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The Loopy Ewe


Once spring rolls around, I am always eager to get back into skirts after a long and cold New England winter. But as spring tends to arrive in fits and starts -- with some warm days and some cool -- kneesocks have become a must-have in my wardrobe to keep my legs warm.

These stockings were inspired by an hourglass-like cable in Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 2, and are similarly named: "clessidra" means hourglass in Italian.

They were also fashioned after a lovely pair of leather boots that lace up the back, spotted in a Boston shop window this winter. When the crocuses start to bloom, leave the boots at home -- but don't forget your stockings!

A note on working cables: All cables in this pattern can be worked much more quickly without the use of a cable needle, if desired, using a modified version of the technique described here.

model: Gabriella Chiarenza photos: Balazs Bognar

SIZE
Will stretch to fit calf circumference of 14.5 inches, and foot circumference of 9 inches.
 
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot length: to fit
Calf circumference (with ribbing relaxed): 7.5 inches
Foot circumference (with knitting relaxed): 7 inches
 
MATERIALS
Regia Silk [55% merino wool, 25% polyamide, 20% silk; 219yd/200m per 50g skein]; color: #032 Burgundy; 4 skeins

1 set of 5 US #1 /2.25 mm double-point needles
Cable needle
8 stitch markers
Tapestry needle
 
GAUGE
32 sts / 52 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
36 sts / 60 rows = 4 inches in Seed Stitch
 
PATTERN NOTES

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

A note on sizing: Knitters with more curvaceous calves may adjust the circumference of this stocking's calf simply by casting on additional stitches in multiples of 4, and decreasing more frequently in the calf decrease section. For each additional stitch cast on, you will need to work an additional decrease.

For example, if you cast on 8 additional stitches (for roughly an additional inch of circumference), you would start with k15 instead of k11 in each of the two calf decreases sections. You would then decrease once in the 24th row, then every 12th row 3 times, then every 6th row 7 times, and then every 3rd row 4 times.

The pattern as written includes 11 decreases in the calf decreases section; having added 8 stitches, you would need to complete 19 decreases. At this point, you can resume the pattern as written from the ankle decreases section to the end.

C3BP: Slip 1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work, k2, p1 from cable needle.

C3FP: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work, p1, k2 from cable needle.

C4BP: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work, k2, p2 from cable needle.

C4FP: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work, p2, k2 from cable needle.

C4B: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work, k2, k2 from cable needle.

C4F: Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work, k2, k2 from cable needle.

2x2 Rib (Worked over a multiple of 4 sts):
Round 1: [K2, p2] to end.
Repeat this round for 2x2 Rib.

Seed Stitch (Worked over an even number of sts):
Round 1: [K1, p1] to end.
Round 2: [P1, k1] to end.
Repeat these 2 rounds for Seed Stitch.

Grafting
Instructions for grafting can be found here.

PATTERN

LEG
CO 76 sts. Divide evenly between needles (19 sts on each needle) and join to begin working in the round, being careful not to twist.

Work in 2x2 Rib until work measures 1.5 inches.

Next Round: K2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, [k2, m1, p2, m1] 5 times, k2, [p2, m1, k2, m1] 4 times, p2, [k2, m1, p2, m1] 4 times. 110 sts.

Divide sts between needles as follows:
Needle 1: 27 sts
Needle 2: 26 sts
Needle 3: 27 sts
Needle 4: 30 sts

In the directions which follow, the divisions between needles will be indicated using semi-colons.

Set-up Round: K11, place marker, k1, work Round 1 of Cable A, k1, place marker, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch; k1, work Round 1 of Hourglass Cable, k1; work 6 sts in Seed Stitch, place marker, k1, work Round 1 of Cable B, k1, place marker, k11; work Round 1 of Cable A, k1, place marker, work 12 sts in Seed Stitch, place marker, k1, work Round 1 of Cable B.

Needles 1 and 3 form the sides of the sock, Needle 2 forms the back and Needle 4 forms the front.

