INTRODUCTION

Marigold

by Sarah V. Miller

I've been ruminating on this one for years. First came the cuff, which was inspired by a shawl edging. I knew I wanted to do a sock with that cuff and edging, but didn't know what else to put on it. Then I took a sock class with Lucy Neatby, and knew I wanted it to have garter stitch toes and heels. I still didn't know what I wanted on the body of the sock, but I knew I wanted it to be a particular shade of yellow, and hunting for that yarn took the better part of a year. Finally, I saw a shawl pattern with the honeybee stitch and knew that was what should go on the body. In all, I think these socks were worth the wait.


Marigold is a toe-up sock designed to show off garter stitch and lace. For the former, a dramatic lace pattern runs up the outward-facing, lateral edge of the foot, and the cuff incorporates a lace edging normally found in shawls. For the latter, Marigold features garter stitch toes and heels, and the cuff lace pattern is bordered by garter stitch. The sock is finished with a picot bind off; the picot edge is an unhemmed variation, to promote cuff elasticity.

photos: Sarah V. Miller

SIZE

Women's XS[S, M, L]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot Circumference: 6.5[7, 7.5, 8] inches/ 16.5[18, 19, 20.5] cm
Length: adjustable to fit

Choose a size with approximately 1 inch/2.5cm negative ease.

MATERIALS

Yarn
Unwind Yarn Company Journey Sock [80% superwash merino, 20% nylon; 400 yd/366 m per 3.5 oz/100 g skein]; color: Pure Gold; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #1/2.25mm needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular, or 2 short circulars

Notions
yarn needle

GAUGE

32 sts/48 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

M1: Use the backwards loop method, worked as follows: Place your thumb on the working yarn. Rolling your thumb towards you, wrap the yarn around your thumb clockwise. Slip the loop that has been formed on you thumb onto the right needle. 1 st increased.

Honeybee Stitch
Round 1: K4, k2tog, YO, ssk, k4.
Round 2: K3, k2tog, drop previous round's YO from needle, YO two times, ssk, k3.
Round 3: K2, k2tog, drop previous round's YOs from needle, YO three times, ssk, k2.
Round 4: K1, k2tog, drop previous round's YOs from needle, YO four times, ssk, k1.
Round 5: K2tog, drop previous round's YOs from needle, CO4 using the backwards loop cast-on, k1 under the 4 loose strands of dropped YOs, YO, k1 again under the 4 loose strands, CO4, ssk.
Round 6: K5, k2tog, k6.

Picot Bind-off: *CO2 using cable cast-on. BO4, knitting all sts tbl. Move the last BO st back from right needle to left needle. Repeat from * until all sts bound off.

Techniques:

• Judy's Magic Cast On

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

Toe
Using Judy's Magic Cast On, cast on 20[24, 24, 28] stitches.  Distribute them across your needles as you prefer – if you're working on magic loop or two circulars, distribute the stitches half-and-half.  If you're working on dpns, group the first half of the stitches together and the second half of the stitches together.  The first half of the stitches will form the instep, the second half will form the sole. Join for working in the round.  


Round 1: Purl.


Round 2: K1, m1, work to 1 st before center of round, m1, k1; k1, m1, k to 1 st before end of round, m1, k1. 4 sts increased.
Repeat these two rounds until you have 56[60, 64, 68] sts total, and work Round 1 once more. 

Foot
Right Foot Leg Round: Starting at st 1[3, 5, 7] on the chart work round 1 of Right Foot Chart on the first 15[17, 19, 21] instep sts, work round 1 of Honeybee Stitch, k1 to end of instep; k to end of round.
Left Food Leg Round: K1, work round 1 of Honeybee Stitch, work round 1 of Left Foot Chart over remaining 15[17, 19, 21] instep sts, stopping after st 15[17, 19, 21] on the chart; k to end of round.

Continue as established, working Right Foot Chart and Honeybee Stitch as set, until foot is 1.5 inches/4 cm shorter than desired length, ending with an odd numbered round.

Heel
Work across instep in pattern as set. You will now be working short rows back and forth across the sole sts (the second 28[30, 32, 34] sts of the round).

Row 1 [RS]: K 27[29, 31, 33] , w&t.
Row 2 [WS]: K 26[28, 30, 32] , w&t.
Row 3: K to 1 st before last wrapped st, w&t.
Row 4: K to 1 st before last wrapped st, w&t.

Work back and forth until 10[12, 12, 14] sts rem unwrapped sts in the center of the sole. 18[18, 20, 20] total wrapped sts: 9[9, 10, 10] wrapped sts on either side of the unwrapped sts in the center of the sole.

Note: Because this is a garter st heel, do not pick up and knit the wraps as you would for a stockinette heel.

Row 1 [RS]: K 10[12, 12, 14] to first wrapped st, k1, w&t (there are now 2 wraps on the next RS wrapped st).
Row 2 [WS]: K 11[13, 13, 15] to first wrapped st, k1, w&t (there are now 2 wraps on the next WS wrapped st).
Row 3: K to the double-wrapped st, k1, w&t.
Row 4: K to the double-wrapped st, k1, w&t.

Work Rows 3-4 7[7, 8, 8] more times, until all heel sts have been worked – the last two rows will wrap the first stitch of the instep on each side. Knit to the end of the round, picking up and knitting the last wrap on each side.

Leg
Note: Start the Back of Leg Chart on the same round as you just worked for the Foot/Front of Leg chart.

Right Leg round: Work across instep sts as established; work the Right Back of Leg Chart round that corresponds the Right Foot/Front of Leg chart just worked, ending after st 28[30, 32, 34] .

Left Leg round: Work across instep sts as established; work the Right Back of Leg Chart round that corresponds the Left Foot/Front of Leg chart just worked, starting with st 7[5, 3, 1] .

Continue as established until leg measures 4 inches/10 cm, or 2 inches/5 cm shorter than desired length.

Cuff
Sizes XS, M
Round 1: Purl.

Sizes S, L
Round 1: (P –[13, -15, p2tog) four times. 4 sts decreased. 56[64] sts.

All Sizes
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: Purl.

Next round: Work appropriate Cuff chart 4 times around.
Work as set until Cuff chart is compete.

Round 1: Purl.
Round 2: Knit.
Round 3: Purl.

BO using Picot Bind-Off.

FINISHING

Weave in ends. Block if desired.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Sarah V. Miller is a knitter, crocheter, spinner, tea snob, pen addict, fangirl, and parront. She has a B.S. in Marine Biology, and a M.S. in Neuroscience, where she focused on the chemical senses of marine organisms.

She can be found on Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2018 Sarah V. Miller