Fine-Tuned Socks

Description

If knitting were music, the stitches would be the keys and the repeats would be the time signature.  If knitting were music, a simple two-by-two rib could be translated into the Key of C (No sharps or flats, just natural notes), in 2/2 time, (or cut time).  Changing just a few stitches (the notes) to cables or lace (sharps or flats) the entire musical world is at your knitting fingertips.  Waiting at the symphony, or the ballet, before the performance starts, each musician tunes their instrument.  They do not listen to each other and from the audience it sounds like a mixed up medley of sounds until the conductor approaches and after the introduction and a moment of silence, those fine tuned instruments come together to create beautiful music.

Fine Tuned Socks are the warm up in the orchestra pit. Twisted stitches and eyelet lace motifs, on the front, and a basic ribbed back of these cuff down socks,  give you the best of the “ribbed socks fit so well” and “patterns socks seem to knit up so quickly” worlds and bring all the discordant tones of the orchestra warm-up together into a classic melody.

Size

Women’s medium 8 inch circumference, length adjustable

Yarn

Sample Shown in Knit Picks Stroll, 75% superwash merino/25% nylon, 231 yards [211 meters] 50 gms [1.76 ounces] 2 balls Dogwood Heather

Needles

Size US 1 (2.5 mm): circular or dpn needles for working in the round.

Notions

St markers, large eyed tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in ends, optional sock blockers.

Gauge

32 sts and 36 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

RT  Right Twist: From the front, knit the second st on the left hand needle, knit the first st, remove both sts.

Charts

Cuff

Leg

Foot

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in the round from the cuff down.

For a shorter foot start the foot chart on rnd 33 or work toe decreases at the same time as the chart.

Any fingering weight sock yarn can be used.

Any style heel and toe can be used if you have a favorite. (For alternatives see Knotions E-book Sock Star)

Sock

Cuff

CO 64 sts, pm and join to begin working the round, being careful not to twist.  (See our Chinese Waitress Cast On Tutorial)

Work the following 2 rnds a total of 10 times, or work from cuff chart, over the first 32 sts  and K1, *p2, k2 repeat from* to last 3 sts, p2, k1.20 rnds worked.  (See our chart reading tutorial)

Rnd 1: K1, *p2, k2 repeat from* to last 3 sts, p2, k1.

Rnd 2: K1 *p2, k2, p2, RT, repeat from *2 more times, *p2, k2, repeat from* to last 3 sts, p2, k1.

Leg

Work Leg Chart across first 32 sts, second 32 sts are worked as:

K 1, *p2, k2 from * to last 3 sts, p2, k1.

Continuing in this manner, work leg chart rnds 1-32 across first 32 sts, keeping the second 32 sts in ribbing as established

2 times. (64 rnds of chart worked)

Heel Flap

Set up row:  Do not work the sts contained in the chart, immediately turn work and Sl1, p31.

We will now work flat on those 32 sts.

Row 1: *Sl1, k1 repeat from* across.

Row 2: Sl1, p31.

Repeat these two rows a total of 16 times. (32 rows worked)

Turn the Heel

Row 1: Sl1, k18, ssk, k1 turn.

Row 2: Sl1, p7, p2tog, p1 turn.

Row 3: Sl1, k8, ssk, k1 turn.

Row 4:  Sl1, p9, p2tog, p1 turn.

Repeat rows 3 & 4, working one additional st before each decrease until all sts have been worked. (20 sts on this needle.)

K20, pick up and k17 sts along the gusset, pm, work rnd 1 of foot chart over the next 32 sts, pm, pick up and k17 sts along the gusset. K10 sts to center heel.  (Place a different m if desired, this is our new start of round position. This m is not included in the Gusset or Toe instructions.)

Gusset

Rnd 1:  K to within 3 sts of the first m, k2tog, k1, sm, work foot chart across 32 sts, sm, k1, ssk, k to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: K to first m, sm, work foot chart across 32 sts, sm, k to end of rnd.

Repeat these two rnds until 32 sts rem on the sole; 64 sts total. (Leave the markers in for ease in working the toe decreases.)

Checking foot length frequently, work foot chart rnds 1-56, across the instep and k all sts across the sole until 2.5 inches [6 cm] less than desired length.  If additional length is desired upon completion of foot chart work the following across the instep sts until desired length.

Rnd 1: K1, p2, k26, p2, k33.

Toe

You *can* resituate your sts so they’re a more traditional way. However, I do my toes this way to help avoid ladders because the decreases aren’t so close to the edges.

Rnd 1:  K to within 3 sts of first m, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to within 3 sts of second m, k2tog, k1, sm, k1, ssk, k to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: K across all sts.

Work these two rnds 8 times; 32 total sts rem.

Repeat rnd 1 (decrease row) 4 more times; 16 sts rem.

K across to first m, resituate sts, if needed, so that all the instep sts are on one needle and all the sole sts are on another.  Cut yarn, leaving a long tail and graft the two sides together using a Kitchener St. (See Knotions Kitchener Tutorial)

Finishing 

Weave in your ends, block if desired and unless you were working two at a time, k the other sock, taking care to match rows.