The Fountains of Portland
I wrote this pattern for myself last summer when I became really sick and had to stay home from work for a while. It was right around the time before Sock Summit and I thought the pattern was an appropriate way to welcome fellow sock knitters to my hometown, Portland, Oregon. It is a ruffly ankle-height sock, fashioned to resemble a lesser known Portland fountain called “The Carwash,”’ and my object was to give the effect of water flowing down the foot. The bobbles are a nod to our “Benson Bubblers" here, which are lovely, historical drinking fountains found dotted around the downtown area.
Specifications
Size: Small (Medium, Large) women's. Corresponding approximate measurements: 8"(9", 10") foot circumference. Gauge: 8 stitches to 1 inch in stockinette and in fan pattern on size 1 needles, unblocked. Yarn: 1 (2, 2) skeins Patons Stretch Sock Yarn. If substituting yarn, use a stretchy sock yarn containing cotton, wool and elastic, approximately 239 (478, 478) yards. Needles: Two 24” circular needles or 4dpn's, size 1. Construction: Top down. Difficulty: Intermediate. This pattern assumes that the knitter understands basic sock construction and knows how to use dpn's and/or circular needles for socks; how to purl, knit YO, and do some basic decreases.
Ankle/Ruffle
The ruffle is worked in groups of 10, for every 10 stitches cast on, you will have 4 remaining after the decreases in the first round. CO 150 (150, 170). Carefully join work in the round, so as not to twist (this is a little tricky with so many stitches, but it gets much better once the ruffle gets started) Mark the beginning of the round.
Work ruffle as follows:
K10, then pass the 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th and 4th stitches over the 10th stitch. This creates little mock crochet shells. Do this 15 times. You will end with 60 (60, 68)stitches. Next 2 rounds: Knit Next round: Knit, decreasing evenly by 6 (0, 2) stitches. End with 54 (60, 66) stitches.
Eyelet Rounds
You may use the chart on page 3, or the written directions below. Round 1: \*K2, P1, K2, P1; repeat from \* to end of round Round 2: Repeat round 1 Round 3: \*K2, P1, K2Tog, YO, P1; repeat from \* to end of round Round 4: Repeat round 1
There will be a total of 9 (10, 11) eyelets in the round. Repeat rounds 1-4, 2 times more, then knit round 1 one additional time. You will have 3 vertical “stacks” of eyelets. See photoabove. Next 2 rounds: Knit.
Bobble Rounds
Round 1: \*Knit 2; MB, repeat from \* to end, 18 (20, 22) bobbles made. Round 2: Knit. Round 3: Knit. MB: Make Bobble Knit into the front, the back, and again into the front of the next stitch. Turn work to wrong side, K3, turn work to right side, P3. Holding the yarn to the back of the work, and using the stitches on the right needle, pass the second and third purl stitches over the first purl stitch. Bobble made. Right now, your ruffle will seem a little loose compared to the rest of the stitches. This is to be expected: that's what keeps it ruffly!
Ankle Transition and Heel
NOTES: By SSK4Tog, I mean slip 4 from the left needle to the right as if to knit, then knit the 4 together as though doing a ssk. Round 1: Knit Round 2: Knit Round 3: P4 (6, 8); \*\*K4Tog; \*YO, K1, repeat from \* 5 times more; SSK4Tog; P4 (6, 8)\*\*. Repeat from \*\* to \*\* to end of round, equaling 3 "fans." Round 4: Knit Complete these 4 rounds 2 times more. The rounds will create three stacks of "fans." one will be centered on the instep, and the other two will spread over the gussets and heel.
Heel Flap
Next round: K 51(58, 65). Do not finish the round. The last 26(30, 34) stitches worked will be used for the heel flap. This will center one group of 4(6, 8) purls over the heel. All the rest of the stitches make up the instep. Begin working the heel flap on a wrong side (WS) row. Note: Your instep will have 28(30, 32) stitches with a fan pattern in the center. The instep stitches include the 3(2, 1) un-knitted stitches in the last round. The instep stitches may be placed on another needle or waste yarn during the heel flap construction.
This photo shows all the heel stitches as I used them on one of two cable needles. The orange marker here indicates the new beginning of the round as given under “Gusset" instructions.
