Domesticated thousands of years ago in the Pacific Ocean islands for their nutritional properties, bananas are now one of the most cultivated fruits in the world. One of their hidden properties is to be slightly more radiative than common fruits which means bananas emit more radioactive radiation than your everyday apple (but don’t worry, you would have to eat 10,000,000 bananas at once or more than 270 bananas a day for 7 years to die from banana radiation poisoning!).

Worked from the toe up, the Radiative socks showcase two different travelling stitch patterns on a reverse stockinette background: the “Banana Plantation” and the “Liana Jungle”. Despite its intricate patterning, these socks keep good elasticity allowing wearing comfort.

{Curious to hear more about Chloé? Read her interview.}

Size

S (M, L) to fit foot circumference of 7.5 (8.25, 9)” [19 (21, 23) cm]

Shown in size M (EU 39)

Yarn

Hedgehog Fibre Arts Sock (90% superwash merino, 10% nylon; 440 yards [400 meters]/100 grams): Color Banana Legs, 1 (1, 1) skein

Needles

Size US 1.5 (2.5 mm): 16” circular needle for magic loop, or double pointed needles, or two circular needles to work in the round.

Notions

2 cable needles; tapestry needle

Gauge

36 sts and 48 rows = 4” [10 cm] in St st after wet blocking.

Schematic

Charts

The central cross cable is mirrored between the left and right leg. On the chart, those stitches are pointed out by 4 yellow stitches which should be worked by either the Left Central Cross for the left leg or the Right Central Cross for the right leg

All sizes are included in the Liana Jungle chart. For the S size, don’t work the outlined stitches. For the M size, work all non-outlined sts AND the green outlined ones. For the L size, work all stitches.

Banana Plantation Chart – M & L Sizes

Banana Plantation Chart – S size

Liana Jungle Chart – all sizes

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

1/1 LC

Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in front, k1, k1 from cable needle.

1/1 LPC

Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in front, p1, k1 from cable needle.

1/1 RC

Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back, k1, k1 from cable needle.

1/1 RPC

Slip 1 stitch to cable needle and hold in back, k1, p1 from cable needle.

1/2/1 LPC

Slip 1 stitch to 1st cable needle and hold in front, slip 2 stitches to 2nd cable needle and hold in back, k1, p2 from 2nd cable needle, k1 from 1st cable needle.

1/2/1 RPC

Slip 1 stitch to 1st cable needle and hold in back, slip 2 stitches to 2nd cable needle and hold in back, k1, p2 from 2nd cable needle, k1 from 1st cable needle.

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in the round from the toe up with a rounded toe and a heel flap. The ribbing and heel flap are worked in pattern.

The pattern is charted.

This pattern is written to be worked in magic loop but can be adapted to be knitted with double pointed needles or two circular needles.

All sizes are included in the Liana Jungle chart. For the S size, don’t work the outlined stitches. For the M size, work all non-surrounded sts AND the green surrounded ones. For the L size, work all stitches.

The S size has its own Banana Plantation chart. The Banana Plantation M and L sizes are provided on the same chart. For the M size, do not work the outlined stitches. For the L size, work every stitch.

All the above is included in the charts. These notes are provided for informational purposes only.

Sock

The first needle (ndl1) will become the top of your sock a.k.a. the instep, the second one (ndl2) will belong under your foot a.k.a. the sole.

Toes

CO 24 sts using Judy’s Magic Cast-On (12 sts on each needle).

Set-up rnd: *K1, m1L, k10, m1R, k1, rep from *; 28 sts

Increase rnd: *K1, m1L, k to one st bef end of ndl, m1R, k1*, rep from *.

Plain rnd: Knit across all sts.

Work increase rnd 0 (1, 2) time(s).

Work (1 increase rnd, 1 plain rnd) 3 (4, 4) times.

Work (1 increase rnd, 2 plain rnds) 1 (1, 1) time.

Work (1 increase rnd, 3 plain rnds) 2 (1, 1) time(s).

Work (1 increase rnd, 4 plain rnds) 0 (1, 1) time.

Work (1 increase rnd, 1 plain rnd) 1 (1, 2) time(s).

At the end of above you will have 56 (64, 72) sts.

Foot

Work every foot round as follows until the sock is 3” [7.5 cm] shorter than the desired final foot length:

Round 1: Work the Banana Plantation across the instep stitches (ndl1), complete round in stockinette.

Gusset increases

Rnd 1: Instep (ndl1) = work the Banana Plantation chart; sole (ndl2) = k1, m1L, k across until 1 st rem, m1R, k1.

