Ivy-Inspired Cable and Lace Sock Pattern: A Knitting Guide with Historical Insights

Playing a large role throughout history not only as flora, but also in literature and academia, the genus hedera bears up to scorching heat or icy cold, thrives in garden plots or planters, through drought or deluge, and is vigorous climber and crawler. No less than Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, and Spencer laud the timeless vine in their works, and as far back as Horace and Virgil ivy receives due praise. To the Victorians, ivy meant devotion and affection in the romantic language of flowers. Among the most enduring icons is The Ivy League, that bastion of the eight most elite universities in the US. Yarn: Beezign Dyeworks and Design Studio B'Ewetiful (80% Blue Faced Leicester wool, 20% nylon) 440 yards per 100 gram skein)1 skein; color shown: Raspberry Blush Needles: Size 2.25 mm (US 1) or 2.50mm (US 1.5) Gauge: 8 stitches and 12 rows over 1 inch in stockinette stitch. Notions: cable needle, tapestry needle Notes: Pattern is knit toe-up incorporating cables and lace. Cables pull in and are a lot less elastic than stockinette, therefore the stitch count is higher than what you may normally knit. Patterning will show to its best advantage using a solid, semi-solid or subtle tonal yarn in light or medium colors. The pattern divides the stitches into 2 groups: Needle 1: instep (top of the foot) and Needle 2: sole (bottom of the foot). You will either divide your stitches over dpns, place the entire group evenly divided on 2 short circular needles, or half on each side of one long circular needle for magic loop.

Abbreviations

Dpns - double pointed needles K - knit P - purl St or sts - stitch or stitches Yo - yarn over Ktfb - knit through the front and back of same stitch Ptfb - purl through the front and back of same stitch M1 - make 1 stitch. Lift the bar between two stitches and twist it, knitting into it through the back loop to close the gap it creates. Ssk - slip, slip, knit: slip one stitch knitwise, then another one knitwise and knit them together. K2tog - knit two stitches together P2tog - purl two stitches together

TOE

Using Judy's Magic Cast-On or the Turkish Cast-On, cast on 22 stitches. Divide according to your chosenneedles. Next round: k1, ktfb, k7, ktfb, k2, ktfb, k7, ktfb, k1 (4 sts. increased = 26 sts.) Next round: k1, ktfb, k9, ktfb, k2, ktfb, k9, ktfb, k1 (4 sts. increased = 30 sts.) Next round: k1, ktfb, k11, ktfb, k2, ktfb, k11, ktfb, k1 (4 sts. increased = 34 sts.) Next round: Round 1:k1, ktfb, k13, ktfb, k2, ktfb, k13, ktfb, k1 (4 stitches increased = 38 sts.) Round 2: Knit all stitches. Continue increases as established on rows 1 and 2 until there is a total of 70 stitches (35 on each needle for magic loop or two circs; or evenly divided between double pointed needles). End with aRound 2. Next 2 rounds: Knit all stitches.

INSTEP

Begin working in pattern from Chart A on the instep/top of the leg; all sole stitches are knit. You may wish to use stitch markers to differentiate your instep and sole stitches. This establishes the top and bottom of the sock. Continue working Chart A over the first 35 stitches and knit all 35 sole stitches until the sock is 3 inches from the desired finished foot length.

GUSSET

Round 1: Continue working instep stitches from Chart A; knit sole stitches as follows: k1, m1^, k33, m1 ^, k1. Round 2: Continue knitting all instep stitches from Chart A; knit all sole stitches. Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are 59 sole stitches. ^ If you prefer, you may substitute ktfb for the m1. HEEL TURN You will now be working back and forth only on the sole stitches. (Needle 2 when using two circulars or magic loop; move all heel/sole stitches to one needle if using dpns.) Turn the heel: Row 1 (RS): K39, ktfb, k1, turn. Row 2 (WS): Create a yo for the first stitch, p22, ptfb, k1, turn. Row 3: Create a YO for the first stitch, K20, ktfb, k1, turn. Row 4: Create a YO for the first stitch, p18, pftb, p1, turn. Row 5: Create a YO for the first stitch, K 16, ktfb, k1, turn. Row 6: Create a YO for the first stitch, p14, ptfb, p1, turn. Row 7: Create a YO for the first stitch, K 12, ktfb, k1, turn. Row 8: Create a YO for the first stitch, p10, ptfb, p1, turn.

Your heel/sole needle now holds 75 stitches. On the right side of the work, create a YO for the first stitch, then knit to the end of the heel/sole stitches, knitting each yarn over together with the stitch next to it that forms a gap. Work across the instep stitches in pattern, taking care to snug up the first stitch on the instep needle before continuing. HEEL FLAP You will again be working only on the heel/sole stitches. Row 1 (RS): K48, knitting each yarn over together with the stitch next to it that forms a gap, ssk, turn. Row 2: Sl1, p33, p2tog, turn. Row 3: \*Sl1, k1\* 16 times, ssk, turn. Repeat rows 2 and 3 until all stitches have been worked, and end having just completed a Row 2 (wrong side). Turn the work to the right side and knit across the sole/heel stitches in the Row 3 pattern but do NOT turn. The sole/heel needle now holds 34 stitches.

LEG

All stitches will now be referred to as either front of leg stitches or back of leg stitches. You will now be working in the round again to the completion of the sock. Pick up the bar between the last stitch worked on the back of the leg and the first front of leg stitch and work it together with the first front of leg stitch in pattern very snugly. Work across the front of the leg stitches continuing in pattern on Chart A. After completing the last stitch, pick up the bar between that last front of leg stitch and the first back of leg stitch and twist it, placing it on the back of the leg needle; knit that stitch. There will now be 35 stitches for the back of the leg. Knit one row across of the back of the leg. Next Round: Continue working the instep/front of the leg stitches in pattern on Chart A. Begin working Chart B with the set up row on the back leg stitches. Next Round and all succeeding leg rounds: Work the front leg pattern repeats until you reach the desired leg length less 1.5" and you have completed Row 26 on Chart A. Work Chart B in pattern on the back of the leg once. After this, you will work only rows 32-35 (as highlighted in red on the chart) until you complete a Row 32, working the front of the leg in stockinette stitch in order to do so.

CUFF

Beginning at the start of the front of the leg, work \*k1, p1\* ribbing, continuing on to the back of the leg stitches to the end of the round. Repeat the ribbing pattern until the cuff measures 1.5 inches in length. Bind off using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. A good video tutorial for it is found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBsYZltTNaA The original photo tutorial found in Knitty.com is here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall09/FEATjssbo.php

FINISHING

Weave the ends into the length of each cuff with a tapestry needle. Weave the ends in at the toe, pulling until the yarn no longer has an 'ear' on the front side; weave through the first row of toe stitches. Clip yarn. Enjoy. @2014 Nicki Miller Pattern is for personal use only and not for commercial use or gain. Please feel free to contact me with questions or pattern errors on Ravelry; my ID is eastskye Thanks for knitting my pattern.

Charts Stitch Key