Feather & Fan Fixation Socks by Candy Grastorf
Size: women's small (6 /2-7 /2) medium size (8-9) or large (10-11) Supplies: 2 balls (50gm, 100 yds each, 98.3% Cotton/1.7% Elastic) Cascade Fixation Yarn, (if doing stripes, approx. 20 yds contrast color Fixation), size 4 double-pointed needles (size 5 for large), one stitch marker (four if using circulars), row-counter or paper/pencil (optional). Keep in mind if you are substituting yarns that fixation is a very stretchy yarn that also shrinks quite a bit in the dryer. If you're trying a non-stretchy DK yarn, try size 3 needles throughout.
Abbreviations
K: knit P: purl K2 tog: knit 2 together SSK: Slip 1 as if to knit, Slip 2nd st as if to purl, insert left needle through back of the 2 stitches and knit together M1: make one sts: stitches Gauge: 24 st = 4" (before wash/dry) Keep in mind, you will lose about %2" width and 1" length after washing/drying your socks - the Fixation shrinks but will stretch back as you wear them. Cast on loosely 48 stitches (24 first needle (place marker in center after 12 sts), 12 & 12 on second & third double-pointed needle), join being careful not to twist. Keep a relaxed gauge throughout (so the yarn stays stretchy). Use size 5 needles for large size. If using circulars, place a marker every 12 stitches and include a different marker for beginning of your row. Garter Edge: Purl one row, knit one row, purl one row, then begin Feather & Fan Pattern.
Feather & Fan Pattern
Rows 1 & 2: Knit Row 3: \*(k2tog 2 times), (yo, k1 4 times) (k2tog 2 times)\* repeat from \* three more times. Row 4:Knit Candy Grastorf Questions - pm CandyG on ravelry or email candygrastorf@ yahoo.com Repeat Row 1-4 until you have 12 total sets of lacy holes (about 5 12" long). If you'd like the cuff longer, you could do about 3 more sets on the medium size socks. If doing striped cuff: knit garter border and first 4 rows in main color, then next 4 rows in contrast color, alternate main color & contrast color every 4 rows of feather & fan pattern. You'll end up with 5 contrasting stripes. If you like, also do two row stripes on the star toe to match. Small or Medium: Knit 8 more rows of stockinette stitch after your 12 repeats of lace cuff. Large: Increase 4 stitches on first row (K11, M1) 4 times then knit 7 more rows (8 rows total stockinette after lace cuff) - total 52 stitches. Foot: choose Heel Option 1 or Heel Option 2 then follow instructions in that section:
Foot/Heel Option 1: Provisional Star Heel
Knit 24 (26 Ig) stitches (12 (13 Ig) before beginning of row & 12 (13 Ig) after) with a contrasting waste yarn. If knitting with double-points, center the back and put 2 sts on either side of your 24 (26) sts of waste yarn to help reduce the hole (knit 50% of stitches with contrasting scrap yarn = 24 sts or 26 sts for lg). After a few rows shift those extra 2 stitches on either side of your waste yarn so you are back to 12 (13 Ig), 24 (26 Ig), 12 (13 Ig) sts on your needles. Don't cut your main yarn, you're knitting across with the waste yarn (use a dpn if you're doing magic loop). Go back to knitting with main yarn for 5 1/2" from waste yarn for medium size/size 4 needles then do star toe (knit 5 1/2" for large/size 5 needles then do star toe). If you're worried about estimating length, knit a few inches of the foot then set aside needles and go ahead and do the star heel before finishing the toes. Keep in mind you'll lose about 1" length after wash/dry. For Star Heel (like the star toe): Slide your needle through 24 (26) sts above the waste yarn and the 24 (26) sts below the waste yarn. Pull out waste yarn a stitch at a time. Should have 48 (52) sts total. On first row, at edge stitch next to waste yarn, put your needle through both loops of the side stitch between the upper & lower needles - give it a twist & k2tog with the last stitch of needle 1 (and do the same at edge of needle 2). See photo top right photo, next page. If you're knitting magic loop you may want to use a spare dpn at this point. Knit 6 rows even, then begin star toe shaping for the heel: divide the stitches 12 (13) sts on needle 1 (center back of heel), 24 (26) sts on needle 2 (place marker at center) and 12 (13) sts on needle 3, do k2tog at end of each needle (and before marker). Knit a row plain, then repeat the decreases at 4 points. One point at back of heel, one point at each side where gusset normally is, then one in center of instep. Continue alternating decrease row with plain row. When you're down to about 5 stitches left on each needle (20 total) do your 4 point decreases everyround. Thread yarn through the last 8 stitches. The heel is 2 1/2" deep on size 5 needles or 2" on size 4needles. Small: Knit 4 1/2" (will be total of 6 1/2" after heel is done) past the waste yarn, do star toe. Medium: Knit 5 1/2" (will be total of 7 1/2" after heel is done) past the waste yarn, do star toe. Large: Knit 5 1/2" (will be 8" after heel is done) past the waste yarn, do star toe.
