Daylong Socks, Toe Up
THESOCKPATTERNWITHTHEPRINCESSFOOT bySusanLuni
After a daylong shopping trip, I wished for a pair of socks with princess soles that put the smooth side of the stockinette stitch against my sore feet. I had knit princess-soled socks as gifts, but I did not like purling the soles. That's when I started knitting my socks inside out. I knit the foot, reversing the pattern on the instep. Halfway through the heel, I turned the sock right side out, putting the purl bumps to the outside and the smooth knit side against the sole of my foot. Once I completed the leg by continuing the instep pattern, I had knit a sock with princess sole, a princess heel and a princess toe, without any additional purling—altogether, a regal foot. This basic pattern produces a pair of socks are stretchy, soft and smooth-soled, simple enough to knit up quickly, pretty enough for a gift, especially for someone whose feet are sensitive or have a hard road to walk. Materials: Patons Kroy Socks Jacquards (75% Wool, 25% Nylon, 166 yds/152 m per 50 gram skein) color: Slate; 2 skeins (gray pair) also shown in Farmhouse Yarns Fannie's Fingering Weight (80% Merino, 20% Nylon, 400 yds/364 m per 4 oz. skein) color: Indian Corn; 1 skein (blue pair) Gauge: 32 sts/44 rows = 4"/10 cm. in stockinette stitch 48 sts/44 rows = 4"/10 cm. in unstretched 2x2 ribbing 24 sts/44 rows = 4"/10 cm. in stretched 2x2 ribbing Needles: size US #1.5 (2.5 mm) dpns, or size needed to obtain correct gauge. Size: 7"/18 cm. (8"/20 cm., 9"/23 cm.) foot circumference--will stretch to fit 9"/23 cm. (10"/25 cm., 11"/28 cm.) comfortably. Notions: tapestry needle; stitch marker, if needed to mark beginning of round. Abbreviations dpns: Double pointed needles. K:Knit. k2tog: Knit two stitches together. Copyright Susan Luni Designs 2014 all rights reserved Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni kfb: Increase 1 stitch by knitting into the front and back of a stitch. m1: Make one increase. m1l: Make one left--with left needle tip, lift strand between needles from front to back. Knit lifted loop through the back. m1r: Make one right--with left needle tip, lift strand between needles from back to front. Knit lifted loop through the front. N: Needle; N1=Needle 1; N2=Needle 2, etc. p: Purl. p2tog: Purl two stitches together. royo: Reorient yarn over. (See Notes on page 2 for detailed instructions.) RS: Right side. sl: Slip stitch. ssk: Slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, knit these two slipped stitches together through the back loops. ssp: Slip 1 knitwise, slip 1 knitwise, purl these two slipped stitches together through the back loops. st(s): Stitch(es). tbl: Through the back loop. Ws: Wrong side. yo&k: Yarn over and knit - with yarn in front of needle, bring yarn over the needle to the back, knit the first stitch of the row. yo&p: Backwards yarn over and purl - with yarn behind needle, bring yarn over needle to the front, purl first stitch.
NOTES
A skilled beginner can knit this simple pattern. More experienced knitters will be able to use this technique to make any patterned pair of socks more comfortable by the addition of a purl-free princess sole. To add a princess sole to another cuff-down sock pattern, knit the leg according to pattern, then flip the sock inside out at the heel. The foot can be knit in ribbing, stockinette, or in the pattern. (See step 4 below.) If the pattern is continued down the instep to the toe, it must be worked from the wrong side, reversing the stitches. Almost any pattern can be worked from the wrong side, even cables and lace. To reverse the stitches, substitute knits for purls and p2tog and ssp for k2tog and ssk, etc. Even cable crossings can be reversed. However, the simplest method is to work the entire foot in plain stockinette. This produces the most comfortable sock, one that won't produce strange patterns on your foot when you wear it with a shoe that covers your instep.
