Carole's Picot Edge Socks
By Carole Julius of Carole Knits Yarn: Any sock or fingering weight yarn Needles: 2.5mm/US #l.5 40" circular for magic loop
Gauge: 8 sts per inch in stockinette stitch
Instructions
Cast on 64 stitches and join in the round. I use the cable cast on and Magic Loop but you may choose whatever cast on you prefer and knit with 2 circs or double pointed needles. The directions can be adapted for any of these techniques. Knit 7 rows. On the next row YO K2tog all the way around. Knit 7 rows. On the next round, fold the hem up so that the wrong sides are facing. Now use the left needle to pick up the first cast on stitch from the hem. Knit those 2 stitches together and then repeat all the way around, picking up a stitch from the cast on edge and kniing it together with the stitch on the left needle. It's very important that you pick up the matching live stitch and cast on stitch so that you do not get any bias in your picot edge. The following photos ilustrate how to pick up the stitches and create the picot edge. This picture shows your cast on edge folded up and ready to be knit into the current row.
These are the loops of your cast on edge, each loop represents one stitch to be picked up and knit. The arrow is pointing to the loop you want to pick up and knit.
Here you can see the loop picked up and ready to be knit into the current row of knitting Knit the leg of the sock to the desired length. I usually knit 7.5 inches from the picot edge.
For the heel flap:
You will work on just one half of the stitches at this time. Row 1: Slip 1, P to end Row 2: \*Slip 1, $\mathrm{K}1^{*}$ repeat to end Repeat these 2 rows 15 times for a total of 30 rows
To turn heel:
Set up Row: Slip 1, P16, P2tog, P1 Row 1: Slip 1, K3, ssk, K1 Row 2: Slip 1, P4, P2tog, P1 Continue in this manner, with either a ssk or P2tog when you get to the gap between stitches. You will have 18 stitches when you are done. Rearrange the stitches so that the beginning of the round starts in the middle of the heel.
Pick Up gusset stitches:
Pick up and knit 18 stitches along the side of the heel flap. I knit into the back of the loop on each of these stitches to give atwist to the stitch It closes up the hole bette and the twist makes a pretty line of stitches along the gusset. Knit across the top of the sock and then pick up and knit 18 stitches along the other side of the heel flap. Finally, knit the last 9 stitches of the heel flap.
Decrease gusset stitches:
Row 1: Knit 9 stitches of heel flap, knit to the last 3 gusset stitches, K2tog, K1, Knit across instep stitches, K1, SK, knit the rest of the gusset stitches and the last 9 stitches of the heel. Row 2: Knit all the way around. Repeat these 2 rounds until you are left with 64 stitches again. Continue knitting in the round until the foot is 2 inches from the finished length.
Toe Decreases:
Row 1: Needle 1: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 Needle 2: k1, ssk, knit to last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 Row 2: knit Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until there are 36 stitches total. Repeat just round 1 (the decrease round) until there are 20 stitches total. Kitchener toe stitches together. $\copyright$ 2009, Carole Julius allrights reserved. For more information, to ask questions, or if you find an error, please write to carole $@$ caroleknits.net
