A Walk in the Woods sock by Mary E. Rose

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to knit, some strong solid cables or squishy textured stitches. Sometimes I want to knit lace, or just plain garter stitch. But sometimes, sometimes, I feel like a kid in a candy shop and I want it all! Cables, lace leaves and textured borders highlight these cuff down socks, designed with an adventurous knitter in mind, that take you on a walk through the woods at a park near my house. There are bumpy, wooded trails leading along the side of the creek, which winds its way through the park. Hidden in the undergrowth you can spot wild trillium and plenty of ivy. Won’t you take a walk through the woods with me?

Size

64 stitch sock, Foot and Leg length customizable.

Yarn

Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn, 75% Merino Superwash, 25% Nylon 437 yards/100 grams Sample shown in Dusty Turquoise 5704

Needles

Size US 1 (2.5 mm): double points or circular needles for working in the round.

Notions

Stitch markers, cable needle, large eyed tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in ends. Optional: sock blockers

Gauge

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

Pattern Notes

This pattern is worked in the round from the top down. It includes a slipped stitch heel flap and rounded toe.

Charts

Chart A

Chart B

Chart C

Errata added on September 4, 2019

SOCK

Cuff

CO 64 sts and join to begin working the rnd, being careful not to twist.

Work Knit 1 *P2, k 2* until 3 sts rem p2, k 1 for 1.5 inches. (4cm)

Work Chart A on the first 32 sts, noting the increase that is worked only on Rnd 1 the first time through the chart, work Chart B on the second 32 sts, rnds 1-24 a total of 3 times. [65 sts total] A total of 72 rnds worked.

Heel Flap

Set up row: Do not work the sts that contain Chart A, immediately turn your work and Slip1, purl 31 sts.

We will now work flat.

Row 1: *Slip 1, k 1* across

Row 2: Slip 1, p 31

Repeat these two rows a total of 16 times.

Turn the Heel

Row 1: Sl 1, k 18 , ssk, k1 turn

Row 2: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1 turn

Row 3: Sl 1, k8, ssk, k1 turn

Rep rows 2 and 3 (continuing in this manner), working one additional stitch before each decrease until all sts have been worked. [20 sts on your needle.]

Knit 20, pick up and knit 17 sts along the gusset, place marker if desired, knit Chart A over the next 33 sts, place marker if desired. Pick up and knit 17 sts along the gusset. Knit 10 sts to center heel. (Place a different marker if desired, this is our start of rnd position, but does not need to be at the end of a needle. This marker is not included in the Gusset or Toe instructions.)

Gusset

Rnd 1: Knit to within 3 sts of the first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, work Chart A across 33 sts, slip marker, k1, ssk and then knit across the rest of the row.

Rnd 2: Knit to first marker, slip marker, work Chart A across 33 sts, slip marker, knit to end of rnd.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 32 sts on the insole. 65 sts total. (Leave the markers in for ease of working the toe decreases.) Continue without further shaping to the end of row 24 of Chart A. (65 sts total remain)

Checking foot length frequently work Chart C, toe decreases can be worked concurrently with the chart if needed for foot length. Upon completion of Chart C work all knits every rnd, if needed, until 2.5 inches (6.5 cm) less than desired length.

Toe

Rnd 1: Knit to within 3 sts of first marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk, work to within 3 sts of second marker, k2tog, k1, slip marker, k1, ssk, and complete rnd.

Rnd 2: Knit across all sts.

Knit these two rnds 8 times, 32 total sts remain.

Repeat Rnd 1 (decrease rnd) 4 more times (16 sts rem)

Knit across to first marker, rearranging the sts on the needles as you go, so that all the instep sts are on one needle and all the insole sts are on the other. Cut yarn leaving a 16 inch tail and graft the two sides together using a Kitchener Stitch.

Finishing

Finishing instructions

Weave in your ends, block if desired and unless you were working two at a time, knit the second sock, taking care to match row counts from first sock.

About the Designer – Mary E. Rose

Mary learned to knit as a young child and it has had an impact on her life ever since. As a teen, when her friends were getting jobs at fast food restaurants, Mary worked at her LYS, where the hours and working conditions were much better. As with many knitters, when she couldn’t find patterns for what she wanted to knit, she started designing her own.

She currently lives in Central Ohio with her three children, who also craft. She can be found on Ravelry and her blog, or with knitting needles in hand, guarding her stash.