Every Easter, during my formative years, my family would pack
up the car and head across Vancouver Island to spend the long
weekend in Tofino. Possibly the most exciting part was that I
was allowed to get whatever sugar-packed cereal I desired for
that trip and that trip only. (My perennial favorite: Count Chocula.)
Thing that I really remember, however, about the yearly trip
across the island was driving through Cathedral Grove: an old-growth
forest of Douglas Fir trees. Some of the tallest and oldest trees
you’ve ever seen stand like solid mute giants. The way
they twist and intertwine with one another, the product of centuries
of growth, is truly impressive, and just one of the wonders of
our beautiful pacific coast.
The cable pattern in these socks are inspired by the towering
Firs of Cathedral Grove, and the way that nature will always
be able to make me stare in awe and wonder like a little kid.
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS Foot Circumference at ball of foot: 8.75 inches Length of foot: 9.5 inches – adjustable to fit Length of leg: 7.5 inches – adjustable to fit
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US
#1.5/2.5mm needles for working in the
round
Notions yarn
needle cable needle stitch markers
GAUGE
28 sts/40 rounds = 4 inches
in stockinette stitch
44 sts/44 rounds = 4 inches in pattern stitch
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
C2L: Slip next st to cable needle and hold in
front of work; k1, then k1 from cable needle.
C2R: Slip next st
to cable needle and hold in back of
work; k1, then k1 from cable needle.
C5R: Slip next 2 sts
to cable needle and hold in back of
work; k3, then k2 from cable needle.
Charts The chart for this pattern is very large and fits on a letter-sized
page.
Click here and print the resulting
page.
DIRECTIONS
Leg CO 68 stitches. Distribute across needles as you prefer and
join for working in the round.
Ribbing round: [K3, p1] around.
Work ribbing as set for 10 rounds.
Leg round: Work Leg Chart four times around.
Work as set until 3 full repeats of the
18 rows of the Leg Chart are complete.
Heel
Flap Heel is worked back and forth in rows across first 34 sts of
round. Arrange onto one needle.
Row 1 [RS]: Work Heel Chart row 1 twice, turn. Row 2 [WS]: Work Heel Chart
row 2 twice, turn.
Work as set until all 20 rows of Heel
Chart are complete.
Medium size only: Work rows
19 and 20 of the heel chart 2 times more,
or until heel flap measures 2 ¼ inches.
For Large size only: Work rows 19
and 20 of the heel chart 4 times more,
or until heel flap measures 2 ½ inches.
Gusset Gusset setup round: With RS
facing, k across 16 heel sts; pickup
and k14[16, 18] sts along the first
side of the heel flap; work across
34 instep sts in Cable Pattern, pick
up and k14[16, 18] sts along second
side of heel flap; k 8 sts to
center of heel. This is the new start
of round – place a marker if
required. 78[82, 86] sts total.
Gusset round 1: K to start
of instep sts; work across instep
sts in Cable Pattern as set, kto
end of round.
Gusset round 2: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1;
work across instep sts in Cable Pattern
as set; k1, ssk, k to end of round.
Repeat Gusset rounds 1 & 2 6 more times, until 64 [68, 72]
sts rem.
Foot
Work even in pattern as set until
current repeat of Leg Chart is complete.
Work in pattern as set
until 2 more repeats of Leg Chart are complete.
Upper Toe Upper Toe round: K to start of instep, work across
instep sts in Toe Pattern, kto end of round.
Work as set until Toe Pattern chart is
complete.
K even until foot measures 1.5 inches short of desired foot
length.
Sizes S & L only, setup for toe: Rearrange sts so that there
are 32[-, 36] each on the sole and instep.
Toe Decreases Toe round 1: Knit.
Toe round 2: K to 3 sts before
instep, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to 3 sts
before end of instep, k2tog, k2, ssk,
k to end of round.
Repeat Toe Rounds 1 & 2 until 20[20, 20] sts rem.
Final row: K to start of instep sts.
Close toes by grafting with Kitchener
stitch or using a three-needle bind off.
FINISHING
Weave in ends, and block as desired.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Alison Ross sells her hand-spun yarn and knitting patterns under
the name Drama
Llama Knitting Company,
based in Vancouver, BC. She tries to fit in as much knitting, crocheting
and weaving as she can when she’s not at her day job as a
mild-mannered screenwriter.
