Step Aside Socks

I love slipped stitches. They are a quick and easy way to add interest and texture to any knitting project. If you cross slipped stitches over a field of stockinette, it’s even more true. This design does something unusual—the slipped stitches are formed in stockinette columns, but cross to meet in the purl section of a rib. It makes it look like the stitches have decided to “step aside” from the path laid out for them. In a solid or semisolid color, the sock looks beautiful and classic. Variegated yarns get a chance to really shine in this sock, as the stitch pattern breaks up pooling. This is a great pattern for those beautiful, wild skeins that you can’t resist buying but don’t quite know what to do with. The stitch pattern is simple, perfect for travel knitting or for social knitting.

Yarn

Meadowlake Arts MCN (80% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon; 383 yds [350 m]/100g): Blue Shift, 1 (1, 2) skeins.

Needle

Size US 1.5 (2.5mm): dpns or circulars

Or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge

33 sts and 44 rnds = 4″ [10cm] in St st

40 sts and 44 rnds = 4″ [10cm] in patt after blocking, unstretched.

Sizes

S (M, L): 7 (8, 9)” [17.75 (20.25, 23) cm] foot circumference, unstretched

7” [17.75cm] long leg

Notions

Stitch marker, cable needle, tapestry needle, stitch holder or waste yarn (optional).

Abbreviations

See the Standard Abbreviations.

Tutorials

Stretchy Long tail CO

How to Read a Knitting Chart

Knit Through the Back Loop (ktbl)

Cable Without a Cable Needle

Picking Up Stitches For a Heel Flap

Kitchener Stitch

Pattern Notes

These socks are worked in the round from the top down, with the pattern worked around the cuff and on the instep.
The number of stitches for each size may seem high. This is because the stitch pattern has less give than many rib patterns.
The instructions are written for double pointed needles (dpns). Two circular needles or the Magic Loop could be substituted.
If substituting yarn: size L required approx. 430 yds in the test knit for a Size 11 Woman’s foot.

Charts

Chart A (S and L)

Chart B (M)

Sock Instructions

CO 64 (72, 80) sts using a flexible cast on such as the Old Norwegian or Long Tail CO. Pm for BOR and join to knit in the round, making sure not to twist sts.

Cuff

Rnd 1: *K2, p4, k2 (3, 2); rep from * to the end of the rnd.

Rep Rnd [1] 14 more times or to desired cuff length.

Leg

Note: Sl sts pwise.

Set Up

Rnds 1 & 2: *K1 (2, 1), sl1, k1, p2, k1, sl1, k1; rep from * to the end of the rnd.

Rnd 3: *K1 (2, 1), LSSC, RSSC, k1; rep from * to the end of the rnd.

Leg Pattern

Begin working the Step Aside Pattern, using either Chart A (S and L) or Chart B (M), or written directions below.

Rep Rnds [1-4] until leg measures 7″ (17.75cm) from CO or to desired length.

Heel Flap and Heel Turn

Note: The heel flap is worked flat over the first 32 (37, 40) sts. The rem 32 (35, 40) sts of the rnd should be held on waste yarn, needle holder, or spare needles to keep them out of the way while the flap is being worked.

There are separate setup rnds for each size.

S Setup Row (RS): K1, ssk, k to the last 3 sts of flap, k2tog, k1; 2 sts dec, 30 sts.

M Setup Row (RS): K5, (k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5) 2 times, k2tog, k4; 5 sts dec, 32 sts.

L Setup Row (RS):K7, (ssk, k6) 2 times, k2tog, k6, k2tog, k7; 4 sts dec, 36 sts.

Row 1 (WS):Sl1, p to end of row.

Row 2 (RS): *Sl1, k1; rep from * to end of row.

Rep Rows [1-2] 13 (14, 16) more times, then rep Row 1 once more (total of 30 (32, 36) rows for the heel flap, counting the setup).

Heel Turn

Row 1 (RS): K17 (18, 20), ssk, k1, turn.

Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.

Row 3: Sl1, k to 1 st before gap, ssk, k1, turn.

Row 4: Sl1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog, p1, turn.

Rep Rows [3-4] until all sts have been worked. For M and L sizes, omit the final k1 (Row 3) and p1 (Row 4) on the last rep; 18 (18, 20) sts rem.

Gusset and Foot

In this section, the sts are distributed over 3 needles (N1, N2, N3) and directions refer to these. The pattern continues down the instep sts on N2. Sole sts are split over N1 and N3. For a plain foot, k all sts on N2.

Gusset Shaping

Setup Rnd 1: K across heel sts. With N1, pu&k 16 (17, 19) sts along the left side of heel flap; with N2, work Leg Pattern as established across 32 (35, 40) instep sts; with N3, pu&k 16 (17, 19) sts, k across the first 9 (9, 10) sts of the heel sts. Slide rem 9 (9, 10) heel sts to N1. Pm for BOR; 82 (87, 98) sts.

Setup Rnd 2: N1: k9 (9, 10), ktbl 13 (14, 16) sts, k2tog, k1; N2: work in established patt; N3: k1, ssk, ktbl 13 (14, 16) sts, k9 (9, 10); 2 sts dec, 80 (85, 96) sts.

Rnd 1: N1:k. N2: work in patt. N3: k.

Rnd 2: N1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; N2: work in patt; N3: k1, ssk, k to end of rnd; 2 sts dec.

Rep Rnds [1 & 2] 8 (8, 9) times; 62 (67, 76) sts rem:15 (16, 18) on N1 & N3, 32 (35, 40) on N2.

Foot

Rnd 1:N1: k; N2: work in patt; N3: k.

Rep Rnd 1 until foot is approx. 1.5 (1.75, 2)” [3 (4.5, 5) cm] shorter than desired length. End after a Rnd 4 or Rnd 1.

Toe

S Set Up Rnd:N1: k; N2: k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; N3: k; 2 sts dec, 60 sts.

M Set Up Rnd:N1: k; N2: k1, ssk, k14, k2tog, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; N3: k; 3 sts dec; 64 sts.

L Set Up Rnd:N1: k; N2: k1, ssk, k7, ssk, k16, k2tog, k7, k2tog, k1; N3: k; 4 sts dec; 72 sts.

Rnd 1: N1: k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; N2: k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; N3: k1, ssk, k to end of the rnd; 4 sts dec; 56 (60, 68) sts.

Rnd 2: K to end of rnd.

Rep Rnds [1 & 2] 8 (9, 11) times; 24 sts rem. K the sts from N1 to N3.

Finishing

Graft toe together using Kitchener stitch, and weave in ends on the WS. Wash and block to measurements.

About the Designer: Jill Bickers

After a rocky start with knitting as a teenager, Jill Bickers found herself obsessed with knitting twenty years later. She has several projects going at any given time, including at least one pair of socks and a shawl. She knits while listening to audiobooks, watching TV, travelling (but not driving!), and in waiting rooms. You can find her designs on Ravelry at https://www.ravelry.com/designers/jill-bickers.