Merenkulkija (Seafarer) Knitting Pattern for Finnish Sailors - Worsted Weight Sock Yarn Design with Cable Patters

MERENKULKIJA - SEAFARER

In spring 2011 one of my fellow knitters challenged me to knit socks for Finnish sailors. Since there are relatively few interesting patterns for worsted weight sock yarns, I decided to design a couple of simple cable patters suitable for both men and women.

YARN

One 150 g skein of Novita 7 Veljestä (75 % wool, 25 % nylon; 150 g / 300 m) or any other sock yarn that fits the gauge (e.g. Gjestal Janne or Viking of Norway Ville)

GAUGE

22 sts and 28 rows in stockinette = 10 cm

NEEDLES

Set of 5 dpns, 3,5 mm or at least 80 cm long circular needle for magic looping (or suitable to obtain gauge) An extra dpn or a cable needle for cabling (if preferred; cables can be worked without a cable needleaswell)

SIZE

to fit an average male; size is easily adjustable by increasing or decreasing the number of stitches in the stockinette part of the pattern and by altering the length of the cuff and the instep (please note that the cable pattern repeat of the blue socks is relatively long so if you want to knit socks for small feet, you may have to omit some of the basic ribbing in the chart to be able to finish the cablingbefore thetoe)

NOTE

This is the first, rough English translation. Any suggestion for improving the instructions is warmly welcome.

INSTRUCTIONS

BLUE RIGHT FOOT SOCK

CUFF CO 56 sts and distribute sts evenly onto 4 dpns (or onto a circular needle if you prefer magic looping). Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist. Work \*p2, k2\* ribbing for 8 rounds. Move the beginning of the round one stitch left by purling one stitch and moving it to the end of the previous round. \*k15, work chart 1, k15\*, repeat \* - \* until you have worked all 30 rows of the chart 1 once and rows 1-16 for the second time.

HEEL AND GUSSET

Heel flap is worked with the first 28 sts of the round. Slip the first stitch of every row of the heel flap. Work the first 15 sts of the heel flap in stockinette and the last 13 sts of the heel flap according to chart 1 stitches 1-13 from row 17 onwards until you have finished chart 1. After that work the last 13 sts of the heel flap as they are: knit the knitted stitches, purl the purled stitches. Work until there are altogether 26 rows in the heel flap. Work the French heel as follows: row 1 (RS): sl1, k15, ssk, k1, turn row 2 (Ws): sl1, p5, p2tog, p1,turn row 3 (RS): sl1, k6, ssk, k1,turn row 4 (WS): sl1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn Continue the established pattern until all side stitches have been decreased and you have just worked WS (= 16 sts). Pick up 13 sts along the both sides of the heel flap and one extra between heel flap and instep stitches. From now on knit the gusset and sole stitches. Work the first 13 sts of the instep according to chart 1 stitches 14-26 from row 17 onwards, knit the rest of the instep stitches. Work the gusset and sole stitches as follows: \*ssk, knit until 2 sts remain, k2 tog\* every other round until there are 28 sole stitches left. Continue the established pattern until foot measures approximately 6 cm less than the desired final length.

TOE

Continue working according to chart 1 as established as long as possible. Work the instep stitches as follows: \*ssk, work the established pattern until 2 sts remain, k2 tog\* every other round five times and then on every round five times. Work the sole stitches the same way. When there are altogether 16 sts left, cut the yarn and graft the instep and sole stitches together. Block if desired and weave in ends.

BLUE LEFT FOOT SOCK

Work as the right foot sock but place chart 1 stitches 14-26 at the beginning of the round and stitches 1-13 at the end of the round. In other words, in the left foot sock the beginning of the round is placed in between chart 1 stitches 13 and 14. Work the heel flap with the first 28 sts of the round so that the first 13 stitches are worked according to chart 1 stitches 14-26 and the last 15 sts are worked in stockinette.

GREEN SOCKS

Work as the blue socks but use chart 2. Since there are only 8 rows in chart 2, you can freely decide when to start the heel flap. Work the toe completely in stockinette.

Photos and text @TiQ / kiertorata@gmail.com Pattern for personal use only.

CHART 1

CHART 2

CHArT KEY

konRS,ponWs ponRS,konWS sl2ontoCNand hold infront,k2,k2fromtheCN sl2ontoCNandholdin front,p2,k2from the CN 人sl2ontoCNandhold toback,k2,k2from theCN y人Is2ontoCNand holdtoback,k2,p2from theCN

ABBREVIATIONS

CO = cast on RS = right side WS = wrong side st(s) = stich(es) k = knit p =purl sl = slip ssk = slip, slip, knit p2tog = purl 2 stitches together k2tog = knit 2 stitches together