This pattern is long, but carefully explained for knitters who have not knit many socks yet. If you are an experienced sock knitter, you may want to use the short form.
Sized to fit ankles 9 ½-10, (10 ½-11) inches in circumference Lengths given for men’s shoe sizes 6-14
Gauge: 9 sts per inch
Needles: 1 set of double points in correct size to obtain gauge. (I used zeros, I knit loose. Do a swatch, it’ll make things go better for you later, honest.)
Instructions: Cast on 72 (80) sts. (If you know how, cast on in ribbing for 2x2 rib. If you don’t know how, don’t worry, any stretchy cast on you already know will be fine.)Divide onto 3 needles, place a marker for the beginning of the round, and join, being careful not to twist.
R 1: k2, p2, repeat around. R 2-20: continue in 2x2 rib (i.e. repeat round 1) R 21: reset stitch counter or brain to round 1, this is the beginning of the diamond pattern.
Diamond pattern for leg: R 1: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around R 2: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around R 3: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2 R 4: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2 R 5: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1 R 6: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1 R 7: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1 R 8: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1 R 9: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around R 10: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around R 11: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1 R 12: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1 R 13: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1 R 14: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1 R 15: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2 R 16: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
Continue knitting in this pattern until 4 ½ diamonds have been knit down the back of the sock leg (i.e. directly in line with your beginning of round stitch marker). End with round 10. Then begin the heel flap.
Heel flap: R 1: Knit 18 (20) sts, then turn R 2: sl 1, Purl 35 (39) sts, turn.
At this point, arrange the stitches you’ve just worked on one dpn, and the remaining stitches on another dpn. Leave these unworked stitches alone while you knit the heel. They will become the instep stitches. In fact, if you can, cap the ends of that needle, or fit a holder over it, so you don’t lose the instep stitches when pulling your work out of your knitting bag. I speak from experience.Continuing on the heel sts:
R 3: [sl 1, k1] across heel sts R 4: sl 1, p across heel sts repeat rows 3 and 4 until you have 17 (19) slipped stitches along each edge of the heel flap.
Reset stitch counter or brain to row 1. Begin turning the heel.
Turning the Heel: R 1: sl 1, k 19(21) sts, ssk, k1, turn.
(If you have never knit a sock before, you may be questioning this step, as there are still unknit stitches on the needle, this is correct, and although it is hard, go ahead and turn, and follow the heel turning directions line by line, and all should be well. If not, there are some very nice illustrated books on sock knitting that can help you with diagrams and explanation. I highly recommend Nancy Bush’s Folk Socks.) R 2: sl 1, p 5, p2 tog, p1, turn R 3: sl 1, k 6, ssk, k1, turn R 4: sl 1, p 7, p2 tog, p1, turn R 5: sl 1, k 8, ssk, k1, turn
(At this point you may have noticed that when you either p2 tog or ssk, you are doing so “across the gap.” You are welcome to continue each row by working to the gap, ssk or p2 tog, and then k1 or p1. If that doesn’t work for you, continue following the directions line by line. Either way you’ll end up in the same place.)
R 6: sl 1, p 9, p2 tog, p1, turn R 7: sl 1, k 10, ssk, k1, turn R 8: sl 1, p 11, p2 tog, p1, turn R 9: sl 1, k 12, ssk, k1, turn R 10: sl 1, p 13, p2 tog, p1, turn R 11: sl 1, k 14, ssk, k1, turn R 12: sl 1, p 15, p2 tog, p1, turn R 13: sl 1, k 16, ssk, k1, turn R 14: sl 1, p 17, p2 tog, p1, turn
smaller size only: R 15: sl 1, k 18, ssk, turn R 16: sl 1, p 18, p2 tog, turn R 17: sl 1, k19 DO NOT TURN
larger size only: R 15: sl 1, k 18, ssk, k1, turn R 16: sl 1, p 19, p2 tog, p1, turn R 17: sl 1, k 20, ssk, k1, turn R 18: sl 1, p 21, p2 tog, p1, turn R 19: sl 1, k 23 DO NOT TURN
Pick Up For the Gusset: Divide your heel sts between 2 needles. The beginning of your round is now between these 2 needles. Think of these as needles 4 and 1.Along the edge of the heel flap using needle 1, pick up and knit the back loop of the 18 (20) edge stitches. Now reach down to the row below the last stitch picked up, and pick up that stitch too. This prevents the small hole that would have otherwise formed at the corner of your heel flap.Using a free needle, which will become needle 2, knit across the 18 (20) instep sts, continuing in the diamond pattern (round 11).Using a free needle, which will become needle 3, pick up and knit 19 (20) sts along the other side of the heel flap, beginning with the “extra” stitch from 1 row below. After picking up the stitches, still using needle 3, knit across the 10 (12) sts on needle 4. You now have all your sts arranged on 3 needles, leaving the 4th as your working needle.
