A Twist of Fair Isle: Cross-Cultural Knitting Techniques for Unique Socks with Twisted Stitches and Stranded Colorwork

a twist of fair lsle

Knitters the world over have always learned stitch patterns and techniques from each other, eagerly adopting and adapting new ideas and combining them with familiar ones.

These socks borrow from two regional traditions, making for an interesting cross-cultural pairing. The intricate twisted-stitch patterns come from areas of Austria and Bavaria, while the lively punch of stranded colorwork hails from tiny Fair Isle, off the northern coast of Scotland. As with all good partnerships, they share common elements; in this case, the main oval-anddiamond motif that runs vertically up the center front and back to meet the horizontal band, where it is translated into a color pattern. This stranded color section is in turn anchored by the main color in its center row, and then the smallest of the twisted stitch patterns is repeated above to act as ribbing. Make these socks in your favorite solid or semi-solid color to show off the delicate miniature cables, and use small amounts of cherished yarns left over from previous projects for a standout (or secret!) spark of contrast.

SIZE: Women's M [L]

To fit foot circumference: approximately 9 [10] inches Foot length: Approx. 9 7/8" [10 1/4"], adjustable to fit

GAUGE:

9 sts/in (36 sts/4 in.) in stockinette stitch

a twist of fair lsle

MATERIALS:

Yarn

Fingering or light fingering weight sock yarn in firmly twisted wool or wool blend MC: 100 grams, approx. 400 yards CC1: approx. 12 yards CC2 (background): approx. 15 yards

Recommended needles and tools

1 set of five US O/2mm double-point needles or size needed to obtain gauge 1 set of five US 1/2.25mm double-point needles, or one size larger than main needles 2 stitch markers Optional: cable needle or blunt yarn needle Smooth scrap yarn for provisional cast on - approx. 12"

PATTERN NOTES:

This snugly fitting sock is worked from the toe up. If your preferred toe-up method differs from these instructions, feel free to use it instead. The sock's structure features a short-row heel, but in order to offset the tendency of this heel style to throttle the front of one's ankle, it includes a 'mini gusset? to add an extra inch or so in this critical area. These extra stitches are decreased away immediately after finishing the heel, making a neat little vertical line. The twisted stitch pattern takes up in width a LOT, and the sock in progress will look - and measure - long and skinny. You must bear this in mind when it comes to measuring the foot length to determine the where to begin the mini gusset. On the other hand, the Fair Isle section is not very stretchy at all, and must be worked rather loosely over slightly larger needles. This results in an odd-looking bulge when the unblocked sock is lying flat, but looks fine when worn!

TECHNIQUES:

M1L (Make 1 Left, or Left-leaning Lifted Increase): Insert left needle, from front to back, under the left leg of the stitch two rows below the stitch just knit. Knit into the back of this stitch. M1R (Make 1 Right, or Right-leaning Lifted Increase): Insert right needle, from front to back, under the right leg of the stitch below the first stitch on the left needle. Transfer this stitch to the left needle and knit into the front of it. W&T (Wrap & turn): On RS rows, bring yarn to front of work between needles, slip the next stitch as if to purl, bring yarn around this stitch to back of work, slip the wrapped stitch back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin purling back in the other direction. On WS rows, bring the yarn to back of work between needles, slip next stitch as if to purl, bring yarn around this stitch to front of work, slip the wrapped stitch back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin knitting back in the other direction.

a twist of fair Isle

Twisted stitches (shown on chart only): ALL knit stitches within the charted stitch patterns are knit through the back loop, twisting them so they stand out above the purl background. Some are crossed over each other as tiny cables; these may be knit with or without a cable needle. My preference is to use a yarn needle instead, slipping the first stitch onto the yarn needle and poking it into the work to hold it either to the front (left cross) or back (right cross), working the next stitch, then slipping the held stitch back onto the left knitting needle to work as charted.

