This pattern is bicontinental. The yarn was purchased while
on vacation in Sydney, Australia, a city I lived in years ago
and still love. The store was found down a back alley (!) off
a main street in Sydney's CBD (“central business district” -
it’s Australian for “downtown”). The colors
were chosen to go together but they didn't know what they wanted
to be at the time I purchased the yarn.
When I got home, I was
inspired both by memories of Sydney and by being back in Montreal,
a city I love just as much. When I started playing with the yarn
it became clear very quickly that a strong geometric stranded
color pattern was required by the bold colors that I had chosen.
These socks are perfect for a bitter Canadian winter -- a squishy,
warm, stranded wool sock is just the thing -- but the bright
blue, grey, and yellow yarns recall the warmth of a Sydney spring
day both in the knitting and in the wearing.
Recommended needle size [always use a needle
size that gives you the gauge
listed below -- every knitter's
gauge is unique] US
#2/2.75 mm needles for working in the round
Notions yarn needle 2 stitch markers
GAUGE
32 sts/36 rounds = 4 inches
in stranded pattern in stockinette stitch.
PATTERN NOTES [Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
If
you crave symmetry as much
as I do, you can mirror
the Sole Chart on one of the socks.
I only used 16 g of a 50 g skein of CC2 for a pair of size L
socks.
DIRECTIONS
CUFF
Using CC2, CO 54[63, 72]. Distribute sts as you prefer and join for working
in the round.
Leg *Leg round: Work Leg Chart
5[6, 7] times around.
Work as set until 7 rounds of Leg Chart
are complete.
Next round: Work Leg Chart round 8 4[5,
6] times, and 5 sts of a 5th[6th, 7th] repeat. (Final 5 sts of
chart unworked.) This is the new start of round.
Repeat from * until 6[7, 8] full repeats
of the chart are worked.
After last round, knit 4[1, 4] st in
MC, leaving 1[4, 1] sts unworked at end of chart repeat. Turn.
Cut CC1 and CC2.
Gusset setup Setup round: Working in MC,
with RS facing, pick up 17[19, 21]
sts along edge of heel flap, work across
29[35, 39] instep sts as per Round
1 of Leg Chart, starting on st number
10[7, 10] and leaving 2[9, 2] sts unworked
at the end of the chart repeat, pick
up 17[19, 21] sts along edge of heel
flap, k across heel.
Work 15[16, 19]
sts as per Round 1 of Sole Chart, starting
on st number 1 and leaving 0[4, 1]
sts unworked at the end of the chart
repeat. k2tog. This is the new start
of round.
Note: For size L, the
top st of the gusset on each side will be
added to the instep. Place marker or rearrange
stitches as desired. 79[91, 103] sts
total, 29[37, 39] for instep, 50[54, 64]
for sole.
Gusset decrease Gusset decrease round 1: Work
29[37, 39] instep sts, starting at
st 10[6, 10] of Round 2 of Leg Chart. There
will be 2[8, 2] sts left unworked at
the end of the chart repeat. Using
MC, ssk. Work 47[51, 61] sts according
to Sole Chart, (starting at stitch
1) leaving 3[4, 4] sts unworked at
the end of the chart repeat.
Using
MC, k1.
Gusset decrease round 2: Work
29[37, 39] sts using Leg Chart. Using
MC, k1. Work to last 2 sts using Sole
Chart. Using MC, k2tog.
Repeat Gusset decrease rounds 1-2 8[9, 10] times more, then
round 1 once more.
Note: After every SSK gusset decrease, the first st worked
of the Sole Chart will move one to the left in order to maintain
sole pattern. The number of sole stitches changes,
and therefore you won’t always have an even multiple of
5 on which to work the Sole Chart. What’s important
is that the sole pattern stays aligned. If it’s helpful,
use markers to divide up the repeats.
Foot Foot round: Work 29[37, 39] sts following
Leg Chart, maintaining pattern of staggered circles as with
Leg. Using MC, k1. Work 29[31, 39] sts using Sole Chart. Using
MC, k1.
Continue even in pattern as set until foot measures 2[2.5, 3]
inches less than desired foot length, ending with Round 8 of
Leg Chart and Sole Chart. Cut CC1 & CC2.
Toe
Using MC, k1. This is the new start of
round.
Setup markers: K30[35, 40]; place marker for end of instep,
k to end of round.
Decrease round: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k2,
ssk, k2 to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1.
Next round: Knit.
Repeat last 2 rounds 5[7, 9] times more,
until 36[38, 40] sts rem.
Rejoin CC1. Work a Decrease round followed by an even
round, twice.
Cut CC1. Switch to MC. Work a Decrease round followed
by an even round.
Cut MC. Rejoin to CC2. Work a Decrease round followed
by an even round. 20[22, 24] sts total.
Work one more Decrease round. 16[18, 20] sts.
Using CC2, graft together remaining sts
to close toe.
FINISHING
Close up any gaps at each top of heel flap using duplicate stitch.
Weave in all ends. Block.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Whenever male knitters complain that there are no fun patterns
for men, people tell them to design their
own. James has decided to take up this
challenge.
MATERIALS