Foot/Heel Option 2 - Slip-Stitch Heel Begin heel flap (slip first st every row\*): Row 1: (Slip1, K1) repeat over 24 sts. (26 st for large) Divide remaining 24 (large 26) sts evenly on 2 needles and leave on hold for instep. (at end of first purl row, slip final st, insert free left needle into the strand between final st & next, twist strand onto needle, slip final st back to left needle & P2 tog) \*Note: I slip as if to knit, when purling back purl into back of the slipped stitches to correct -- muchfaster&pleasanterknitting! For Smal/Medium: Repeat rows 1-2 until you have 14 loops at edge of your heel square ending with a right-side row (ready to purl). For Large: repeat rows 1-2 until you have 15 loops at edge of heel square. Turn heel (still slipping first sts): Row 1: P12 (large 13), place marker, P2, P2tog, P1, turn (this is a short-row) Row 2: Slip 1, K3, slip marker, K2, SSK, K1, turn Row 3: Slip 1, P to marker, P3, P2tog, P1, turn Continue doing short-rows (SSK or p2tog the gapped stitches together then working one stitch beyond then turning) until all stitches used up ending on a knit row.
Pick up stitches for gusset:
Pick up stitch in each loop on side of heel flap (medium 14 or large 15 sts, don't worry if you have an extra) Put the 24 (26) sts that were on hold onto one needle for instep, knit across to st before the last - slip that st onto right needle, insert free left needle into the strand between the last st & heel flap- twist strand into a loop, put the slipped st back on left needle & K2tog through back (prevents hole). Pick up stitches in each loop on other side of heel flap (approx. 14 or 16) K 7 (8) of the top heel sts, slide remaining 7 (8) sts onto needle 1
Begin gusset:
Row 1: Needle 1: K to last 3 st, k2tog, k1 Needle 2 (instep): K across Needle 3: k1, ssk, k across Row 2:Knit Repeat row 1-2 until you have 12 (13) sts remaining on needle 1 and 3 (48 sts medium or 52 st large) Continue knitting straight until the sock foot measure 6 1/2" (small), 7" (med) or 8" (Ig) - you can adjust for your foot but these are quite stretchy (keep in mind there is quite a bit of shrinkage in the dryer though). Then begin star toe (continued next page).
Foot/Heel Option 2 Slip-Stitch Heel continued:
Begin Star Toe (place marker at center of instep needle):
If using double-points, you have 12 (13) sts needle one, 24 (26) sts needle two for instep (add marker at center), 12 (13) sts needle three. You'll be decreasing four points evenly spaced. Row 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: K to 2 stitches before end of needle (or marker) K2 tog, repeat across Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12: Knit even same as row 1 (continue decrease row with no plain knit row between Continue decreasing each row as above until 8 sts remain - try on sock to be sure it is a good length for you (remembering that fixation will shrink in dryer), if so cut 6" length of yarn, thread through 8 sts twice, thread through center of hole & weave in ends inside sock. If there are any gaps at the heel flap/star heel, tighten those up with needle & yarn as well.
