Basic Self-Striping Socks
Design by Amy Klimt These top-down socks use a peasant heel and cute picot cuff to showcase hand dyed self-striping yarns. Stitch markers are used so any method of small circumference knitting may be used. A range of adult sizes is provided.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Size: To fit a foot 7(8, 9, 10) inches around. Approx women's S(M, L, XL) or men's XS(S, M, L). Finished measurements: 3.25(3.5, 4, 4.5) wide, 6.5(7, 7.5, 8) cuff length (customizable), 8.5(9.5, 10.5, 11) foot length (customizable). Yarn: Out of Step Dyeworks Merino/cashmere Sock (80% Superwash Merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon; 390 yards /100g): 1 skein. I dye this yarn s0 that each stripe is 7-8 rows long in a women's M sock close to the given gauge. Each stripe is about 4.5 yards long. Needles: Size US 1.5 needles (2.5mm), or size needed to get gauge: 32" or longer circular for magic loop. Size US 0 needles (2mm), or about .5mm smaller than size needed to get gauge: 32" or longer circular for magic loop.
Hook: 2mm, approx US A. Exact size is not crucial. Notions: A few yards of fingering weight sock yarn in a contrasting color, 2 plain stitch markers, 2 locking stitch markers in a different color (optional), tapestry needle. Gauge: 36 sts and 50 rows per 4" in stockinette stitch in the round. If you prefer to knit socks less tightly, pick a size to knit based on the stitch count you usually use to knit socks. Appreviations: beg: beginning k: knit p: purl pm: place marker sm: slip marker st: stitch rnd: round rep: repeat CO: cast on K2tog: knit 2 together SL: slip SSK: slip 2 stitches knitwise individually, then knit these 2 stitches together through back loop YO: yarn over RH: right hand (as in needle) LH: left hand (as in needle) MC: main color
Directions
With hook and waste yarn, provisional crochet C0 60(64, 72,82) sts around smaller needle. My preferred method is to form the chain around the needle to eliminate the need to pick up stitches. Chain an extra inch or two to facilitate unzipping. Knit across provisionally cast on stitches with main yarn. Start with about 4 rounds worth remaining of the color before the first color you want to show on the outside of the sock. If using magic loop or 2 circular method, note placement of yarn tail or hang a locking stitch marker in color A to denote beginning of round; If using another method or rotating stitches to avoid ladders, a plain stitch marker may be used. Join in round, being careful not to twist. K 6 rounds. With larger needle, \*YO, k2tog\* around. K 6 more rounds. Pick out waste yarn from provisional CO, starting at the end with the extra length of chain, and place live stitches on smaller needle. Fold hem over at eyelet row with smaller needle behind larger needle. Knit each stitch together with its corresponding stitch on the other needle, using larger needle as the RH needle. Knit every round until work measures 6.5(7, 7.5, 8) or desired cuff length. Stop halfway through a color band (about 4 rows for this particular yarn). You may want to consider making this happen in the darkest color in your yarn to minimize the appearance of any oddness at the corners of the heel.
Mark Heel Placement
Put 60% of stitches on waste yarn as follows: K42(45,50,57). K36(38,44,50) with waste yarn, slipping marker as necessary. Turn and purl back to beginning of waste yarn, slipping marker. You can slip back to the beginning of waste yarn instead, but purling allows you to pick out the waste yarn one side at a time. K waste yarn stitches with MC, slipping marker. Continue to work even in MC for at least a couple more inches. You can finish the entire sock before working the heel, but working the heel before the toe is finished helps to get the right heel-to-toe length. To work the heel before finishing the toe, place the live foot stitches on waste yarn or smaller needle.
Peasant Heel
Pick out waste yarn, placing stitches on US 1.5 needle as they become live. Place all the stitches from the top on one needle and all stitches from the bottom on the other needle. There should be 36(38,44,50) stitches on the bottom needle, and 37(39,45,51) stitches on the top needle. Start working with cuff side down (same as direction of rest of knitting). Rearrange stitches: SL 18(19,22,25) sts so beg of rnd is not at a corner, but halfway in between. This will help to minimize holes. Rearrange stitches so the beg of the rnd is at the beg of one needle and approximately half of the heel stitches are on each needle. Note that beg of rnd is on the heel side of the sock, or hang a locking stitch marker in color A. Join new length of yarn halfway through stripe in same color as sts on heel needle. For the bullseye pattern on the heel to progress in the same sequence of colors, you will need to wind off yarn from the other end of the ball until you reach the desired point, cut it, and start working from the cut end. Note: I do not pick up extra stitches in the corners for this type of heel. In my experience, it looks odd to have stitches appearing out of nowhere. I prefer to tidy up with a bit of duplicate stitch when the knitting is finished. K 18(19,22,25) PM in color B, k37(39,45,51), PM in color B, k 18(19,22,25) to end of round. Setup Round: K to 3 sts before B marker, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to 4 sts before next B marker, k3tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to end of round. There should now be 34(36,42,48) stitches on each needle. Round 1: \*K to 3 sts before B marker, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk\* twice, k to end of round. Round 2: K. Repeat these Rounds 1 and 2 until 32(32,36,40) sts remain. K to first B marker. Rearrange sts (removing markers) so sts between side B markers are on opposite ends of needle. There should be 16(16,18,20) stitches on each needle. Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread onto tapestry needle and graft the heel closed using Kitchener stitch.
Foot
Put foot sts back on size 1.5 needle if necessary. Beginning of round should be at center back. K every round until measurement from heel is 7(8,8.75,9) inches or about 1.5(1.5,1.75,2) inches short of desired heel-to-toe measurement. It may help to stop at the end of a color stripe, if possible. Toe Setup: K15(16,18,20), pm in color B, k30(32,36,40), pm in color B, k 15(16,18,20) to end of round. Round 1: \*K to 3 sts before B marker, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk\* twice, k to end of round. Round 2: Knit. Repeat these two rounds until 32(32,36,40) sts remain. Repeat Round 1 until 16(16,20,22) sts remain. Rearrange sts (removing markers) so sts between side B markers are on opposite ends of needle. There should be 8(8,10,11) stitches on each needle. Break yarn, leaving long tail. Thread onto tapestry needle and graft toe shut using Kitchener stitch. Weave in ends and close up any holes at ankles with a length of same color yarn. Make second sock, starting at the same point in the color sequence if identically matching socks are desired. @ 2009, Amy Klimt. All rights reserved.
