Green Argyle Socks
designed by Margie Dougherty Knit top down with a flap heel and star toe.
Yarn: Regia 4 ply Solid (Uni) in Pine Green (MC), 2 skeins less than 1 skein each of Linen Heather (CC#!) and Fern Green (CC#2) for contrast colors Needles: Size 2.25 mm (US 1) Two 24" long circular needles were used to knit this sock design, but you may also choose to use 5 DPN's. Size: Men's Medium Size 10/EU44 (length is customizable for a shorter or longer feet) 9" circumference, 10.75" foot length. Also needed: Tapestry needle, stitch marker, plastic yarn bobbin winders (optional) With one circular needle and MC, cast on 72 stitches and work in 1 X 1 twisted ribbing for 2 to 3 inches, depending on how long you want the sock leg to be (8-9"). (Model shows K1/P1 twisted rib for 2 inches.) Optional method: You may also cast on 71 sts. using a provisional cast on, knit the leg flat (back and forth) in intarsia stockinette stitch following the chart, then sew up the side seams using mattress stitch, pick up the cast on stitches, increase one stitch and knit the ribbing in the round after finishing the rest of the sock. Using fingering weight yarn, the chart as shown knits up to a leg that is 6" tall, plus the length of the ribbing, and a 6" long instep, plus the length of the heel (2"). Add (or omit) another half diamond repeat to add or subtract length from the instep of the foot. Make up the additional length needed by knitting a longer foot section with the MC before starting the toe decreases. After completing the ribbing, decrease one stitch and start knitting at the bottom of the chart on 71 stitches, knitting back and forth, following the chart from right to left. Wind a figure 8 butterfly hank (or wind yarn onto yarn bobbins) for each color section as it appears on the chart. Make shorter "butterflies" of yarn to use for the cross hatch lines, if you are knitting them in. I found that knitting in the lines was easier than adding them in using duplicate stitch. When changing colors, bring the new yarn up from behind the yarn you just knit the last stitch with. Tip: cut shorter lengths of yarn for the lines and don't wind them into butterflies, just pull them through the tangles. I learned this one from Kaffe Fasset. When you reach the narrower section of the chart, place the 18 stitches on each side of the sock on separate holders to be used later for the heel. Small plastic curler grips from the beauty supply store work very well for these holders. Continue to follow the narrower section of the chart for the instep. When finished with the chart (and the foot is the correct length for your project), place these last 35 stitches on a holder to be used later for the instep. Tip: leave longish ends of yarn on the side “half' diamonds so you can sew the back seam with those pieces and match the colors. You may sew up the back seam & weave in any loose ends now if you want, or wait until the heel is done. Place the stitches from the 2 heel holders (the holders with 18 stitches each on them) on a needle (the sole needle). Attach the MC yarn to the reverse side and purl one row (36 stitches). Work the heel using the heel stitch slip stitch pattern. Knit the heel flap as long as the measurement from your ankle bone to the bare floor, ending on a purl side row. For a man's sock, this is usually about 2.5", but it can be longer (or shorter). Heel Stitch: Row 1: \*SL1, K1\*, repeat across, end with K1 Row 2: SL1, Purl across Repeat rows 1 & 2 for heel stitch pattern, which makes a cushier and sturdier heel flap. Row 1: SL1, K 19, SSK, K1, turn Row 2: SL1, Purl 5, P2TOG, P1, turn Row 3: SL1, K 6, SSK, K1, turn Row 4: SL1, Purl 7, P2TOG, P1, turn Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all of the heel flap stitches have been used up, ending with a purl row. (21 stitches). Note: If you have an lone stitch left at the end of the last set of rows 3 & 4, just knit or purl it after the K or P Sstitch. Tip: For this part of the sole, I knit back and forth using two circular needles as if they were straight needles, one for the knit row and the other one for the purl row. I found it easier to knit with two circulars instead of trying to maneuver the heel curve around a closed circular needle. Row 1: Break the MC yarn and join it again at the beginning right corner of the heel flap. Pick up and knit approx. 22 sts along the right side of the heel flap, knit across the heel stitches, then pick up & knit approx. 22 more stitches along the left side of the heel flap. (approx. 65 stitches) Row 2 (and all even wrong side rows): Purl across, turn , knit until 4 stitches remain on the needle, K2TOG, k2. Turr Repeat rows 2 & 3 until 37 stitches remain on the sole needle. This may mean that you will make one less decrease on one side than the other, but don't fret about that. The 35 instep stitches are still left alone on the holder for now. Work even back and forth until the heel half of the sock is as long as the argyle instep section. Sew up the side seams by the gussets and the back seam using mattress stitch and weave in all of the loose yarn ends. At this point, you will begin to knit circularly by knitting across the heel/sole section with the MC and needle 2 (sole needle), then, with needle 1 (the instep needle), knit directly across the 36 stitches that were on the instep holder. You should have 72 total stitches. Complete the sock as if it were a normal 72 stitch sock knit in the round, beginning toe decreases when the sock is about 1 1/2 inches less than your desired length. Round Star Toe: Round 1: \*Knit 7, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (64 stitches) Round 2 (and all even rounds): Knit around Round 3: \*Knit 6, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (56 stitches) Round 5: \*Knit 5, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (48 stitches) Round 7: \*Knit 4, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (40 stitches) Round 9: \*Knit 3, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (32 stitches) Round 11: \*Knit 2, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (24 stitches) Round 13: \*Knit 1, K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (16 stitches) Round 15: \*K2TOG\*, repeat between \*'s around (8 stitches) Do not knit a plain round after round 15. After the toe decreases are complete (round 15), cut yarn about 6" long, thread it through a tapestry needle and thread the yarn end through all 8 toe stitches twice before removing the needles. Pull the yarn end tight, gathering up the remaining stitches, and poke it through the center hole to the inside of the sock. If you used the optional start method, pick up the stitches from the provisional cast on and knit the ribbing as long as you want (at least 2"). Bind off loosely, using a stretchy bind off (Jeny Staiman's surprisingly stretchy bind off is a great one). http://www.knitty.com//ISSUEfall09/FEATjssbo.php
