Kaibishira

Named after the sushi term for the eye of the scallop (i.e. the yummy part), this sock was conceived on a recent trip to Tokyo after I scored a pair of Japanese stitch dictionaries from the yarn section in the large department store Matsuyo.  Made from a single ball of SWTC Tofutsies sock yarn, which contains antibacterial chitin (made from ground-up bits of shell from various sea creatures), this is the perfect summer sock – airy, lightweight and guaranteed not to make you sweat.

Sizes

Foot circumference: 8 inches (20 cm)
Cuff length: 6 inches (15 cm)

Yarn

Southwest Trading Company Tofutsies (50% superwash wool, 25% soysilk, 22.5% cotton, 2.5% chitin; 465 yd [425 m] per 100g skein]: color #724 Foot The Bill: 1 skein

Needles

US #2 (2.5 mm): 1 set of 4 double-pointed needles or 2 24-inch circular needles

Gauge

32 sts and 40 rows = 4 inches (10 cm) in stockinette stitch

Notions

Tapestry needle.

Abbreviations

Please see our standard list of abbreviations.

Kaibashira Lace

over 11 sts and 12 rnds

Rnd 1: *K2tog twice, (yo, k1) three times, yo, ssk twice; rep from * to end.
Rnds 2-4: Knit.
Rnds 5-8: Rep Rnds 1-4.
Rnd 9: Rep Rnd 1.
Rnd 10: Purl.
Rnd 11: Knit.
Rnd 12: Purl.

Cuff

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CO 187 sts and divide across two circular needles as foll:

Needle 1 – 99 sts, Needle 2 – 88 sts OR across three dpns as foll: Needles 1 & 2 – 66 sts, Needle 3 – 55 sts.  Join without twisting and beg working in the rnd.

Rnd 1:  *K2, knit next st and slip it back to left needle, lift next 8 sts on left needle over this st and off needle, yo twice, knit the first st on left needle again; rep from * around.
Rnd 2:  *P2tog, drop one loop of double YO off left needle and then kfb into rem large st, p1; rep from * around.  68 sts rem.
Rnd 3:  *K32, k2tog; rep from * once more.  66 sts rem.  If working on two circulars, arrange sts so there are 33 sts on each needle.  If working on dpns, arrange sts so there are 22 sts on each of three needles.
Rnd 4:  Purl.
Rnd 5: Knit.
Rnd 6:  Purl.

Next rnd: Beg working in Kaibashira Lace patt.  Work until leg measures 6 inches from top of cuff.

Heel Flap

The heel flap will be worked back and forth on 33 sts.  If working on dpns, when working Row 1 for the first time, work the first 11 sts from Needle 2 onto Needle 1 so that there are 33 sts on the heel needle.  If working on two circulars, simply work back and forth on the 33 sts already on Needle 1.

Row 1 (RS): (Sl1, k1) to end of row.
Row 2: Sl1, purl to end of row.
Rep Rows 1-2 15 times more.  There should be 16 chain sts on each side of the heel flap.

Turn the heel as foll (still working back and forth on the heel needle):

Row 1 (RS):  K18, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2: Sl1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl1, knit to last st before gap, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 4: Sl1, purl to last st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Rep Rows 3-4 until all side sts have been worked; 19 sts rem on heel needle.

Shape Heel Gusset (dpns)

Knit across the heel sts.  Working up the side of the heel flap (still with the heel needle), pick up and knit 16 sts.  This is now Needle 1 again.

Work the next 33 sts onto a single needle (Needle 2) in Kaibashira Lace as established.

Using an empty dpn (Needle 3), pick up and knit 16 sts down the other side of the heel flap.  Then, knit 9 sts from Needle 1 onto Needle 3.

Gusset Rnd 1: Needle 1 – knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; Needle 2 – work in patt as established; Needle 3 – k1, ssk, knit to end of needle.
Gusset Rnd 2:  Needle 1 – knit all sts; Needle 2 – work in patt; Needle 3 – knit all sts.

Rep Gusset Rnds 1-2 until there are 17 sts rem on Needle 1 and 16 sts rem on Needle 3.  (66 sts total)

Shape Heel Gusset (two circulars)

Knit across the heel sts.  Working up the side of the heel flap (still with Needle 1), pick up and knit 16 sts.

Work the 33 sts on Needle 2 in Kaibashira Lace as established.

Gusset Rnd 1: Using the empty end of Needle 1, pick up and knit 16 sts down the other side of the heel flap, knit to the last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; Needle 2 – work in patt as established.
Gusset Rnd 2:  Needle 1 – K1, k2tog, knit to end of needle; Needle 2 – work in patt.
Gusset Rnd 3:  Needle 1 – Knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; Needle 2 – work in patt.

Rep Gusset Rnds 2-3 until there are 33 sts rem on Needle 1.  (66 sts total)

Foot

Cont working sts on Needle 1 (and Needle 3, if on dpns) in St st.  Cont working sts on Needle 2 in patt.

Work until foot measures approx 2 inches less than desired finished length, ending after completing Rnd 12 of Kaibashira Lace patt on Needle 2.

Shape Toe (dpns)

Toe shaping will start with Needle 3 and end with Needle 2.

Rnd 1:  Needle 3 – K1, ssk, knit to end of needle; Needle 1 – knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; Needle 2 – K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 2:  Knit all sts.

Rep Rnds 1-2 5 more times (there are 42 sts left).  Then, rep Rnd 1 only until there are 10 sts left.  If you are grafting the toe closed, skip to Finishing.  Otherwise, rep Rnd 1 until there are 6 sts left.

Shape Toe (two circulars)

Rnd 1:  Needle 1 – K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; Needle 2 – K1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
Rnd 2:  Knit all sts.

Rep Rnds 1-2 5 more times (there are 42 sts left).  Then, rep Rnd 1 only until there are 10 sts left.  If you are grafting the toe closed, skip to Finishing.  Otherwise, rep Rnd 1 until there are 6 sts left.

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a 12 inch tail.  If working on dpns, place sts from Needles 1 & 3 on single needle.  Graft toes using Kitchener Stitch or, if you decreased down to 6 sts, simply pull yarn tail through those rem sts, pull tight and fasten off.

Weave in ends.