That was just one round. Whew!
Gusset decreases: Again, reset stitch counter or mind to round 1 R 1: k across needle 1, continue diamond pattern across needle 2, knit across needle 3 R 2: Needle 1: k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 2: Continue diamond pattern
Needle 3: k1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Continue alternating between rounds 1 and 2 until you have decreased back to the original 72 (80) sts.Continue down the foot, knitting all the sts on needles 1 and 3, and continuing the diamond pattern on needle #2.
When the foot is 2" shorter than its finished length begin the toe decreases. If you aren’t making these for yourself, or haven’t been able to measure the recipient’s foot, here’s a pretty good idea of men's foot lengths based on shoe size:
Toe decrease: Reset stitch counter, or brain, to round 1. R 1: Needle 1: k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 3: k1, ssk, k to end of needle. R 2: k (Yes, you’re done with the diamonds now.)
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until there are 36 (40) sts total.
Repeat round 1 until there are 16 sts total. Knit across needle 1 and break yarn, leaving a 12" tail. Use kitchener stitch to graft the remaining sts together. Work in ends, and block.
This pattern is brief, for the experienced sock knitter who just wants the stitch pattern and a few useful numbers. If you have not knit very many socks, you may want to use the Well Explained pattern.
Sized to fit ankles 9 ½-10, (10 ½-11) inches in circumference
Lengths given for men’s shoe sizes 6-14
Gauge: 9 sts per inch
Needles: 1 set of double points in correct size to obtain gauge. (I used zeros, I knit loose. Do a swatch, it’ll make things go better for you later, honest.)
Instructions:
Cast on 72 (80)sts. (If you know how, cast on in ribbing for 2x2 rib. If you don’t know how, don’t worry, any stretchy cast on you already know will be fine.) Rib for 20 rounds.
Begin diamond pattern: R 1: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around
R 2: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around
R 3: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
R 4: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
R 5: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1
R 6: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1
R 7: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1
R 8: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1
R 9: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around
R 10: p1, k3, p1, k3, repeat around
R 11: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1
R 12: k1, *[p1, k5, p1, k1] repeat from star around, ending p1, k5, p1
R 13: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1
R 14: k2, *[p1, k3, p1, k3] repeat from star around, ending p1, k3, p1, k1
R 15: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
R 16: k3,*[ p1, k1, p1, k5] repeat from star around, ending p1, k1, p1, k2
Continue knitting in this pattern until 4 ½ diamonds have been knit down the back of the sock leg (i.e. directly in line with your beginning of round stitch marker). End with round 10. Then begin the heel flap.
Heel flap: worked over half the sts
R 1: Knit 18 (20) sts, then turn
R 2: sl 1, Purl 35 (39) sts, turn.
R 3: [sl 1, k1] across heel sts
R 4: sl 1, p across heel sts
repeat rows 3 and 4 until you have 17 (19) slipped stitches along each edge of the heel flap. Reset stitch counter or brain to row 1. Begin turning the heel.
Turning the heel: R 1: sl 1, k 19(21) sts, ssk, k1, turn.
R 2: sl 1, p 5, p2 tog, p1, turn
continue working in this manner: sl the first st, work two together across the gap, work one more stitch, then turn
Continue until all heel sts have been knit.
Pick Up For the Gusset: With needle #1 pick up and knit the 18 (20) slipped sts along the edge of the heel flap. Now reach down to the row below the last stitch picked up, and pick up that stitch too. This prevents the small hole that would have otherwise formed at the corner of your heel flap.
Continue working the diamond pattern (round 11) across the instep sts on needle #2. With needle #3, pick up and knit 19 (21) sts along the other side of the heel flap (including the “extra” to prevent a hole) and then continue across half of the heel sts. Slip the remaining heel sts to the beginning of needle #1.
Decrease Gusset : Next round, k across needle 1, continue in the diamond pattern across needle 2, k across needle 3.
Decrease round:
Needle 1: k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1
needle 2: continue in the diamond pattern
needle 3: k1, ssk, k to end.
