Circumambulate Sock Pattern: A Meditative, Toe-Up Knitting Design with Sacred Geometry Inspiration

Circumambulate vb 1. to walk around (something), 2. to avoid the point, 3. the act of moving around a sacred object

It seems that much communication these days is less about talking about something, and more about talking around something. This sock was inspired by just this phenomenon. It became more of a meditative piece, moving the sections around a sacred object, ourselves, and that which connects us to the earth, our feet. Stockinette and ribbed sections wind up the foot and leg, never actually intersecting. The two socks are mirrored, one winding clockwise (doesil), and the other counterclockwise (widdershins). This sock is knit from the toe up, using your choice of caston, an increase toe, wedge heel and ribbed cuff. Written for a women's 7.5 -8.5 (US), directions are given for changing the size of this sock. Gauge: stockinette stitch 7.5 stitches/inch 10 rows/inch

Supplies:

Yarn, fingering weight (shown in BMFA Socks That Rock, Lightweight, Briar Rose and Princess Plummy) Two 16-24" circular needles, use the size you need to get gauge (magic loop will also work) Stitch markers, 4-10 needed Darning needle Scissors

Notes:

1. Measure the length of your foot from the heel to the toe 2. This sock fits a woman's medium foot (Us 7.5-8). Use the chart below to determine the gauge to use to change the circumference of the sock.

3. The leg can be knit to whatever length is desired. This sock is designed to have a leg that can be turned down or worn up. 4. M1 is a twisted lifted bar increase: insert your needle into the bar between stitches purlwise, rotate the needle clockwise to the knit position and knit the stitch. This closes the hole created with a lifted bar increase. This will "make 1 left" - to "make one right", make one purl and make one knit. 5. For all charts, on the even rows knit the stitches as they appear. In other words, knit the knit stitches, and purl the purl stitches. 6. Rows 49 and 50 will require you to move stitches from one needle to the next in order to make the decreases. Toe - using either Turkish, figure 8 or Judy's Magic cast-on; cast on 12 stitches on each of two circular needles, begin working in the round 1. Knit 1 round. Knit 12 more stitches. This places the tail from the caston as the beginning of the round. (if you used Judy's Magic Cast on, knit two rows). 2. \*K1, M1, knit to 1 stitch before the end of the needle, M1, K1\*, repeat for second needle 3.Knit Repeat rows 2 and 3 until there are 26 stitches on each needle (52 stitches total). Foot - worked in the round. Choose one needle for the instep (top) of the foot, and one needle for the sole (bottom) of the foot. Work the appropriate number of stockinette stitch rows as shown in the tablebelow:

Now knit rows 1-28 of the Foot Chart, knitting all sole stitches in stockinette. All even numbered rows are worked as they present, knit the knits and purl the purls.

14. Purl 12 stitches, wrap and turn

Gusset increases - working in the round Row 29 - work the insole as per the chart, on the sole needle: make one stitch, place a marker, knit to the end of the needle, place a marker, and make one stitch Row 30 work as presented For the remaining rows, on the odd rows only, work the insole needle according to the chart and on the sole needle: m1, work to the end of the needle, make one (slipping the markers as you come to them). Turn heel - using only the sole needle and short rows work as follows: (52 stitches total, 46 on instep needle and 26 on sole needle. 1. Knit 25 stitches, slip the next stitch from the left needle to the right needle, wrap the yarn around the outside of the stitch, return the stitch to the left needle, and turn your work (this is called a wrap and turn) 2. Purl 24 stitches, wrap and turn 3. Knit 23 stitches, wrap and turn 4. Purl 22 stitches, wrap and turn 5. Knit 21 stitches, wrap and turn 6. Purl 20 stitches, wrap and turn 7. Knit 19 stitches, wrap and turn 8. Purl 18 stitches, wrap and turn 9. Knit 17 stitches, wrap and turn 10. Purl 16 stitches, wrap and turn 11. Knit 15 stitches, wrap and turn 12. Purl 14 stitches, wrap and turn 13. Knit 13 stitches, wrap and turn

Heel flap - will be worked using only on the sole needle, but first rearrange the stitches as follows: move the first 10 stitches from the instep needle to the sole needle placing a marker between the sole stitches and moved gusset stitches, then move the last 10 stitches from the instep needle to the sole needle placing a marker between the sole stitches and moved gusset stitches. The first row will be beginning in the middle of the heel on the right side. 1. knit all stitches up to one stitch before the marker (knit the wraps together with the stitches as you come to them), place a new marker, knit the next stitch together with the first stitch after the marker (removing the old marker) 2 slip one, purl to one stitch before the last marker (purl the wrapstogether with the stitches as you come to them), place a new marker, purl the next stitch together with the first stitch after the marker (removing the old marker) 3. slip 1, \*knit 1, slip 1 with yarn in back,\* , repeat from \* to\* until two stitch before the the marker,k2, k2tog 4. slip 1, purl to the marker, p2tog 5. slip 1, \*knit 2, slip 1 with yarn in back,\* , repeat from \* to\*until one stitch before the the marker,k1, k2tog 6. slip 1, purl to the marker, p2tog 7. Repeat rows 3-6 until all heel wedge stitches have been worked, turn work , slip one and knit to the end of the needle, removing the markers as you go

Leg - begin working in the round again (52 stitches total, 26 on each needle), using the Leg Front and Rear Charts for the appropriate foot. Cuff Work cuff chart at least 8 times. Bind off with a stretchy bind off as follows: Knit 2 stitches, return the stitches to the left hand needle, k2tog, \*knit the next stitch as it presents (knit the knits and purl the purls), return 2 stitches to the left hand needle, k2tog\*, repeat to the end. Secure and weave your ends.

Abbreviations

Left Foot Chart

Right Foot Chart

Right Leg Rear

Right Leg Front

Left Leg Rear

Left Leg Front

Resources:

Blue Moon Fiber Arts http://bluemoonfiberarts.com Turkish Cast On http://www.knittingdaily.com/glossary/middle-east-wrap-cast on.aspx http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyz119fe-uc

Figure 8 Cast On

http://www.helloyarn.com/wp/?p=390 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL4cVw5PJu4 Judy's Magic Cast On http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkyd3nq3Yn8 This is an original design. Any similarity to any other work is unintentional . Copyright 2011, Mikki Rhodes-Gloor. All Rights reserved. Ravelry ID: laceysquirl Ravelry Store: Squirrel Nutz