Leg Pattern Round: K to first marker, k1, work next round of Cable A, k1, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch; k1, work next round of Hourglass Cable, k1; work 6 sts in Seed Stitch, k1, work next round of Cable B, k to end of Needle 3; work next round of Cable A, k1, work 12 sts in Seed Stitch, k1, work next round of Cable B.

Work 21 more rounds in pattern. You will have just completed Round 11 of Hourglass Cable.

Shape Calf
Leg Decrease Round 1: K5, k2tog, k4, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k4, k2tog, k5; work in pattern to end. 108 sts.
Work 11 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 2: K5, k2tog, k3, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k3, k2tog, k5; work in pattern to end. 106 sts.
Work 11 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 3: K4, k2tog, k3, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k3, k2tog, k4; work in pattern to end. 104 sts.
Work 11 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 4: K4, k2tog, k2, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k2, k2tog, k4; work in pattern to end. 102 sts.
Work 11 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 5: K3, k2tog, k2, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k2, k2tog, k3; work in pattern to end. 100 sts.
Work 11 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 6: K3, k2tog, k1, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k1, k2tog, k3; work in pattern to end. 98 sts.
Work 5 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 7: K2, k2tog, k1, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k1, k2tog, k2; work in pattern to end. 96 sts.
Work 5 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 8: K2, k2tog, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k2tog, k2; work in pattern to end. 94 sts.
Work 5 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 9: K1, k2tog, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, k2tog, k1; work in pattern to end. 92 sts.
Work 5 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 10: K2tog, remove marker, work in pattern to last marker on Needle 3, remove marker, k2tog; work in pattern to end. 90 sts.
Work 4 rounds in pattern.

Leg Decrease Round 11: K2tog, work in pattern to last 2 sts on Needle 3, k2tog, work to last 8 sts on Needle 4. Do not complete this round. 88 sts.

Shape Ankle
Slip the last 8 sts of Needle 4 to Needle 1. This point is now the beginning of the round. Slip the first 8 sts of Needle 4 to Needle 3.
The stitches are now divided between the needles as follows:
Needle 1: 24 sts
Needle 2: 26 sts
Needle 3: 24 sts
Needle 4: 14 sts
In the decrease rounds which follow, the purl stitches between the cables on Needles 1 and 3 will be decreased away.

Ankle Decrease Round 1: Work 6 sts in pattern, p2tog, p1, p2tog, work in pattern to last 11 sts on Needle 3, p2tog, p1, p2tog, work to end of round in pattern. 84 sts.
Work 2 rounds in pattern as set.

Note: If you will work a cable twist when working the cables on Needles 1 and 3 within the next 2 rounds, work 1 or 2 more rounds in pattern, so that you have completed the cable twists before proceeding.

Ankle Decrease Round 2: Work 5 sts in pattern, ssk, p1, k2tog, work in pattern to last 10 sts on Needle 3, ssk, p1, k2tog, work to end of round in pattern. 80 sts.

Ankle Decrease Round 3: Work 6 stitches in pattern, k2tog, work in pattern to last 7 sts on Needle 3, k2tog, work in pattern to end of round. 78 sts.

From this point, the cables on Needles 1 and 3 will be worked following the chart for Cable C. You might not begin on Round 1 of Cable C; the round numbers of the chart for Cable C correspond to the round numbers of the charts for Cables A and B, so begin working Cable C on the round which follows the next round you would have worked for Cables A and B.

Ankle Pattern Round: Work next round of Cable C, k1, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch; k1, work next round of Hourglass Cable, k1; work 6 sts in Seed Stitch, k1, work next round of Cable C; k1, work 12 sts in Seed Stitch, k1.

Continue in pattern until work measures approx. 4 inches from beginning of Cable C or until leg is desired length to top of heel, ending with Round 12 of Hourglass Cable.

Work first 14 sts of Needle 1 in pattern, then slip remaining 5 sts to Needle 2. Slip first 5 sts of Needle 3 to Needle 2.