Rnd 2: Instep = work the Banana Plantation chart; sole = k across all sts.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 a total of 10 (11, 12) times; 48 (54, 60) sole sts.

Knit across instep in the Banana Plantation chart.

Turning the heel

The heel is now worked back and forth over the sole stitches.

Row 1 (RS): K32 (37, 42), m1L, k1, w&t.

Row 2 (WS): P18 (22, 26), m1P, p1, w&t.

Row 3 (RS): K16 (20, 24), m1L, k1, w&t.

Row 4 (WS): P14 (18, 22), m1P, p1, w&t.

Row 5 (RS): K12 (16, 20), m1L, k1, w&t.

Row 6 (WS): P10 (14, 18), m1P, p1, w&t.

Row 7 (RS): K8 (12, 16), m1L, k1, w&t.

Row 8 (WS): P6 (10, 14), m1P, p1, w&t.

Row 9 (RS, M & L sizes only): K0 (8, 12), m1L, k1, w&t.

Row 10 (WS, M & L sizes only): P0 (6, 10), m1P, p1, w&t.

You will have 56 (64, 70) sts on your sole ndl.

For all sizes, knit across the sole sts, knitting each wrap together with the stitch it wraps {see our article on picking up wraps}. Work across the instep in the Banana Plantation chart.

Heel Flap

Row 1 (RS): K41 (47, 52) knitting each wrap together with the st it wraps, ssk, turn. {see our article on picking up wraps}

Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p26 (30, 34), p2tog, turn.

At this point, you should have 13 (15, 16) unworked stitches on either side of the center 28 (32, 36) heel stitches. A ssk or p2tog followed by turning the work, slipping this stitch and working to the opposite side creates a gap in the knitted fabric. It marks out which stitches have been worked or not.

S size – Row 3 (RS): (Sl2, k1) 3 times, (sl1, k2) 3 times, sl1, (k1, sl2) twice, k1, sl1, ssk, turn.

M size – Row 3 (RS): (Sl1, k1) twice, (sl2, k1) twice, (sl1, k1) 3 times, (k1, sl1) 3 times, (k1, sl2) twice, k1, sl1, k1, ssk, turn.

L size – Row 3 (RS): Sl1, (k1, sl2) 3 times, k1, sl1, k1, sl2, (k1, sl1, k1) twice, sl2, k1, sl1, (k1, sl2) 3 times, k1, ssk, turn.

Row 4 (WS): Sl1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, turn.

The decreases are being worked to join the heel flap with the gusset. You will not need to pick up any stitches. Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until all but one st on either side of the center heel st have been worked. You will be at the end of a WS row (R4).

S size – Row 5 (RS): (Sl2, k1) 3 times, (sl1, k2) 3 times, sl1, (k1, sl2) twice, k1, sl1, ssk, pick up a st beneath the last heel st and the first instep st, turn.

M size – Row 5 (RS): (Sl1, k1) twice, (sl2, k1) twice, (sl1, k1) 3 times, (k1, sl1) 3 times, (k1, sl2) twice, k1, sl1, k1, ssk, pick up a st beneath the last heel st and the first instep st,  turn.

L size – Row 5 (RS): Sl1, (k1, sl2) 3 times, k1, sl1, k1, sl2, (k1, sl1, k1) twice, sl2, k1, sl1, (k1, sl2) 3 times, k1, ssk, pick up a st beneath the last heel st and the first instep st,  turn.

Row 6 (WS): sl2, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, pick up a st beneath the first instep st and the last heel st, turn.

Row 7 (RS): ssk, k to 2 sts before the end of row, k2tog.

This will help prevent forming a hole at the junction of the heel with the rest of the sock.

Your heel is now completed.

You will be back to 28 (32, 36) sts on your sole needle (ndl2).

You will now start to knit in the round again.

Leg

Work every leg round as follows:

Work the current row of the Banana Plantation chart, work the current row of the Liana Jungle chart (starting with round 1)

Work as est for a total of 83 rnds (2 full Liana Jungle repeats plus Rnds 1-3).

Ribbing

Work 14 rows of the following ribbing:

S size: *P1, k1, (p1, k2) 3 times, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1, (k2, p1) 3 times, k1, p1, repeat from *.

M size: *P1, (k2, p1) 5 times, (p1, k2) 5 times, p1, repeat from *.

L size: *K1, (p1, k2) 3 times, p1, k1, p1, k2, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1, k2, p1, k1, (p1, k2) 3 times, p1, k1, repeat from *.

BO all sts using an elastic BO.

Finishing

Weave in all ends. Wash and gently block.