Jhe Emperor' sbride Secks
Designed hy Jina Kuu The Emperor's Bride Socks were inspired by Augusta Abrahamsson's embroidery book Markbok published in 1955. Socks are knitted toe up with a reversed riverbed gusset and a round heel.
Yarn and yardage
Main color (MC): Regia 4-fädig (75 % wool, 25 % nylon; 100 g / 420 m), 70 grams of dark brown (02905) Contrasting color (CC): Roosa Nauha sukkalanka (75 % wool, 25 % nylon; 100 g / 420 m), 40 g of rose(52) Any other fingering weight sock yarn can be used. The delicate figures of the stranded colorworkshowbestinsolid orsemisolid colors and distinct contrast.
Photos and text @Tina Kuu
Gauge
37 sts and 37 rows in charted stranded knitting = 10 cm / 4"
Needles
At least 80 cm / 32" long circular needles 2,25 mm / US1 and 2,5 mm / US1.5 (or suitable to obtain gauge) The socks can be knitted with dpns or two shorter circulars but the instructions are written for magic looping.
Size
Average female. The length of the foot and leg can be freely adjusted. The circumference can be adjusted by changing the gauge (i.e. changing the needle sizes).
Before you start
Get to know different cast on techniques for toe up socks, knitting short rows with wrap and turn (w&t) technique and stretchy bind off techniques if needed. At the end of the instructions there's a chapter called Technical tips in which w&t as well as left and right leaning increases are described.
Jnstructions
Instructions are written for magic looping. Instep and front of the leg are knitted on needle 1 and sole, gusset, heel and back of the leg are knitted on needle 2. If you want to use dpns, distribute sts for example as follows: instep on needles 1 and 2, sole on needles 3 and 4.
Joe
Using MC cast on altogether 16 sts (= 8 sts/needle) using cast on method of your choice, for example Judy's magic cast on. Knit one round. Increase round: On needle 1 work sts as follows: k1, kfb, knit until 2 sts remain, kfb, k1. Work the sts on needle 2 the same. Repeat increase rounds altogether 7 times (= 44 sts). Knit one round. Work increase rounds on every other round until there are altogether 72 sts and you have just worked an increase round.
Foot and gusset
Knit one round in MC, one round in CC and one round in MC. Change to larger needles. Work sts on needle 1 according to chart A and sts on needle 2 according to chart B until work measures approximately 11 cm / 4 3/8" less than the desired final foot length. Work sts on needle 1 according to chart A and sts on needle 2 as follows: work chart B sts 1-18, work chart C, work chart B sts 20-36. Chart C (pinstripe gusset) thus substitutes chart B st 19 (the center stitch). Work as described until you've finished the round that includes chart C row 24. Slip the first stitch on needle 2 onto needle 1 (= 37 sts on needle 1 and 59 sts on needle 2).
Photos and text @Tina Kuu
Hfees
Heel is worked back and forth on needle 2 using Mc. Turn work and start with a wrong side (Ws) row. Heel turn row 1 (ws): p59, turn row 2 (RS): sl1, k38, kfb, k1, w&t row 3 (WS): p22, pfb, p1, w&t row 4 (RS): k20, kfb, k1, w&t row 5 (WS): p18, pfb, p1, w&t row 6 (RS): k16, kfb, k1, w&t row 7 (Ws): p14, pfb, p1, w&t row 8 (RS): k12, kfb, k1, w&t row 9 (Ws): p10, pfb, p1, w&t row 10 (RS): k8, kfb, k1, w&t row 11 (WS): p6, pfb, p1, w&t row 12 (RS): k22 (knit the wraps together with the wrapped stitches if you want), turn row 13 (Ws): sl1, p34 (purl the wraps together with the wrapped stitches if you want), turn Heel flap row 1 (RS): \*sl1, k1\*, repeat \* - \* altogether 17 times, ssk, turn row 2 (WS): sl1, p33, p2tog, turn Repeat heel flap rows 1 and 2 until 36 sts remain on needle 2 and you have just worked a right side row. Slip the last stitch on needle 1 onto needle 2 and continue working in the round (= 36 sts on needle 1 and 37 sts on needle 2). Work sts on needle 1 according to chart A. Work sts on needle 2 as follows: k1 with CC, k2tog with MC, work chart A sts 3-36 on the same row as on needle 1.
Leg and auff
Work sts on both needles according to chart A until leg is approximately 3-4 cm / 1 %" shorter than the desired final length. I recommend finishing the charted stranded knitting after chart A row 1 or 11. Change to smaller needles. Knit one round in MC, one round in CC and one round in MC. Cut CC yarn. With MC work p1, kitbl ribbing for 12 rounds or as long as the cuff is of desired length. Bind off using any stretchy bind of method. For sewn bind off cut MC yarn leaving at least 1 m / 3ft tail. sewn bind off, phase 1: using tapestry needle pull yarn from right to left through the first two stitches on the needle, fasten gently sewn bind off, phase 2: pull the yarn from left to right through the first stitch on the needle, slip the stitch off the needle; fasten gently Repeat phases 1 and 2 until 1 st remain. Pullthe yarn from right to left through the stitch on the needle and the first (already finished) stitch of the round, fasten gently. Pull the yarn from left to right through the stitch on the needle, slip the stitch off the needle, fasten gently.
Finishing
Block the socks. Weave in the ends.
Jechnical tips
Wrap and turn RS: Bring yarn in front of the work. Slip the first stitch on the left hand needle as if to purl onto the right hand needle. Bring yarn in the back of the work and slip the previously slipped stitch from the right hand needle back onto the left hand needle. Turn work and bring yarn in back of the work. The yarn is wrapped around the slipped stitch. WS: Slip the first stitch on the left hand needle onto the right hand needle as if to purl, with yarn in back. Bring yarn in front of the work and slip the previously slipped stitch from the right hand needle back onto the left hand needle. Turn work; yarn is already in back of the work and wrapped around the slipped stitch. Right leaning increase: With the left hand needle pick up the yarn bar between the stiches from back to front. Knit the picked yarn through the front loop. Left leaning increase: With the left hand needle pick up the yarn bar between the stitches from front to back. Knit the picked yarn through the back loop.
Photos and text @Tina Kuu
Abbreviations
cO - cast on st(s) - stitch(es) RS - right side WS- wrong side MC - main color CC - contrasting color w&t = wrap and turn sl - slip k- knit p-purl kfb - knit through front and back loops (1 st increased) pfb - purl through front and back loops (1 st increased) ssk - slip, slip, knit p2tog - purl 2 sts together
Chart A: instep and leg
Chart B: sole
Chart C: pinstripe gusset
Thart key
knitinCC knitinMC makealeftleaningincreaseinCc makearightleaningincreasein cc make aleft leaningincreaseinMc makearightleaningincreaseinMC
