Mythologial Feet also need Socks!
The Maenad needs socks and Run to Egypt socks.
When I tried to learn how to knit socks, I went headlong and started with some cuff down easy socks. And I discovered they were not for me, I need to control the amount of yarn I use and toe ups work better for me. So, with this two socks, Ill use the same basic construction pattern, and later, I'll add the charted patter for the motiv in the front. The first ones The Maenad socks, have been knitted twice, with comercial yarn, the seconds, the Run to Egypt ones, were handspun. I love handspun socks. As for the names... The Maenads were servants-worshipers of the vine god Dionisus, quite wild and crazy, the pattern is all leaves and leaves, and more leaves! Run to Egypt is for Io, Maiden of Argos, priestess of Hera and lover of Zeus, forced to run and hide in Egypt, while pregnant, to scape Hera's jealousy.
BASIC TOE UP SOCK PATTERN.
You'll Need: 5 dpns (I use 2mm needles nearly every time). 400ms of sock yarn (more or less). Patience if they are your first socks!
Casting On.
CO 20 stitches. Using the Judy's Magic Cast On. Divide this way: Neddle 1: 5 sts. Needle 2; 10 sts. Needle 3: 5 sts. You'll work pattern in N2.
Increasing the toes:
You'll be knitting in the round. Round O1: Nl: Knit until 2 sts before end, Klfb, kl. N2: K1, Klfb, K to 2 sts before end, K1fb, K1. N3: K1, K1fb, Knit to end. Round 02: Knit all needles. You need to increase until you've got enough stitches for your targeted feet(I now my measures in different kind of yarns, and I know it varies a lot). For instance, my narrow European 38 feet need this stitches N1 (14), N2 (28), N3 (14). It's more important to get your width than your length!!
Knitting the foot.
When you've accomplished this, you start the chart pattern in Needle 2, and everything else is knitted in stockinette stitch. You'll need to adjust the pattern stitches to the cuantity of stitches you've got in your needle. The maenad socks pop out if you add 2 purled stitches at the beginning and at the end. Now, how much I knit in this part? If you're knitting for yourself, you can use trial and error, trying the socks every now and then. You'll have to stop 1'5 inches before your ankle (this is veeery aproximative). If you prefer using measures, measure your entire foot, from ankle front (yes, the front) to toes, and substract 1'5 inches.
Increasing the ankle. (Gusset)
rease the ankle part. Remember, you're knitting the motive in your N2!! Round O1: N1: Knit until 2 sts before end, Klfb, kl. N2: Knit (pattern) N3: K1, K1fb, Knit to end. Round 02: Knit N1 and N3, remember pattern in N2 (ideally, it will coincide with the all knit rounds). How much do I increase? I'm a high ankle girl, and usually knit between 8 and 10 increases. The Heel. (Scary, but if I can do it, so do you!). Now, you need the fifth dpn (please, don't loose it!). You need to transfer the last 5 sts of N3 and the first 5 sts of N1. I usually Knit the last 5 sts of N3 to this needle and the knit 5 from N1. From now on... this needle will be called heel needle. You have to knit back and forth this 10 stitches 20 times (20 rows) in st st, slip the first sts, knitwise, every row. Finish with a Purling row (st st wrong side). When you've finished knitting this rows you need to pickup 10 stitches on the side of the flap (first the right side), Knit all the stitches and pick up 10 sts on the left side of the flap. You'll end up with 30 stitches in the heel needle.
Joining the Heel with the foot!
You'll have right side rows (knitted) and worng side rows (purled). On the RS rows: sll, knit until 1 stitch before end, ssk. The ssk includes the last stitch of heel needle and the first one from the stiches waiting in the other needle. On the WS rows: sli1, Purl until 1 stitch before end, P2tog. The P2tog includes the last stitch of heel needle and the first one from the stiches waiting in the other needle. You have to do this two rows back and forth until you have decreased to your original number of stitches, no stitch remains in the waiting neddles. When you have completed the last decrease, resume circular knitting.
The remaining of the sock.
You'll have to resume the pattern on N2, so I recommend to write down the exact row you'll have to do when you finish the heel. Work until you run out of yarn, or, until you achieve the desired length. (If you plan to get the socks as high as your knees.. remember that you'll need to increase and decrease at some point, but this pattern is for more modest socks, nothing more than 8 inches.
Finishing.
This is up to oneself but this is my finishing step: I do 8 rows of [Kltbl, P1] and the I bind of with a very stretchy BO. I think it is a Magic Bind Off I read on knitty but I forgot to write down the name! Binding off: Kl, yo, P1. Pass the K1 and the yo over the P1, 1 stitch remains. Yo, K1. Pass the first st and the YO over the second st. Keep doing this (yo, Knit or purl as it comes, pass the first sts and the YO, over the second sts), until you've binded off all stitches. Enjoy the socks!!
THE BLOODYCHARTS!! TheMaenadNeedsSocks
k(knit) (pur1) yo(yarnover) sk2p (slip one, knit two together, pass slipped stitch over) b(ssk+pass) Ssk+pass: slp 1, slp 1, Knit slipped stitches togethe, pa this stitch toleft neede, pass the next stitch over, pass the stih to right needle.
Run to Egypt.
Legend
k(knit) yo(yarnover) ssk (slip, slip knit) k2tog (knit two together) s2kp (slip tuo together, knit one, pass two slipped stitches over) This is a Creative Commons, Attribution, Non-Commercial pattern.
