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Blue Moon Fiber Arts

Fresh green tendrils twist and turn from ankle to toe in these top-down, quick-to-knit lace socks.

My inspiration came from my love of lace knitting, but my inability to follow a complicated chart while chatting or watching TV. Every other row is stockinette, and the rest of the pattern is a repeat of two easy-to-memorize rows.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

Sproing.

You get the picture.

photos: Larry Welch

SIZE

One

 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot will comfortably stretch to fit up to 11 inches.
Leg will comfortably stretch to fit up to 12 inches.
Leg length: 6 inches

 
MATERIALS

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Lightweight [100% Superwash Merino; 360yd/329m per 4.5 oz. skein]; color: Footzey-Foo; 1 skein

Recommended needle size:
1 set of five US #1/2.25mm double-point needles
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

Tapestry needle

GAUGE

30 sts/44 rows = 4 inches in stockinette st

 
PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here]

Lace Pattern (Worked in the round over a multiple of 11 sts)
Round 1: K all sts.
Even-Numbered Rounds 2-24: K all sts.
Odd-Numbered Rounds 3-11: [K2, ssk, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k1] to end.
Round 13: K all sts.
Odd-Numbered Rounds 15-23: [K3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk, k2tog] to end.
Repeat Rounds 1-24 for Lace Pattern.

Instructions for grafting can be found here.


DIRECTIONS

Cuff and Leg:
CO 66 sts.

Divide sts between needles as follows: 22 sts each on Needles 1 and 3, 11 sts each on Needles 2 and 4. Dividing sts in this way will help to keep the lace pattern repeats straight.
Join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Round 1: [K1 tbl, p1] to end.
Repeat this round until work measures 1 inch.

Work in Lace Pattern until leg is desired length, ending with Round 12 or 24 of pattern. In socks shown, 60 rounds of pattern have been worked (ending with Round 12).

Next Round (Round 1 or 13 of pattern): K the sts on Needles 1 and 2, k first 2 sts from Needle 3 onto Needle 2; using Needle 3, k to last st on Needle 4, sl this st to beginning of Needle 1.
There are 23 sts on Needle 1, 13 sts on Needle 2, and 30 sts on Needle 3.
The 36 sts on Needles 1 and 2 will be held for instep.
Heel flap will be worked back and forth over the 30 sts on Needle 3, as follows:

Heel Flap
Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1, p29.
Row 2 [RS]: [Sl 1, k1] 15 times.
Repeat these 2 rows 14 times more, then work Row 1 once more; 31 rows have been worked.

Turn Heel:
Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k16, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 6 [WS]: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1, k10, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 8 [WS]: Sl 1, p11, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1, k12, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 10 [WS]: Sl 1, p13, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1, k14, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 12 [WS]: Sl 1, p15, p2tog, p1. 18 heel flap sts remain.

Gusset
K first 9 heel flap sts. This point (center of heel flap) will now be beginning of round.
Using a new needle, k remaining 9 sts of heel flap, then pick up and k 16 sts (1 st in each slipped st) along adjacent edge of heel flap. This needle is now designated Needle 1.
Using next needle (Needle 2), k1, work next 22 sts in Lace Pattern as set.
Using next needle (Needle 3), work 11 sts in Lace Pattern as set, k2.
Using remaining needle (Needle 4), pick up and k 16 sts along remaining edge of heel flap, k first 9 sts of heel flap.
86 sts: 25 sts each on Needles 1 and 4, 23 sts on Needle 2, 13 sts on Needle 3.

While working instep, maintain first st on Needle 2 and last 2 sts on Needle 3 in stockinette st, while working the other sts on these needles in Lace Pattern.  Sts on Needles 1 and 4 are worked in stockinette st.

Gusset Decrease Round: K to last 3 sts on Needle 1, k2tog, k1; work sts on Needles 2 and 3 in pattern; k1, ssk, k to end of Needle 4. 2 sts decreased.
Work 1 round in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rounds 9 times more. 66 sts: 15 sts each on Needles 1 and 4, 23 sts on Needle 2, 13 sts on Needle 3.

Foot:
Continue in pattern until work measures approx. 2 inches less than desired length to end of toe. End with Round 12 or 24 of Lace Pattern if possible.

K 1 round, then redistribute sts as follows:
Slip first st from Needle 2 to end of Needle 1. Slip last 5 sts from Needle 2 to beginning of Needle 3. Slip last 2 sts from Needle 3 to beginning of Needle 4. Needles 1 and 3 now hold 16 sts each, Needles 2 and 4 each hold 17 sts.

K to end of Needle 1. This point is now beginning of round. The needle which had been Needle 2 now becomes Needle 1, Needle 3 becomes Needle 2, etc.

Toe
Toe Decrease Round: K1, ssk, k to end of Needle 1; k to last 3 sts of Needle 2, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of Needle 3; k to last 3 sts of Needle 4, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.
K 1 round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 7 times more. 34 sts remain.

Work Toe Decrease Round 4 times more. 18 sts remain.

Slip sts from Needle 2 to Needle 1, and sts from Needle 3 to Needle 4. Graft sts on Needle 1 to sts on Needle 4.

 

FINISHING

Weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Linda Welch lives with her husband and two dogs in the Sierra foothills in northern California. She learned to knit as a little girl, but just recently picked up needles again after a long obsession with quilting. She loves to knit socks and has recently started dyeing her own sock yarn.

She blogs here.