Woolhunter Yarns to dye for!! www.woolhunter.com
These socks were made for my friend Sandy to cheer her up after a recent painful and long illness from which she is now recovering. They knit up really quickly and the patterning is easy representing stylized tree branches. The pair pictured were made in Woolhunter Almerino DK (50% Alpaca/50% Merino) yarn using colourway 'Springtime".
MATERIALS
5x 25 grams Handpainted Woolhunter Alermino DK or 1 x 100 gram skein Woolhunter BFL DK. This will make one pair of women's medium sized socks shoe size 4-7/Us 6-9. Finished foot length is approx 9 inches but this can be adjusted by knitting extra/less rows to suit you feet. Similarly the finished foot circumference is 8 inches. 1 set (5 pins) of double pointed 3 mm/US 2-3 needles.
Tension/Gauge
6 Stitches per inch in stockinette stitch. You may wish to adjust the needles up or down to get the correct gauges.
Abbrievations
K =Knit P = Purl K2 tog = Knit 2 together yo = yarn on needle ssk = slip the next 2 stitches knitwise onto the right hand needle, insert left hand needle back into the stitches knit the two together. (2 stitches become one and this makes a left slanting decrease)
METHOD:
Cuff: With double pointed needles, loosely cast/bind on 48 stitches. Arrange these on 4 pins 12 sts per pin. Join and working in circular rounds using fifth pin as your working needle, work a total of 20 rounds of K1, P1 ribbing. Commence pattern as follows. Round 1 - K2tog, K5, yo, k1, yo, k2, sl1, k1, psso repeat for all four pins 2nd and every alternate Round - Knit every pin Round 3 - K2 tog , k4, yo, k3, yo, k1, sl1, k1, psso, repeat for all four pins Round 5 - K2 tog, k3, yo, k5, yo, sl1, k1, psso, repeat for all four pins Round 7 - K2 tog, k2, yo,k1, yo, K5, sl1, k1, psso, repeat for all four pins Round 9 - K2 tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k4, sl1, k1, psso, repeat for all four pins Round 11 - K2 tog, yo, k5, yo, k3, sl1, k1, psso, repeat for all four pins Round 12 - Knit every pin. These 12 rounds form the pattern. Repeat these 12 rounds three times more.
Heel Flap (Eye of Partridge)
Arrange your stitches on the needles so that there are 24 stitches (from needles 1 and 2) and 12 stitches each on needles 3 and 4. The needle with the 24 stitches will now be worked back and forth to make the heel flap. Commence heel flap as follows:- Row 1 \*Sl1, k1\* rep from \* to \*, turn. Row 2 S1, p across row, turn Row 3 Sl1, k1, \*k1, sl1 rep from \* to last two stitches ending k2 Row 4 As row 2 Repeat these four rows six times more. End finally with a knit every stitch row. Turn Heel Row 1 K2, p14, p2tog, turn Row 2 Sl1, k8, ssk, turn Row 3 Sl1, p8, p2tog turn Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until 10 stitches remain. These 10 stitches are now at the centre (bottom) of the heel. Gusset (Note the pattern as set will only be used on needles 2 + 3) With the 10 stitches remaining on Needle 1, pick up and knit 16 stitches down first side of heel, pattern needles 2 and 3, pick up and knit 16 stitches from other side of heel flap and 5 stitches from first needle to make needle 4. Your stitches should now be arranged thus: Needle 1 = 21 stitches: Needles 2 + 3 = 12 stitches each, Needle 4 = 21 stitches. Begin gusset decreases by repeating the following rounds in order that you finish with 12 stitches on each needle. Needle 1 - Knit until last 3 stitches, k2tog, k1 Needle 2 + 3 - Pattern as before Needle 4 - K1, ssk, knit to end.
Foot
Working with just the pattern on needles 2 + 3 and needles 1 + 4 knitting every stitch, complete the foot until it reaches the desired length. As a general rule the foot part of the sock should reach to the base of your big toe measuring from the edge of the heel. I take a UK size 5 (EU 38/US 6.5) and my foot measures approx 7.5 inches. To make it easy I ensured that I finished with the 12th Round of the sock pattern. Toe - NOTE: The patterning on needles 2 + 3 is now no longer usec Round 1 Needle 1 - Knit until last 3 sts, K2 tog, K1 Needle 2 - K1, ssk, knit rest of stitches Needle 3 - As needle 1 Needle 4 - As needle 2 Round 2 - Knit every stitch on all 4 needles. Repeat the above two rounds until 5 stitches remain on each needle ending on Round 1. Then keeping the stitches on needle 4, knit the 5 stitches from Needle 1 onto this needle and then combine the stitches on needles 2 and 3 together onto one needle (without knitting them). You will now have 10 stitches on 2 needles. Cut the yarn leaving a 12 inch tail thread. Graft the toe stitches together by following the instructions below:- Graft the toe stitches together using Kitchener Stitch as follows:- Thread your 12 inch tail from the toes onto a darning needle. Work the threaded needle back and forth on the two knitting needles as follows:- Step 1 Bring the threaded needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl and leave this stitch on the needle. Step 2 Bring the threaded needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit and leave this stitch on the needle. Step 3 Bring the threaded needle through the first stitch on the front needle (the same stitch used previously) as if to knit and slip this stitch off the needle. Bring the threaded needle through the next stitch on the front needle (now the first stitch) as if to purl and leave this stitch on the needle. Step 4 Bring the threaded needle through the first stitch on the back needle (the same stitch used previously) as if to purl and slip this stitch off the needle. Bring the threaded needle through the next stitch on the back needle (now the first stitch) as if to knit and leave this stitch on the needle. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until no stitches remain on the needle. Fasten off all loose ends. Press socks if desired but most of all wear and enjoy BUT a word of warning, they may prove so popular you may have employ someone to guard them!
Jan Henley 2007All rights reserved For private non-commercial use only No material in this pattern or the pattern itself may be reproduced mechanically, electronically or by any other means including photocopying without prior written permission. For queries/errata/your photos - please contact jan@woolhunter.com
