Walking on Clouds Socks

Most of the days the clouds are in the sky. Have you noticed how different they can be? I often look up at them and dream flying through the clouds and above. The large fluffy type of clouds, which almost look like cotton balls or piles of cotton candy up in the sky are called cumulus, one of the most common and distinctive types of clouds.

I came along with the stitch pattern which reminded me of big and fluffy clouds I decided to use it for designing a sock pattern. The cloud pattern goes all the way up from toes to the top creating lacy ribbing on  the cuffs. Some ribbing is incorporated in the main pattern as well to keep the socks snug and cozy.

Enjoy walking on clouds!

Size

• Women’s size medium

Sock foot circumference un-stretched 8.5’’/21 cm, stretches to 9’’/23 cm

Yarn

Sock yarn. Knit Picks Stroll, Cascade Yarns Heritage or similar.

100 gr / 3.5 ounces = 440 yards /400 m total;

75 – 80 gr / 2.6 – 2.8 ounces

Needles

Needles 1½ US / 2.5 mm – double point needles (dpn)

Notions

Tapestry needle

Gauge

• 32 sts x 44 rows = 4×4’ / 100 x 100 mm in stockinette stitch

Finished size

• These socks knit per given gauge yields medium width women socks.

Sock foot circumference un-stretched 8.5’’,21 cm stretches to 9’’/23 cm

• Foot length: 10” / 25 cm, adjustable to fit, directions given in pattern
• Leg length from floor: 10” / 25 cm, adjustable to fit

Abbreviations

Please see our standard abbreviations.

wws         work wrapped stitch

On knit side: knit to first wrapped st (single or double), pick up front leg of wrap(s) from front to back and place on the left needle, k2tog tbl (k3tog tbl for double wrapped stitches; knit wrap(s) and wrapped st together).

On purl side: purl to first wrapped st (single or double), pick up back leg of wrap(s) from back to front and place on the left needle, p2tog tbl (p3tog tbl for double wrapped stitches; purl wrap(s) and wrapped st together).

Chart

Pattern Notes

The pattern is written in one width due to the character of the charts. The stretchy quality of lace makes it fit most leg widths, however you could adjust the pattern to fit a wider or narrower foot by going up/down a needle size. A small gusset is incorporated in the pattern to give more room around the heel, however it can be omitted.

The lace pattern is charted. The lace pattern repeat is 16 sts, boxed in the chart.

Socks

Toe   

CO 24 sts on two needles (with 12 stitches on each needle) using Judy’s Magic Cast On method¹, Figure-eight cast-on method² or your preferred method for toe-up knitting.

Knit first 12 sts, knit next 12 sts through the back loop, at the same time dividing stitches on four needles.

Start knitting in rnds and increase for the toe as follows:

Rnd 1:          Instep:    needle 1: k1, kfb, k to end; needle 2: k to the last 2 sts, kfb, k1.

Sole:       needle 3: k1, kfb, k to end; needle 4: k to the last 2 sts, kfb, k1.

Rnd 2:          Knit.

Repeat Rnds 1 and 2 until the toe reaches 64 sts total.

Foot

Knit 15 rnds in stockinette stitch. Slip one st from the third needle to the second needle (33 sts for the top of the foot, 31 sts for the sole).

Next Rnd: Start following the lace pattern chart for instep (worked on first and second needle). Continue knitting in plain stockinette for the sole of foot on the third and fourth needles.

Knit chart rows 1 – 22.

Knit chart rows 23 – 34, making knit sts instead of symbols in cells filled in blue.

Gusset

Knit chart rows 35 – 46, repeat the chart twice + one st over 33 sts. At the same time, start increasing for the gusset by m1R at the beginning of the third needle and m1L at the end of the fourth needles on every odd row, six times. Start gusset when the length is 3”/ 7.5 cm less than desired length of foot (on row 35 in chart for women medium foot length. Remember to measure first).

Start knitting the short row heel when the length is 2”/ 5 cm less than desired length of foot (on row 46 in chart for women medium foot length).

Short Row Heel

After gusset increases there are 6 gusset sts + 31 sts for heel + 6 gusset sts = 43 sts all together on third and fourth needle. The heel is worked over 31 heel stitches knitting back and forth in rows on third and fourth needle, omitting gusset sts. Any short row method can be used. The pattern describes the wrap and turn method⁴ only. 

Short row shaping

Row 1: Knit to 1 st before the end of the heel (k30), w&t.

Row 2: Purl to 1 st before the end of the heel (p29), w&t.

Row 3: knit to st before first wrapped st, w&t.

Row 4: Purl to st before first wrapped st, w&t.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until there are all together 11 unwrapped stitches on the needles (ending after row 4), and 10 wrapped stitches (and six gusset sts) on each side.

Reverse short row shaping

Row 1: Knit to the first wrapped st, wws, w&t

Row 2: Purl to the first wrapped st, wws, w&t

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until one wrapped st (and six gusset sts) remains on each side of heel ending after row 2. Knit across heel stitches and unwrap last stitch (wws, do not turn, one wrapped st still remains on the purl side). Continue working in rounds. On the first round work the last remaining wrapped st (wws as previous on knit rows, do not turn).  Follow the chart rows 23 – 46 over 33 sts on the top of the leg. Decrease the gusset by an ssk at the beginning of the third needle and a k2tog at the end of the fourth needle on every odd row six times.

When all gusset sts are decreased start to knit in the lace pattern in rounds, knitting four lace repeats all around the leg. Slip one st from the second needle back to the third needle (16 sts on each needle).

Total 64 sts.

Leg  

Knit in rounds, repeating the lace pattern rows 23 – 46 in frame four times per round.

Continue knitting in the round until leg reaches desired height minus 1.5″ / 4 cm for cuff. Finish knitting in the lace pattern so that the last round is row 46 from the lace chart.

Cuff

Knit chart rows 47 – 57. Repeat row 57 at least three more times. Move the first st from needle 1 onto needle 4.

*Knit 1, slip 1 wyf*, one round.

*Slip 1 wyb, p 1*, one round

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving the end four times longer than circumference of the cuff.

Bind off loosely with tapestry needle⁵.

Cut the yarn and weave in the ends.

Soak and block the socks.

¹ Judy’s Magic Cast On method:

https://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html

² Figure–eight cast-on method:

https://www.knitnowmag.co.uk/how-to/item/205-how-to-figure-of-eight-cast-on

³ m1l, m1r video instructions

https://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/increases

⁴ Short row heel

⁵ Tubular bind off

https://www.knittinghelp.com/video/play/tubular-bind-off

Happy knitting!