k2tog, knit to end. 63 sts.
Toe
This is called a french toe. First, divide your sts evenly on 3 needles - 21 sts per needle. The start of round should remain the same, at the bottom of the foot. Round 1: On needle 1, k1, ssk, knit to last three sts on needle, k2tog, k1. Repeat on needles 2 & 3 - 6 sts decreased. Round 2: Knit. Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have 5 sts on each needle. Cut yarn, thread it through the remaining sts and pull tight. Weave in on the wrong side. There! All done! Repeat the whole pattern once for the second sock, weave in ends, block gently and wear with pride!