Backwards yarn overs
Begin the first purl row of the heel with a backwards yarn over, making the first stitch a rather tight yarn over and stitch pair. (A backwards yarn over and purl stitch pair is made by starting with the yarn behind the needle, bringing the yarn
Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni
over the needle to the front of the work and purling the next stitch. Backwards yarn overs use less yarn, tightening the stitch pair and providing a small loop to join the gaps between short rows.) A yarn over and knit stitch pair is made by starting with the yarn in front of the needle, bringing the yarn over the needle to the back of the work and knitting the next stitch. Wraps or double-stitches may be substituted for the yarn overs, as long as the stitches in the first boomerang round and the following short rows are worked to hide the wraps.
Reorienting yarn overs
Reorient the yarn over by slipping it knit wise from the left to the right needle and returning it to the left needle. (Reorient stitches prior to k2tog, ssk, or p2tog tbl as needed to eliminate twisting and to properly hang the yarn over behind the stitch with which it is knitted, on the wrong side of the work.) Knit together the reoriented yarn over and the next stitch, which is part of the next stitch and yarn over pair. This leaves the next yarn over to be reoriented and knit with the next stitch, closing the gap created by the short rows.
This pattern, step-by-step:
1. Work the toe and foot of the sock according to pattern. The outside of the foot, the side facing you as you work, will be the inside of the sock when it is complete. All features that are usually placed on the inside of the sock, such as weaving in ends, are done on the outside of the work. You are working on the wrong side of the foot. The stitches you are viewing will be reversed when the sock is turned right side out. 2. Work the first half of a short-row heel, switching from stockinette to reverse stockinette on the last row. 3. Turn the sock inside out and work the boomerang rounds and the second half of the short-row heel. Once the sock is turned inside out, you are working on the right side. The fabric is reversed and the outside of the sole from the heel turn to the toe, is reverse stockinette. 4. The leg is worked in ribbing. It should align with the ribbing pattern of the instep.
INSTRUCTIONS Toe
Using 2 dpns, cast on 16 sts using Judy's magic cast on. (For more information, follow this link to the article at Knitty.com) Judy Becker's video tutorial for this cast on is available online at http://www.youtube.com/user/JudyBeckerKnits. Using two additional dpns, knitting 4 sts onto each needle, knit 8, k8 tbl. Put yarn tail on the outside of the toe. It will be on the inside when the foot is turned inside out. K4, place marker for beginning of round and follow pattern below:
Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni
Round 1: K until one st remains on N1, m1r, k2, m1l; k until 1 st remains on N3, repeat increases; k to end of round. (Optional: substitute kfb for m1 on first round for easier knitting.) Round 2: Knit. (Optional: Experienced knitters can begin the rib pattern explained below (see Foot) after knitting the first 4 rounds of the toe, beginning it as k5, p2, k to end, expanding the ribbing on subsequent rounds. This produces a more fitted toe.) Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are 56 (64, 72) sts. Knit all stitches for 1 additional inch.
Foot
Begin rib pattern: Rounds 1-4: K27 (31, 35), p2, k to end of round. Rounds 5-8: K23 (27, 31), (p2, k2) 2 times, p2, k to end of round. Rounds 9-12: K19 (23, 27), (p2, k2) 4 times, p2. Continue to add 4sts in p2k2 rib on either side of instep until 26 (34, 30) sts are worked in 2x2 ribbing. Work in pattern until sock measures 2"/5 cm. less than foot length.
Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni
Heel
Heel: The boomerang heel is worked on half of the stitches plus 2, a total of 30 (30, 38). (The heel for the first two sizes is worked on the same number of stitches. The 8"/20 cm. size has more stitches in the instep. Optional instructions for a larger heel for the 8"/20 cm. size can be found on page 6.) Follow the instructions in Section 1 and Section 2, including the two boomerang rounds. Section 1 Row 1: K15(15, 19), turn. Row 2: Yo&p, p29(29,37), turn. Row 3: Yo&k, k28(28, 36), turn. ows 2 and 3, working each row 1 stitch shorter than the last, then wor Row 18 (18, 26): Yo&p, p13, turn. Row 19 (19, 27): Yo&p, p12. Turn sock inside out. It is now right side out and the sole is in reverse stockinette. 12 plain stitches remain in center of heel. There are 9(9,13) yo and st pairs on each side of heel. Row 20 (20, 28): Working from outside, with purl side of Section 1 facing, yo&k, k5. Place marker to mark center of heel and beginning of boomerang rounds. Boomerang round 1: K7, (royo, k2tog) 8(8, 12) times, k2 tog last yo with first instep stitch, k instep in pattern to last instep st, ssk last instep stitch with first yo in heel, (ssk) 9(9, 14) times, k6. Boomerang round 2: K15(15, 19), work instep in pattern, k to end of round. Section 2 Row 1: K7, turn. Row 2: Yo&p, p13, turn. Row 3: Yo&k, k13, royo & k2tog, turn. Row 4: Yo&p, p14, royo and next st, working yo and st together as a p2tog tbl, turn. Repeat these last two rows, working each row one stitch longer than the last, finishing when all heel stitches have been worked on Row 18: Yo&p, p28 (28, 36), royo & p2tog tbl as above, turn.
Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni
Finish heel with: Row/Round 19: yo&k, k29 (29, 37), royo & k2tog (p2tog, k2tog) with 1st instep stitch. Continue working instep in pattern to last instep st, ssk (ssp, ssk) last st together with the yo at edge of heel sts, continue in ribbing pattern to end of round. Stitch count should be the same as for the foot, 56 (64, 72) sts. Round 20: Continue ribbing to match with pattern on instep, continue working ribbing around leg.
8"/20 cm. Heel
Heel instructions above are identical for size 7"/18 cm. and 8"/20 cm. sizes. There are extra stitches in the instep for the 8"/20 cm. size. A larger heel (34 sts) can be added to the size medium, but it will have purl sts at the edge of instep. The instructions below are for the 34-st heel and include different stitch counts for the 8"/20 cm. heel in the parentheses: Section1 Row 1: K15 (17, 19), turn. Row 2: Yo&p, p29 (33,37), turn. Row 3: Yo&k, k28 (32, 36), turn. Repeat rows 2 and 3, working each row 1 stitch shorter than the last, then work: Row 18 (22, 26): Yo&p, p13, turn. Row 19 (23, 27): Yo&p, p12. Daylong Socks, Toe Up by Susan Luni Turn sock inside out. It is now right side out and the sole is in reverse stockinette. 12 plain stitches remain in center of heel. There are 9 (11,13) yo and st pairs on each side of heel. Row 20 (24, 28): Working from outside, with purl side of Section 1 facing, yo&k, k5. Place marker to mark center of heel and beginning of boomerang rounds. Boomerang round 1: K7, (royo, k2tog) 8 (10, 12) times, k2 tog last yo with first instep st, k instep in pattern to last instep st, ssk last instep st with first yo in heel, (ssk) 9 (12, 14) times, k6. Boomerang round 2: K15 (17, 19), work instep in pattern, k to end of round. Section 2 (Same as for other sizes, until) Row 18: Yo&p, p28 (32, 36), royo & p2tog tbl as above, turn. Row/Round 19: Yo&k, k29 (33, 37), royo & k2tog (p2tog, k2tog) with 1st instep St. Continue working instep in pattern to last instep st, ssk (ssp, ssk) last st together with the yo at edge of heel sts, (k2, p2) 4 times, end k1. Stitch count should be the same as for the foot, 56 (64, 72) sts. Round 20: K1, (p2, k2) 3 (4, 4) times, p2 (p0, p2), continue ribbing around. Leg Work in k2p2 rib until leg measures 7"/18 cm. or desired length.
Finishing
Bind off with a stretchy bind-off, such as Jeny's Suprisingly Stretchy Bindoff or her new Interlock Bindoff. Follow this link to the article at Knitty.com, issue SS11. Weave in ends. Block as desired.