Alternate between the plain round and the decrease round until you are back to 72 (80) sts total, working the bottom of the foot in plain stockinette and continuing the diamond pattern over the top of the foot.
When the foot is 2" shorter than the desired length begin the toe decreases. If you aren’t making these for yourself, or haven’t been able to measure the recipient’s foot, here’s a pretty good idea of men's foot lengths based on shoe size:
Toe decrease: Reset stitch counter, or brain, to round 1.
R 1: Needle 1: k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 2: k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2 tog, k1.
Needle 3: k1, ssk, k to end of needle.
R 2: k (Yes, you’re done with the diamonds now.)
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until there are 36 (40) sts total.
Repeat round 1 until there are 16 sts total.
Knit across needle 1 and break yarn, leaving a 12" tail.
Use kitchener stitch to graft the remaining sts together.
Work in ends, and block.
Back on Chinese New Year, I was involved in some nutty spinning at Linda's shop. Please do check out the full description, complete with pictures, here at Mary Ellen's blog.
Basically, we all brought 3 oz of ready to spin fiber with us, not knowing what exactly would happen to it, only knowing Linda would provide another 3 for each of us so that we went home with 6. I had some idea that I would blend what I brought together with something of Linda's and bring the results home. boy are my ideas simple!
Instead, we combined all of it. Yes, ALL. We started layering our fiber (mostly dyed wool) across a big table. Once that was spread around, out came the surprise, a bag of the craziest items you ever did or didn't think to include in yarn. Stuff like silk waste, dyed cotton balls, angelina fiber, very fine wire, feathers, strips of fabric, bits of yarn--craziness. After that was spread around, we would add another layer of the more conventional wool and dyed locks, then another layer of "spinny bits" as Donna called the crazy stuff, then more wool, etc, until it looked more or less like this:At which point we had to get it off the table. We rolled it up like a jelly roll, and then sliced the jelly roll into rounds, one for each spinner. The rounds didn't particularly hold together, not like a roving or anything so mundane, so I carried home a big paper bag of assorted fluff and nonsense, ready to figure out how to spin it. I spun by pulling handfuls out of the bag. I found it best to alternate between drafting what was between my hands and then letting go with my forward hand, so that the twist would travel back into the fiber supply, then draft again from there. Yes, I let the twist into the fiber supply. You've been told not to do that, haven't you? So have I. I usually don't. But I found it much more helpful to let the twist select the next combination of fibers to pull into the yarn. When I tried to draft more consistently (and conventionally) I was constantly pulling apart the unrelated bits of fluff in my hands and then having to join them back on to the yarn. It's not easy to join a piece of fabric, a bit of yarn, some wool, and a feather onto the already formed yarn while treadling and trying not to drop the rest of what's in your fiber supply hand. Since the actual roving was the easiest thing to join on, I kept grabbing more of it and not getting much of the other stuff in. That's when I realized that letting the twist travel up to grab it's own next batch of stuff, similar to a long draw, would best keep my yarn together and evenly select a bit of everything from the fiber in my hand. Spinning this stuff was not about making thin yarn, or making even yarn, it was back to that first day I learned to spin, it was just about making yarn: fiber that held together with twist. Holding together, that first and foremost goal, was my only goal. I ended up with this: I had 6-8 oz. Too much for a hat, not nearly enough for a sweater, and frankly, I wasn't sure if I would ever wear it. I mean, I like color, and am not afraid to combine colors, but I do still like it if the finished piece has a describe-able palette. And I count "rainbow" as a palette. I'm pleased just knowing that the yarn held up to being knitted. The finished project is a mobius scarf--the kind you knit on a circular needle starting in the middle and working toward the edge.* (Yes, not only does a mobius have only one side, it also has only one edge.) Mind boggling, but after making one like this, watching it form, I have an even deeper understanding of how the things work. (For those of you who didn't grow up with a science teacher father who encouraged you to play with mobius strips instead of toys there is a good explanation here and a video including some of the things Dad showed my brother and I that one could do with mobius strips here. Yes, we were raised to be dorks. I only wish I had thought to make the video. Dork!) If I were to make this kind of yarn again (and it's intriguing enough and surprising enough that I probably will) there are a few thing I would do differently. #1 I would start with some sort of a color pallet, however broad. #2 I would ply it. I spun this one as a singles because it would have looked terrible plied, but it would have been much stronger if I had plied it against something else. Next time I'll try to ply against a sewing thread, so that the thread acts as a binder to stabilize the whole thing without losing the look of the singles. #3 I felt that some of the "spinny bits" didn't add anything to the finished yarn, and/or were too difficult to work with to be worth using again. I loved the way the silk waste looked, and the angelina, and the wool locks, along with all the spinnable fibers we blended with, but I felt like the fabric and yarn bits didn't add anything and actually weakened the yarn in places. The cotton balls were just a pain without adding anything discernible to the texture. The feathers and metal are uncomfortable in the scarf and sometimes poke me.