The stitches are now divided between the needles as follows:
Needle 1: 14 sts
Needle 2: 36 sts
Needle 3: 14 sts
Needle 4: 14 sts

The heel flap will be worked back and forth over the sts on Needle 2, while the 42 sts on the other needles will be held for the instep.

Heel Flap
Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1 knitwise, work to end in Seed Stitch.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1 purlwise, work to end in Seed Stitch.
Repeat these 2 rows 18 times more. 38 rows have been worked; there are 19 slipped stitches along each edge of the heel flap.

Turn Heel
Row 1 [RS]: K19, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p3, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 6 [WS]: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 8 [WS]: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1, k10, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 10 [WS]: Sl 1, p11, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1, k12, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 12 [WS]: Sl 1, p13, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 13 [RS]: Sl 1, k14, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl 1, p15, p2tog, p1. Turn work.
Row 15 [RS]: Sl 1, k16, ssk, k1. Turn work.
Row 16 [WS]: Sl 1, p17, p2tog, p1. Turn work. All stitches have been worked; 20 sts remain.

Gusset
K20; using same needle, pick up and k 19 sts (1 st in each slipped st) along adjacent edge of heel flap, pick up and k 2 sts in space between top of heel flap and instep. 41 sts; from this point, this will be designated Needle 1.

Using next needle, begin working held sts of instep as follows: k8, work sts last 6 sts of next round of Cable C, k1, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch. 21 sts; this needle will be designated Needle 2.
Using next needle, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch, k1, work sts first 6 sts of next round of Cable C, k8. 21 sts; this needle will be designated Needle 3.

Using the next needle, pick up and k 2 sts in the space between the instep and top of heel flap, pick up and k 19 sts along edge of heel flap, k first 10 sts of bottom of heel flap. 31 sts; this needle will be designated Needle 4.

There are now 104 stitches, divided between the needles as follows:
Needle 1: 31 sts
Needle 2: 21 sts
Needle 3: 21 sts
Needle 4: 31 sts

Round 1: K10, k21 tbl; k8, work last 6 sts of next round of Cable C, k1, work 6 sts in Seed Stitch; work 6 sts in Seed Stitch, k1, work first 6 sts of next round of Cable C, k8; k21 tbl, k to end.
This round sets the pattern for the instep sts (sts on Needles 2 and 3).

Round 2: K10, [k2, k2tog] 5 times, k1; work sts on Needles 2 and 3 in pattern; k1, [k2tog, k2] 5 times, k to end. 94 sts.

Gusset Decrease Round: K to last 3 sts of Needle 1, k2tog, k1; work sts on Needles 2 and 3 in pattern; k1, ssk, k to end.
Work 1 round in pattern.
Repeat these 2 rounds 12 times more.

There are now 68 stitches, divided between the needles as follows:
Needle 1: 13 sts
Needle 2: 21 sts
Needle 3: 21 sts
Needle 4: 13 sts

Foot
Continue working as set, working sts on Needles 1 and 4 in stockinette stitch and sts on Needles 2 and 3 in pattern, until work measures 1.75 inches less than desired length to end of toe.
Slip first 4 sts of Needle 2 to Needle 1, and last 4 sts of Needle 3 to Needle 4. 17 sts on each needle.

Toe
Toe Decrease Round: K to last 3 sts of Needle 1, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of Needle 2; k to last 3 sts of Needle 3, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of Needle 4.
K 1 round.
Repeat these 2 rounds 6 times more. 40 sts; 10 sts on each needle.

Work Toe Decrease Round 5 times more. 20 sts; 5 sts on each needle.
K to end of Needle 1.
Slip sts from Needle 4 to Needle 1, and from Needle 3 to Needle 2.
Graft sts on Needle 1 to sts on Needle 2.

FINISHING
Weave in all ends and block gently.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Gabriella works to finance affordable housing by day and knits by night in Boston, Mass. She blogs here.