Leonore
socks by Caoua Coffee
materials:
390yards/360m of a thicker fingering weight sock yarn (sample: Colinette Jitterbug 100% merino) needles US1.5 / 2.5mm or size needed to obtain gauge tapestry needle size: woman's medium (US7-9)
gauge:
30 sts / 42 rows = 4 inches in stockinette
abbreviations:
k2togtbl = knit 2 together through the back loops k2togtw = knit 2 together twisted: slip 1 purl wise, slip 1 as if to purl through the back of the loop, transfer both stitches back to left needle, then knit the 2 stitches together. lc = left leaning cross: approaching from the back, insert the tip of the right needle into the back of the 2nd stitch on the left needle. drop 2 sts off the left needle and pick up the loose stitch from the front with the left needle. transfer 1 stitch back from right needle to left needle. ktbl, ktb1. Itw = left leaning twist: approaching from the back, insert the tip of the right needle into the back of the 2"d stitch on the left needle. drop 2 sts off the left needle and pick up the loose stitch from the front with the left needle. transfer 1 stitch back from right needle to left needle. p1l, ktb1. p = purl stitch rc = right leaning cross: approaching from the front, insert the tip of the right needle into the 2"d stitch on the left needle as if to purl. Drop 2 sts off the left needle and pick up the loose stitch from the back with the left needle. transfer 1 stitch back from right needle to left needle. ktbl, ktbl.
Leonore socks - by Caoua Coffe
rtw = right leaning twist: approaching from the front, insert the tip of the right needle into the 2nd stitch on the left needle as if to purl. Drop 2 sts off the left needle and pick up the loose stitch from the back with the left needle. transfer 1 stitch back from right needle to left needle. ktbl, p1. RS = right side / public side sl yb = slip stitch as if to purl with yarn in back (back = the side away from you) sl yf = slip stitch as if to purl with yarn in front (front = the side closest to you) ssk = slip 1 knit wise, slip 1 purl wise, knit both stitches together through the back loops st(s) = stitch(es) WS = wrong side / private side
pattern:
cuff: loosely cast on 68 sts and join to start working in the round. work 12 rounds of [ktbl, p1] ribbing. leg: start working the leg chart. . to make symmetrical socks, work one of the charts for the first sock, the other chart for the second sock. work rounds 1-8 of the leg chart 5 times, then work rounds 1-4 once more. cuff plus leg are then about 6"/15cm long.
leg charts:
heel set-up:
[ktbl, p1]7 times, ktbl, then put the next 33 sts of that round on hold (they will be worked later for instep). the heel is worked back and forth over the 35 sts you have still on the needles. turn your Work.
heel flap:
WS: [sl yf, k1] 17times, sl yf, turn RS: [ktbl, p1] 17times, ktbl, turn work these two rows 16 times all together, i.e. 32 rows total.
Leonore socks - by Caoua Coffee
turn heel:
WS: sl yf, p18, p2tog, pl, turn RS: sl yb, k6, ssk, kl, turn WS: sl yf, purl to 1 st before gap, p2tog, pl, turn RS: sl yb, knit to 1 st before gap, ssk, kl, turn repeat these last 2 rows until all sts have been worked. don't turn after last RS row. now 21 heel sts remain.
gusset setup:
pick up and knit 16 sts along side of heel flap, pick up one more st between flap and instep and knit it. continue by knitting all the 33 held instep sts in instep pattern (start at row 1 of instep chart for either right or left sock), then pick up 1 st between instep and heel flap and knit it, pick up 16 more sts along side of heel flap and knit them. knit the 38 other sole sts this is the new beginning of the round. you now have 33 instep sts and 55 sole sts.
gusset decrease:
round 1: instep: work instep in pattern as established (i.e. work next row of instep chart) sole: ssk, knit to 2 sts before instep, k2tog round 2: work instep in pattern as established, knit all sole sts work these 2 rounds 13 times (i.e. 26 rounds total), decreasing 2 sts every other round. now there are 33 instep sts and 29 sole sts
foot:
continue without decreasing (i.e. work continuously as described in round 2) until foot is approx 1.75 inches shorter than desired length.
instep charts:
toe set-up:
work 1 round like this: instep: purl 1 st and shift it over onto the sole needle(s), ktbl, k2togtw, then work all sts as they appear (purl the purls, ktbl the ktbl sts) to 4 sts before sole, k2togtbl, ktbl, then shift the last st (the purl one) over onto the sole needle(s) (- don't purl it, just shift it over -) sole: k2tog (thus eliminating the p st), knit to 2 sts before instep, ssk (eliminating the other p) now you have 29 instep sts and 29 sole sts
Leonore socks - by Caoua Coffee
toe:
round 1 (plain round): sole: knit all sts instep: work all sts as they appear (purl the purl sts, ktbl the ktbl sts) round 2 (decrease round): sole: k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of sole, k2tog, k1 instep: ktbl, k2togtbl, work sts as they appear to 3 sts before end of instep, k2togtw, ktbl repeat these 2 rounds until you have 34 sts left on the needles, then always work round 2 until you have only 14 sts left.
finishing:
leaving a tail of at least 8 inches, break yarn and close the toe using Kitchener stitch. weave in the ends. then knit a second sock and enjoy!
about this pattern:
"Fidelio" (Leonore, or The Triumph of Married Love, Op. 72) is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. The setting is a political prison near Seville in the 18th century. The opera tells how the courageous Leonore, disguised as a prison guard named "Fidelio" searches for her husband Florestan who is wrongly imprisoned for his political beliefs. When Florestan's execution is imminent, Leonore risks discovery and death for love, finally freeing her beloved from his chains and his fellow prisoners from oppression. The pattern of the socks shows vertical lines like the prison bars in the opera, but if you look more closely you'll see them forming X and Os , representing the final triumph of love over tyranny.
