Monday, April 21, 2008

Can It Be Spring Now?!

Pattern by: Jennifer Hoy
All 9 Muses

These socks were born out of an intense desire for winter to be over during one of our many January blizzards. The five columns of twisted stitches provide extra stretch so fewer stitches are needed for these socks. And an eye of the partridge heel lends just a little zing.

Size: Woman’s medium (size 7.5ish)

Finished measurements: 11 inch leg and 9.5 inch foot length (but tailorable to fit any length)

Materials: 100 gr On line Supersocke 100 in Tropic colour

Needles: set of 5 3mm dpns

Gauge: 9 sts per inch

Notes: Twisted Stitches are created when you insert your needle into the second stitch and knit, then knit into the first stitch and draw them both off the needles at the same time.

Pattern

Cuff: Cast on 60 sts loosely. K1, P1 for 2 inches.

Leg Pattern

Row 1: K7, P1, K2 twisted, P1, *K8, P1, K2 twisted, P1, * (repeat from * to * 3 times) K1

Row 2: K7, P1, K2, P1, *K8, P1, K2, P1, * (repeat from * to * 3 times) K1
Repeat these two rows until leg is 9 inches long.

Divide for heel by placing stitches from the back of the leg (the ones where the column of twisted stitches run up the back of the leg like a seam) onto one needle and proceed to do a partridge heel flap thusly…

Eye of the Partridge Heel Flap

Row 1: *Slip 1, K1* repeat. End with K1

Row 2: Slip 1 purlwise, Purl to the end

Row 3: *K1, Slip 1* repeat. End with K2

Row 4: Slip 1 purlwise, Purl to the end

Repeat until your heel flap is square. End with right side facing for heel turning.

Turn the Heel

Work across half the heel flap stitches + 2 sts, K2tog, k1, turn Slip 1 purlwise, P5, P2tog, P1, turn Work to last stitch before the gap, decrease, k1, turn Work to last stitch before the gap, decrease, p1, turn Repeat until all the stitches have been worked.

Pick Up the Gusset
Pick up and knit 16 sts along the edge of the heel flap, work across the front of the sock in pattern, pick up and knit 16 sts along the other edge of the heel flap and knit to the middle of the turned heel. Rearrange your sts so that you have an even number of stitches along the gussets and heels. Proceed thusly…

Row 1: Knit to the last 3 sts of the first needle, k2tog, k1, knit across the front of the sock in pattern, k1, ssk, knit to the end of the 4th needle.

Row 2: Knit all sts on first needle, knit across the front of the sock in pattern, knit all sts on the 4th needle.

Repeat these two rows until there are 15 sts remaining on each needle. Proceed down the foot, keeping continuity of pattern across the top of the foot and stocking stitch for the bottom of the foot until the sock measures 6.5 inches (or try it on and stop knitting when the sock reaches the base of your big toe).

Decrease for Toe

Round 1: Needle 1: Knit to the last 3 sts, K2tog, k1 Needle 2: K1, ssk, K to end Needle 3: Knit to the last 3 sts, K2tog, k1 Needle 4: K1, ssk, K to end
Round 2: Knit all stitches

Repeat these 2 rounds until there are 24 sts left.

Kitchener stitch remaining sts off the needles.

© All 9 Muses 2008. This original pattern is for personal use only. You are not permitted to sell it or distribute it or sell socks you make from it. Permissions may be granted for the use of this pattern or the picture used herein.
Overall, I really enjoyed designing and knitting these socks. The pattern is easy and fun. Fewer stitches per row (even if it is only a savings of 4 sts) made them zip right along. This was my first partridge heel as well. The yarn was a good buy from Textile Traditions on a dark, depressingly snowy (no really blizzardy) Saturday in Almonte. After partaking of a good solid meal at the Superior Restaurant, I slogged across the street and proclaimed that only sock yarn would make it all better. Sunny, happy sock yarn. On Line self-striping sock yarn fit the bill and at at about $13 for 100gr, it fit the pocket book too.
I designed the socks for the Ottawa Knitters' Guild Sock Challenge (well, I would have designed them anyway, but this gave me the nudge I needed) and will be passing them over to the judges tonight. I won't see them for a month (sniff)!
I did notice, however, that when I washed them, some of the blue dye ran a bit. Something to watch out for. I think I'll dunk them by hand until they stop that nonsense as my superwash socks usually go into the regular wash.

Special thanks to Bruce, for taking the pictures of socks on the foot.

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