I hear a rumor of an upcoming workshop to do the same thing, but only in natural fiber colors. I hope I'm in town for that workshop, it could make for some really beautiful yarn!
* The procedure was printed in a magazine a few years ago. I don't remember which one, and am away from my back issues at the moment, but I'm pretty sure it was either Spin Off or Interweave Knits.
**The cardigan I am wearing in Mary Ellen's process pictures is the one that had tea spilled on it during my flight and was then shat on by a bird during my first walk in DC. It came clean, no problem, and has been safe from calamity since then. Too bad I appear (at least from those pictures) to be outgrowing it.
This is what happens to unattended drinks at our house.
The little thief just had 3 more teeth pulled today. All he has left now is 4 incisors, 2 peg teeth, and one molar. The molar will be the last to go. Good thing Rusty's so tough--he recovers well.
Here is one more article about the situation at Studio Arena. I am not holding my breath.
In more pleasant news, I am enjoying my time at the Shakespeare here in DC. It's interesting whenever I get to a new place, to think through the pros and cons of life there. Of course, no city or situation is perfect, or perfectly horrible, so it's interesting to figure out which aspects of it's particular life are pluses, and which are minuses, especially compared to my home, or where I last came from.
I came here without my truck, having been told that there is no parking. So far, I don't miss the truck at all (and Rusty can really use all the bunny litter in the back that I've been using for extra weight in the snow). I'm in temporary housing until Wednesday, so right now, I have a 15-20 minute metro ride to work. The metro ride has afforded me almost an extra hour of knitting time every day. I am about to start the toe of the sock I cast on a week ago on the plane! I may not have packed enough knitting--only 3 more projects after this one. So metro knitting, definitely a plus. Not having a digital camera here (I've been using Chris's or my scanner) is a downer. How will I post pictures of the finished socks?!?!
Also on the plus side, there is a knitting store down the street from my costume shop. Minus--after a week of unemployment, I still have 2 weeks before getting my first paycheck, so I have not even touched the door of said yarn shop and only slightly fogged up their window.
The down side of using the metro is that fare cards are not perfect. My fare card, still with $10 credit, decided to crap out, which meant mailing it away for an alleged replacement and buying yet another one with dwindling unemployment money.
Also on the negative side, on the flight out here, after getting through security with a ticket bearing the wrong name (there's a reason they give you that marriage certificate!) I managed to dump a hot cup of tea all down the left side of myself, and the right side of the guy next to me. He looked displeased. Luckily, his smaller tea spots were on sort of tea colored pants, and had dried invisibly by the time we landed. After being driven to my current housing, I walked to the metro and rode it to the shop (to be sure I could find my way) and while walking a bird shat all down the right side of my poor, tea covered cardigan.*
Finally, the item that is both positive and negative--I am currently in temporary housing. I will have to move on Wednesday. Bad--living out of suitcases and trying not to buy too much food. There will probably be no Internet where I am moving too, which makes communication and audio book downloading difficult. Good--the new place is reputed to have a washer and dryer and the new place is 3 blocks from work, so no more paying for the metro on weekdays. Of course, that could also be bad, as I'll lose the metro knitting time.
So let's review:
Good extra knitting time on the metro knitting store down the street washer and dryer in apartment moving closer to work free museums gainfully employed
Bad paying extra for busted metro card no camera to photograph knitting spilled tea bird shit soon no internet And really, in another month to month and a half, I'll have to add cherry blossoms to the good side. Too bad I don't have a camera so I can post the pictures. Maybe after that first paycheck...
*Did I mention it was a hand washed, hand dyed, hand combed, hand spun, hand knit cardigan? Thank goodness my little travel bottle of shampoo washed out all of it's Monday adventures.
Since Chris and Erica are always working on something, it seems like a good theme for Knitting with Fire would be to talk about current projects. We'll see where it goes.