Heel flap pattern:
Row 1: sl11, P25(29, 33) Row 2: sl 1, P5(7, 9); k4tog; \*YO, K1, repeat from the \*5 times more; SSK4tog; P6(8, 10) Row 3: sl1, P25(29, 33) Row 4: s11, K25(29, 33) Row 5: sl1, P25(29, 33) Repeat Rows 2-5, 5 times more to equal approximately 2 inches and 6 completed “fans." You may add or subtract repeats as needed to equal 2 inches, finishing with rows 3 or 5.
Turning the Heel
Begin on the right side. Row 1 (RS): k15(17, 19), ssk, k1 Row 2 (WS): sllpwise, p5, p2tog, p1 Row 3: sl 1 pwise, k to one stitch before the gap formed in row 2, ssk, k1 Row 4: sl 1 pwise, p to one stitch before the gap formed in row 3, p2tog, p1 Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all stitches have been used, finishing with a wrong side row. 16(18, 20) heel stitches remain. Knit across (RS) to end of heel flap.
The instep stitches on one of the two cable needles. You can also see the heel stitches from another angle.
Gusset
If you used waste yarn to hold your instep stitches, remove it and replace it with your needle(s) of choice for the instep. Pick up and knit 14 stitches down the side of the heel flap where you left off, to the left of the heel flap with its RS (right side of the fabric) facing you. Knit across the instep, 28(30, 32) stitches. Pick up and knit 14 stitches up the final side of the heel flap. K8(9, 10), place marker for the new beginning of the round.
Work the gusset decreases as follows:
For all sizes, work rounds 1-4 one time: Round 1: Knit to 3 stitches before the instep, k2tog, k1; instep: p7(8, 9), k4tog; \*YO, K1, repeat from the \*5 times more; SSK4tog; p7(8, 9); after instep: k1, ssk, knit to end ofround Round 2: Knit Round 3: Knit to 3 stitches before the instep, k2tog, k1; knit across instep; k1, ssk, knit to end of round Round 4: Knit Then, For size small, repeat Rounds 1-4, 3 times more, then repeat rounds 1-2 one time more to equal 26 sole/gusset stitches remaining. For size medium, repeat Rounds 1-4, 3 times more to equal 30 sole/gusset stitches remaining. For size large, repeat Rounds 1-4, 2 times more, then repeat rounds 1-2 one time more to equal 34 sole/gusset stitches remaining.
Foot
Sizes small and large:
Round 1: Knit Round 2: Knit Round 3: k13(0, 17); p7(0, 9), k4tog; \*YO, K1, repeat from the \*5 times more; SSK4tog; p7(0, 9); k13(0, 17) Round 4: Knit Repeat Rounds 1-4 until the total foot is about 1.5 inches from the total desired length, ending with round 2.
Size medium:
Round 1: k0(15, 0); p0(8, 0), k4tog; \*YO, K1, repeat from the \*5 times more; SSK4tog; p0(8, 0); k0(15, 0) Round 2: Knit Round 3: Knit Round 4: Knit Repeat Rounds 1-4 until the total foot is about 1.5 inches from the total desired length, ending with round 4.
Toe
Size small:
Round 1: Knit to instep; k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before the end of the instep, k2tog, k1; knit to end of round. Round 2: Knit End with 26 instep stitches and 26 sole stitches. Size large: Round 1: Knit to 3 stitches before the instep, k2tog, k2; knit across instep; k1, ssk, knit to end of round. Round 2: Knit End with 32 instep stitches and 32 sole stitches.
All sizes:
Round 1: Knit to 3 stitches before instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, knit to 3 stitches before the end of the instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, knit to end of round. Round 2: Knit Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 16(20, 24) stitches remain: 8(10, 12) stitches each on the instep and on the sole. Close the toe with Kitchener stitch, wet/wash, block and wear! Need a little Kitchener help? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17jIzwO5Nv4 I just washed mine and they are hanging up on the sock blockers. Can't wait to wear them to work tomorrow!! Comments/suggestions/errors found welcomed! Thanks for playing : ) Bibliography Socks A La Carte by Jonelle Raffino and Catherine Cade TheKnitting Stitch Bible by Maria Parry-Jone PatonsNextStepsFourSocks andSlippers
