Dragonskin Socks
Sock design by Anita Figueras. Dragon Skin stitch pattern from page 136 of Barbara Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (Charles Scribner's Sons, NY, 1970). Size: Women's Large/Men's Medium to Large. A closely fitting sock about 7" in circumference at the foot and leg and about 11" long from tip of toe to back of heel. My husband wears a size 11 shoe, and these fit him snugly.
Materials and gauge: 2+ skeins Regia 4faedig Fingering Weight Yarn, 75% wool 25% polyamid, 50 g., 210 m. "+” means I had to use about 24" of a third skein of yarn to finish the second sock; I had 8" of yarn left over with the first sock. Gauge with the Regia yarn: 16 stitches and 23 rows to 2" (5 cm) over stockinette stitch, 26 stitches of dragonskin pattern = 2.75" (7 cm) The sample pair shown in the photo above were knit with 1 skein of Cascade Yarns Heritage, 75% Merino Superwash 25% Nylon, 100 g., 437 yards. I used all but one gram of this yarn for a pair of socks. Gauge with the Cascade Heritage yarn: 17 stitches and 25 rows to 2" over stockinette stitch, 26 stitches of dragonskin pattern = 2 3/8" (6 cm) Obviously the socks knit with the Regia yarn are a bit roomier. I think that the Regia will wear better over time as well - after just a few wearings, the socks knit with Cascade Heritage are looking abraded on the sole.
Needles:
Size 1 U.S. (2.25 mm), two 16" circular needles or size needed to obtain gauge. This pattern can be adapted to double-pointed needles or the Magic Loop method.
M1 Technique:
I use Elizabeth Zimmerman's M1 method of putting a twisted loop on the right hand needle because I find that it distorts the pattern less than making a stitch from the ladder between stitches on the previously knitted row. Directions: Cast on 72 stitches loosely using long tail cast on. K2P2 rib for 12 rows. On the last row of ribbing, shift a purl stitch from the right-hand end of each needle to the left-hand end of its neighboring needle, so that the first pattern row begins with a stitch whose parent is a purl stitch. The parent of the second stitch will be a knit stitch. Begin the pattern, starting on row one of the chart. Repeat pattern until sock is about 7 inches long, ending with either Row 1 or Row 7. For the sample socks, this was 6 1/2 pattern repeats. Work heel over half of the stitches (36 sts), and hold the instep stitches. Heel Flap: Row 1: \*Sl 1 purlwise, K1\*, repeat over half of the stitches, increasing 1 st as a K1 stitch at the center of the heel, K last stitch - 37 sts total. Row 2: Sl 1 purlwise, purl 36 sts Row 3: \*Sl 1 purlwise, K1\*, repeat until last stitch, K1. Repeat Rows 2 & 3 for 48 rows until heel flap is about 3" long, ending with Row 2 . Turn Heel: Continue in Sl 1, K1 stitch pattern as established, purling inner side. Row 1: S1 1, K1 for a total of 22 sts, SSK, K1, turn (12 sts left unworked) Row 2: Sl 1, p8, p2 tog, p1, turn (12 sts left unworked). Row 3: Sl 1, work in established pattern up to 1 st before the gap left by the turn on R1, SSK, K1, turn. Note: if 2nd stitch is also a SL 1 stitch, work row as sl 1 K2, then resume the Sl1, K1 pattern. Row 4: Sl 1, P until 1 st before the gap left by the turn on R2, P2tog, P1, turn. Repeat rows 3 & 4 until no sts remain unworked at the end of a purl row - 23 sts total Create gussets and resume working instep: K10, K 2Tog, K11, pick up and knit 24 sts along edge of heel flap (through the sts slipped at the beginning of the rows of the heel flap), pick up and knit an additional stitch at the join of the instep and heel sts. Drop needle with heel sts and knit across the instep, resuming pattern at R2 or R8. With needle holding heel sts, pick up and knit 1 st at join of instep & heel sts, pick up and knit 24 sts along edge of heel flap, knit across back of heel. 108 sts total. Continue sock by knitting all heel and gusset sts and knitting instep in established pattern. Decrease gusset every other row by SSK the first two sts and K2Tog the last 2 stitches on the needle with the heel sts. You will be either decreasing on the pattern row of the instep, or on the plain knit row. Which one isn't important, but knowing which one will help you keep track of whether this is a decrease row or not. Continue gusset decreases until 36 sts remain on heel needle (72 sts total). Knit in established pattern until sock is about 2" shorter than the desired length, ending on either Row 1 or Row 7 of the pattern. Sample in Cascade Heritage was 8.75" at this point with 15 complete pattern repeats.
Toe Decreases:
Row 1: K 1, SSK, K till 3 sts remain on needle, K2Tog, K1, repeat on second needle. 4 stsdecreased. Row 2: K all sts Repeat rows 1 & 2 until 12 sts remain on each needle,. Graft toe using Kitchener stitch. Weave inends.
Knit Purl M Make 1 K2Tog ssK
