En Pointe Socks
Barclay A. Dunn / Baba Black Sheep Yarns I was inspired to create these socks by the yarn from which they were knitted. I bought this lovely light shell-pink yarn from Juniper Moon Farm because I loved the color name (\*"Toe Shoes") and the photograph. When it arrived I petted it for a while' and then put it away in my studio. After a time it called to me, wanted to be knit into socks, and seemed to have very specific ideas about what kind of socks it wanted to be.
Finished size
Women’s size medium [large]
Yarn
Juniper Moon Farm Sock Yarn $[100\%$ pure wool; 400 yd per $95\mathrm{g}$ skein]; color: Toe Shoes; 1 skein Needles 2 sets US #1 $(2.5\;\mathrm{mm})$ circular needles 16 sts $/\,26\,\mathrm{rows}=2"$ in patt
Stitch Chart
Pattern
Cast on 32 [40] sts using the Turkish?, figure $.8^{3}$ , or Judy's magic cast-on method, stitches divided equally between both circular needles. Work 1 round. Increase as follows: Round 1: K1, LRinc, K to last st, LLinc, k1 (see Notes for stitch definitions). Round 2: K all sts.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have 32 [40] sts on each needle.
Foot
Work instep in pattern: Work stitches 1-24 of each row in the chart, repeating the Repeat section (sts 9-16) once [twice]. At the same time, work sole in stockinette. Continue until work measures 6" $\left[6.5^{\circ}\right]$ from toe, ending on row 16 [8] of chart.
Heel
Work heel on the needle with the sole stitches, leaving the instep untouched for now. Step 1: Short rows to make the bottom of the heel: Row 1: K to last st, wrap and turn. Row 2: P to last st, wrap and turn. Row $3!\mathrm{~K~}$ to st before wrapped st, wrap and turn. Row 4: P to st before wrapped st, wrap and turn. Repeat rows 3 and 4 until you have 12 [16] unwrapped sts in the middle of the needle. Step 2: Short rows to make the back of the heel: Row 1: K to wrapped st, k st with wrap, wrap next st and turn. Row 2: P to wrapped st, p st with wrap, wrap next st and turn. Repeat rows 1 and 2, working each stitch with its wraps, until you have worked all wrapped sts.
Leg
Work chart Repeat section (stitches 9-16) around. Work all rows of chart 4 $[4\;^{1}\!/\!_{2}]$ times, starting at row 1 [row 9] of chart (picking up where you left off before working the heel). Special notes for working chart on the Ieg: On row 9, slip the last stitch from the previous round forward; also slip the last stitch on the first circular needle to the second. On row 15, slip the first stitch from the round backward; slip the first stitch from the second circular to the first.
Top Edging
With right side facing you, cast 4 sts onto needle holding existing sts.
Work as follows: Setup row: K3, k1 tog with st on needle, turn. Row 1: K1, yo, k2tog, yo, kl. Row 2: Sl 1, k3, k1 tog with st on needle, turn. Row 3: K2, yo, k2tog, yo, k1. Row 4: Sl 1, k4, k1 tog with st on needle, turn. Row 5: K3, yo, k2tog, yo, k1. Row 6: Sl 1, k5, k1 tog with st on needle, turn. Row 7: K4, yo, k2tog, yo, k1. Row 8: Bind off 4 sts, k3, k1 tog with st on needle, turn. Repeat rows 1-8, working across the stitches from the leg, until they are all consumed.
Finishing
Using Kitchener stitch, join cast-on 4 sts at beg of edging with rem 4 sts on needle.
Notes
Cable 1x1 right: Slip stitch onto holder and hold in front of work. k next st, k st from holder. Cable 1x1 left: Slip stitch onto holder and hold in back of work, k next st, k st from holder. LRinc: Lifted right increase, through the right side of the stitch below next stitch to be worked. LLinc: Lifted left increase, through left side of two stitches below stitch just worked.
