The year is 1880 and Carl Fredrik Engblad starts Gothenburg Tapetfabrik. Completely according to the Swedish version of the Art Nouveau-style prevailing, he based many of the patterns from the Swedish fauna.

This wallpaper with ornate poppies is a shining example and comes from the large archive with original wallpaper Boråstapeter has in their possession. This is where the inspiration for these socks came from.

The socks are to be knit top down with a twisted rib cuff, traditional slip stitch heel flap and riverbed gusset. The lace design is made up of twisted decreases and eyelet trails.

Yarn

Recommended Yarns:  Bugbear Woolens Gemstone Sock Yarn 75% superwash merino, 25% nylon, 463 yards (401 meters) / 100 grams.

Needles

US 1/ 2.25 mm, your choice of dpns, two circulars, or one long circular to work in the rnd.

Notions

Stitch markers (optional).

Gauge

32 sts, 44 rnds = 4 inches (10 cm) over stockinette stitch in the rnd.

Size

Women’s small (medium, large), to fit 7 (8, 9) inches/18 (20, 23) cm foot/leg.

Charts

Setup

Chart A

Chart B

Chart C

Chart D

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

LLT – Left leaning twisted decrease – slip one purlwise, slip one knitwise, move both stitches back to the left hand needle and k2tog.

RLT – Right leaning twisted decrease – slip one knitwise, slip one purlwise and knit together through the back loops.

K2tog Twist (slants left)
Insert right needle purlwise into the first st and, while still in the st, insert into the next st on the needle through the front as if to knit; knit the two sts together taking care to draw the loop through both sts.

SSK Twist (slants right) – Wyib, slip 1 st purlwise onto cn; hold to back. Sl 1 purlwise from left needle onto right needle. Sl 1 knitwise from cn onto right needle. Insert left needle into front loops of slipped sts. K2tog from this position as you would a standard ssk.

If you prefer, you can watch this video from Audknits:

Sock

CO 56 (64, 72) sts and commence working in the rnd using magic loop method (or preferred method of small diameter knitting).

Cuff

Work cuff in twisted 1×1 rib (k1tbl, p1) for 16 rnds. (1.50 inch/3.8 cm) from cast on edge) End at the beg of rnd.

Leg

Work the Socks Charts starting with the Set-up Chart, twice per rnd, continuing with Charts A through D, until the socks measure 7 (8, 9) inches/18 (20, 23) cm total from the cast on edge, or until desired length.  End at the beg of rnd.

Heel Flap

The heel flap is worked back and forth just on the heel sts (the back half of the sock). Slip heel sts onto needle shaft.; 28 (32, 36 sts). The remaining sts will not be worked during the heel flap or heel turn.
With RS facing, work back and forth as follows:
Row 1:  *Sl 1 purlwise, k1. Repeat from * to end.
Row 2:  Sl 1 purlwise, p to end.
Repeat these 2 rows until 28 (32, 36) rows are complete.

Heel Turn

Note: Sl 1 = slip 1 purlwise

Row 1: (RS) K 15 (18, 29), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 2: (WS) Sl 1, p 5 (7, 7), p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 3: (RS) Sl 1, k 6 (8, 8), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 4: (WS) Sl 1, p 7 (9, 9), p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 5: (RS) Sl 1, k 8 (10, 10), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 6: (WS) Sl 1, p 9 (11, 11), p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 7: (RS) Sl 1, k 10 (12, 12), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 8: (WS) Sl 1, p 11 (13, 13), p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 9: (RS) Sl 1, k 12 (14, 14), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 10: (WS) Sl 1, p 13 (15, 15), p2tog, p1. Turn.

Row 11: (RS) Sl 1, k 14 (16, 16), ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 12: (WS) Sl 1, p 15 (17, 17), p2tog, p1. Turn. (18 sts rem for size Small)

Stop here for size Small

Row 13: (RS) Sl 1, k 16, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 14: (WS) Sl 1, p 17, p2tog, p1. Turn. (20 sts rem for size Medium)

Stop here for size Medium

Row 15: (RS) Sl 1, k 17, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 16: (WS) Sl 1, p 18, p2tog, p1. Turn. (22 sts rem for size Large)

Shape Riverbed Gusset

Rnd 1: (Dec Rnd)

Heel: Knit to marker, slip marker, ssk, knit to 2 sts bef second marker, k2tog. Knit remainder sts on needle 1.

Instep: Work even. (continue chart)

Rnd 2: Work even.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until there are 2 sts between the markers.

Work Second Riverbed Gusset

On needle one there should be 32 (36, 40) sts. Move the markers over 2 sts before and after the other markers.

Continue Rnds 1 and 2 of Riverbed Gusset (above) until there are 56 (64, 72)  sts rem.

These numbers might need adjusting if more or less stitches picked up.

For more information please see  Turtlegirl’s Blog post on making double gussets.

Optional Traditional Heel Gusset

Work across heel sts, pick up 14 (16, 18) sts along the side of the heel.

Pick up a st from the row below the first instep st to prevent a hole.

Work across instep sts, continuing chart.

Pick up a st from the row below the first heel st to prevent a hole. Pick up 14 (16, 18) sts along the side of the heel.  Work remainder of heel sts.

Work across instep sts – continue chart. This is the new beg of rnd.

Optional Traditional Heel Shape Gusset

Rnd 1: (Dec Rnd)

Heel: K1, ssk, knit to 3 sts from end. K2tog, k1.

Instep: Work even. (continue chart)

Rnd 2: Work even.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until there are 56 (64, 72) sts rem.

Foot

Continue working on the Sock Chart that was left off until foot measures 1.5 (1.75, 2) inches/3.8 (4.45, 5) cm shorter than the desired length, ending on row 30 of any chart depending on which is being worked. Complete instep sts. This is the new beg of rnd.

Shape Toe

Rnd 1 (decrease rnd):

Sole: K1, ssk, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Instep: K1, ssk, work to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.

Rnd 2 (plain rnd): Work even.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until 36 (40, 44) total sts rem.

Work decrease rnd only until 16 sts rem. [8 instep sts, 8 sole sts]

Finishing

Holding N1 and N2 together, graft sts using Kitchener Stitch.

Weave in ends.

Work second sock.