DIRECTIONS

Toe

Using a provisional CO with waste yarn, CO 36 [40] sts. Turn and p across. Turn. K 35 [39] sts. W&T. P 34 [38] sts. W&T. \*K across to the last unwrapped stitch, W&T. P across to the last unwrapped stitch, W&T.\* Repeat \* to \*, until there are 18 [20] center stitches and 9 [10] wrapped sts on each side. Knit across the center stitches to the first wrapped stitch, pick up the wrap and place it on the left needle, then knit it together with its stitch through the back loop. \*Turn and slip the stitch just worked as if to purl. Snug the yarn firmly, then p across to the next wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the stitch, place it on the left needle, and purl it together with its stitch through the front loop. Turn and slip the stitch just worked as if to purl. Snug the yarn firmly, then k across to the next wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the next stitch, place it on the left needle, and knit it together with its stitch through the back loop.\* Repeat \* to \*, working one more wrapped stitch on each row, until all stitches have been worked, ending with a knit row. There will be 36 [40] stitches on the needles. Place the CO sts on two additional needles, removing the waste yarn. 72 [80] sts total. Place a marker, k across the CO sts (depending on your CO method, you may need to knit these stitches through the back loop to untwist them), place another marker. This second marker is the beginning of the round.

a twist of fair lsle

Foot

Begin Main Chart (Charts 1 & 2), working the sole in stockinette stitch. Shift stitches on the four working needles so that Chart 2 is on one needle; changes from one needle to the next should be kept in stockinette or purl sections. Work in pattern for approximately 6 7/8 [7 1/4] inches, OR to 3 inches less than the total foot length. Be sure to measure while the sock is stretched to its full width (or better yet, slip it on your foot to measure the length)! Due to the nature of the twisted stitch fabric, the relaxed sock may measure as much as an inch longer than the actual size when worn.

Mini gussets

K across sole to beginning-of-round stitch marker. \*SM, M1L, work in pattern across instep, M1R, sm, k across sole. Work one round in pattern as established.\* Repeat these two rounds three more times, increasing 4 sts each side for a total of 80 [88] sts.

Heel

Work one more round in pattern, knitting across the sole stitches to one stitch before the beg marker, W&T. P across sole sts to one stitch before the side marker, W&T. \*K across to the last unwrapped stitch, W&T. P across to the last unwrapped stitch, W&T.\*

Repeat \* to \*, until there are 18 [20] working center stitches and 9 [10] wrapped sts on each side, ending with a P row. Turn and knit across the center stitches, pick up the wrap around the first wrapped stitch, place it on the left needle, and knit it together with its stitch through the back loop. \*Turn and slip the stitch just worked as if to purl. Snug the yarn firmly, then p across to the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the stitch, place it on the left needle, and purl it together with its stitch through the front loop. Turn and slip the stitch just worked as if to purl. Snug the yarn firmly, then k across to the next wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the next stitch, place it on the left needle, and knit it together with its stitch through the back loop.\* Repeat these two rows, working one more stitch on each row, until all wrapped stitches have beenworked.

a twist of fair lsle

Mini gusset decrease

On the last (knit) row of the heel, work to the beg marker, pick up a loop from a stitch in the gap and knit it, sm. Work across the instep in pattern, sm, pick up a loop from a stitch in the gap after the side marker and knit it. K across to 2 sts before the beg marker, SSK, sm. K2tog, work across instep in pattern to 2 sts before the side marker, SSK, sm, k2tog, k across to beg of rnd marker, sm. \* K2tog, work across instep in pattern to 2 sts before the side marker, SSK, sm, k to beg of rnd marker, sm. Repeat this last round 2 more times, decreasing away the 4 gusset stitches on each side. Work across instep in pattern, remove side marker, k across back to 5 [5] stitches before beg marker. PM for the new beginning of round (remove the original beg marker when you get to it).

Leg

After working an even-numbered row of the Main Chart pattern (either the round just completed or the next round), sm, begin Chart 3. The motif in Chart 3 will be centered over the mini gusset decrease line on each side. Work across the instep in pattern and begin Chart 3 at the other side, then begin the Main Chart again across the remaining 26 [29] stitches on the back of the leg, at the same chart row as on the front. Continue in this manner, working the twisted stitch patterns all around the leg, for three complete repeats of Main Chart on the back.

Fair Isle Band

P 1 round, dec 2 sts on size Medium ONLY by P2tog at the center front and back. 70 [80] sts. Change to larger needles and beg Round 1 of the Fair Isle chart with MC and CC1. Work remainder of chart, adding CC2 on Round 2 and carrying MC up the side, catching it under CC yarns once or twice. Carry the color not in use loosely acrossback of work.