Schlumbergera Socks

Schlumbergera is a small genus of cacti with 6-9 species found in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. But you probably know it as a Thanksgiving, Easter or Christmas Cactus! With flowers in red, orange, pink and white, this easy-to-grow and -propagate plant is found in many homes, including mine!

Worked in three (or more!) colors, these top-down socks morph from slipped-stitch colorwork to comfy ribbing. Only one color is used at a time. The flowers take very little yarn, so dig out those little 15 gm scraps and put them to good use.

Size

Women’s medium, 8″ [20 cm] circumference.

Yarn

Knit Picks Stroll (75% Merino, 25% Nylon/Polyamide, 231 yds [211 meters]/50 gms[1.76 ounces]), (MC) Forest Heather, 2 balls, (CC) Bare, 1 ball, (CC2) Dogwood Heather, 1 ball

Needles

Size US 1 (2.25 mm): circular or dpns

Notions

Large eyed sewing needle for weaving in ends;

Optional: sock blockers, small crochet hook for working nupps.

Gauge

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

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

5 st nupps

Row 1: (k1, yo, k1, yo, k1) into next st.

Row 2: K5tog.

Elongated stitches

Rnd 1: K1, wrapping the yarn around the needle as many times as designated in the chart.

Rnd 2: Drop the extra loops and slip as a single st.

Pattern Notes

Any fingering weight sock yarn can be used.

Any heel or toe can be substituted if you have a favorite.

Chart

Sock Instructions

Cuff

Using MC, CO 64 sts, pm and join to begin working in the round.

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

Repeat Rnd 1, 16 times.

Work Leg Chart rnds 1 – 15 a total of 3 times, repeating chart 4 times around leg in each rnd.

Next 2 Rnds: Using MC, K.

Rep Rnd 1. Continuing in ribbing as established until leg is desired length.

Heel Set Up

Set-up Row 1: K 16 sts, turn.

Set-up Row 2: Sl1, p31, turn.  (32 sts on this needle.) 

Row 1: *Sl1, k1, rep from * across 32 sts, turn.

Row 2:  Sl1, p31, turn.

Repeat Rows 1 & 2 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.

Continue in this manner, repeating Rows 3 & 4, working one additional st before each dec, until all sts have been worked. 20 sts rem on this needle.

Next Rnd: K20, pick up and k17 sts along the gusset, pm, work in established ribbing across 32 instep sts, pm, pick up and k17 sts along the gusset; k10 sts to center heel. (Place a different m if desired; this is our 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 in established ribbing over 32 instep sts, sm, k1, ssk, k to end of rnd.

Rnd 2: K to first m, sm, work in established ribbing over across 32 instep sts, sm, k to end of round.

Repeat Rnds 1 & 2 until you have 32 sts on the sole. 64 sts total.

Leave the ms in for ease in working the toe decreases.

Checking foot length frequently, continue working in ribbing across instep sts, and St st across k32 sole sts, until 2.5″ [6.5cm] less than the desired length.

Toe

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

Rnd 2: K across all sts.

Rep Rnds 1 & 2 8 times total; 32 total sts rem.

Rep Rnd 1 (decrease rnd) 4 more times; 16 sts rem.

K across to the 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 Stitch.

Finishing

Weave in ends, block if desired, and—unless you were working two-at-a-time—work the other sock, taking care to match row counts from the first sock.