SUMMER SOCKS FANCY
DIFFICULTY = Very hard
YARN = SUMMER SOCKS FANCY by LAINES DU NORD, 1 ball = 2 socks
CIRCULAR NEEDLES = 2.75 mm and 3.00 mm tips, with a thin, flexible 30 cm cable
OTHERS = darning needles, pins, scissors, stitch markers
Stockinette stitch in the round: knit all rounds.
Stockinette stitch in back-and-forth rows: on RS rows, knit all sts; on WS rows, purl all sts.
German short-row stockinette stitch.
R 1: slip the 1st st k-wise, simultaneously wrapping the yarn over the needle to create a double stitch, knit to the indicated point.
R 2: slip the 1st st p-wise, simultaneously wrapping the yarn over the needle to create a double stitch, purl to the indicated point.
In the following rows work the double st as a single st.
RS = right side of work
WS = wrong side of work
SM = stitch marker
r = row/s
st/sts = stitch/es
k = knit
ktbl = knit through the back loop (insert the right needle into the back loop of the next stitch on the left needle and knit)
yo = yarn over
tog = together
bind off = bind off the stitches using the skp technique (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over).
rep = repeat
foll = follow
Fits size EU 39/40 foot
Procedure
DETAILED PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS
Toe cast-on
Use circular needles with 2.75 tips.
Make a small slipknot and place it on one needle. Hold both needles together, one on top of the other, with the needle holding the slipknot underneath.
Using the tail end, cast on 12 sts onto both needles: wrap the yarn around both needles 12 times, from outside to inside. Hold the last loop in place with your index finger and carefully slide the bottom needle forward (the sts will remain on the cable). Using the working yarn, knit 12 sts into the loops on the top needle, working them loosely to allow for easy movement. Gently pull the cable to realign both needles, positioning the needle with the 12 k sts underneath the needle with the 12 unworked loops.
Slide the bottom needle forward, leaving the 12 k sts on the cable. Using the empty needle, knit 12 sts from the loops on the top needle. Reposition both needles, ensuring 12 k sts on each needle.
From the next round, begin making increases on both sides of the toe. Always ensure that the working yarn is positioned below the bottom needle before starting a new round.
Round 2: slide the bottom needle forward and begin working the sts on the top needle. Increases are always made after the first st and before the last st on each needle. Then work k1, yo, k10, yo, k1. Pull the cable to realign the needles, rotate them so that the worked sts and the working yarn are positioned below the other needle. Slide the bottom needle forward and rep the increase sequence on the top needle: k1, yo, k10, yo, k1. [28 sts total]
Round 3: knit all sts on both needles, knitting the 4 yo tbl.
Rounds 4 to 15: rep rounds 2 and 3, increasing 4 sts every other round, until there are 52 sts in total at the end of round 15 (= 4 increases each round 2, 6 times).
Instep and sole of the sock
Reposition the sts so that the needle with the working yarn is behind the other needle. Slide the back needle forward and begin working on the front needle sts.
Rounds 16 to 70 (13 cm): work stockinette st on the same number of sts (26 sts per needle).
From the next round, begin increasing again. At this stage, increases are worked to widen the foot before shaping the actual heel. Set up the work as follows:
Round 71: k26 on the 1st needle, while on the 2nd needle work k1, yo, k24, yo, k1. [54 sts]
Round 72: knit all sts, knitting the 2 yo tbl.
Round 73: k26 on the 1st needle, while on the 2nd needle work k1, yo, knit to 1 st before the end, yo, k1 in the last st.
Round 74: knit all sts, knitting the 2 yo tbl.
Rounds 75 to 94: rep rounds 73 and 74, 9 times. [At the end of round 74, there will be 26 sts on the 1st needle and 52 sts on the 2nd needle]
The 26 sts correspond to the instep of the sock, while the 52 sts correspond to the sides and the sole. Continue working only on the 26 central sts of the 52-st group to shape the heel, while leaving the remaining sts on hold. Place a SM in the 1st st and the 26th st of the heel.
Heel
Work stockinette stitch using the German short-row technique over the 26 heel sts for 14 rows, reducing the st count back to 12 sts, the same as at the start of the toe. Switch to 3.00 mm needles and knit 26 sts in stockinette stitch for 14 rows. In the 1st row, work across: 7 sts from the first short-row side, 12 sts remaining from the heel and 7 sts from the second short-row side (26 sts total)
Continue working these 26 sts for 14 rows, while joining the heel to the side sts left on hold at the end of round 94: at the beginning and end of each row, insert the needle into the first (or last) st of the heel, then insert it into the 1st (or last) unworked st from the side sts left on hold, knit the 2 sts tog to join the edge.
Once the heel edges have been fully joined with the first 13 sts and the last 13 sts from round 94, switch back to 2.75 mm needles and resume working in the round.
Leg
Work in stockinette st over the total 52 sts (26 sts on needle 1 and 26 sts on needle 2) until the sock reaches approx. mid-calf (between the ankle and the knee) or until just before the yarn from one ball runs out. Bind off all sts, leaving a long tail for sewing.
FINISHING
Fold the top edge of each sock to the WS by approx. 1.5 cm. Using a darning needle and the bind-off tail, sew the folded edge in place with small, invisible stitches.
Hide all ends.
Work the second sock as given for the first one.
One ball of yarn is enough to make both socks. The sock is worked from the toe tip to the top cuff. For ease of description, each tip of the circular needle will be referred to as a “needle”.