by Carol Feller

When I was in Art College we spent several months working on a single theme. Starting with a simple object using different media, angles and levels of abstraction many different pieces of work were produced.

Sometimes when I finish a pattern I feel that that I'm not finished exploring; that the stitch pattern combination or technique has more to give. This is how I felt with my shawl, Penrose Tile. It used a combination of lace, garter stitch and short rows that I wanted to explore further; soon Penrose Toes were born!

I love the squishy, soft effect you get from garter stitch so I thought that they would be just perfect to cushion the toes and heels on a sock.

I used my favourite short row method in garter stitch: German Short Rows. They're easy and fast to create. If you're used to standard wrap & turn short row methods it will feel a little different working these.

SIZE
To fit foot circumference up to 8[8.5, 9.25] inches
Smallest size shown with 1 inch negative ease.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Sock Circumference: 7[7.5, 8.25] inches
Leg Length: 7.5[8, 8.5] inches, fully adjustable
Foot Length: adjustable to fit

MATERIALS
Yarn
Pink Version
Fleece Artist BFL Socks [80% Superwash BFL, 20% nylon, 355yds/325, per 115g]; color: Hibiscus: 1[1, 1] skein.

Olive Version
Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering [75% Merino, 20% Cashmere, 5% Nylon, 385yds/352m per 100g]; color: Faded Grandeur: 1[1, 1] skein.

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 small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long circular or 2 short circulars

Notions
waste yarn & crochet hook for provisional cast on (similar size to needle).
yarn needle

GAUGE
34 stitches and 48 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
34 stitches and 60 rounds = 4 inches in garter stitch
28 stitches and 48 rounds = 4 inches in lace pattern

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

Worked from the toe up, short rows are used to shape the toe. When the foot is finished, increases are worked for a gusset. The heel is worked using short rows and then the gusset stitches are again decreased. You can create a perfect-fitting sock and you can control the amount of yarn you use. Begin by splitting the skein in half, one half for each sock.

Choose foot size based on the circumference of your foot and then knit the length of the foot to suit your own foot. If you want a longer leg length just work until your half skein of yarn has been used up.

Provisional Cast On
Make a slip knot with waste yarn and place on crochet hook. 
Hold crochet hook above the needle; *wrap yarn around under the needle and then wrap yarn over crochet hook and pull through the stitch on the hook*. There is one stitch on the needle and one stitch on the hook.
Repeat from * to * until you have the appropriate number of stitches on the needle.
When you have cast on the correct number of sts, pull end of the yarn through final st on crochet hook and put a knot at end of yarn to mark the end to begin unraveling the chain. 
Switch to the project yarn and begin knitting.
When you need to remove provisional cast on, unravel the crochet chain starting at the knotted end.  Carefully place each of the live stitches exposed on a needle and begin working as instructed.
http://www.stolenstitches.com/tutorials/cast-ons/provisional-cast-on-crochet-method/

Slp wyif: Slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front.

German Short Rows
Work to turning point, turn work. Slip stitch purlwise from left to right needle with yarn in front. Pull yarn over needle to back of work, creating a ‘double stitch' on the right needle.

When you encounter this ‘double stitch' on another row, knit the two strands together, as a single stitch. Here's a tutorial. When you make your short row turn, the ‘double stitch' you create is the first stitch of your next short row. So basically it sits inside your short row gap. However with the standard wrap method that wrap sits outside the short row gap.

When you are working the second layer of ‘double stitches' at the toe and heel you will create a different looking stitch that is bulkier than the first double stitch.

Elastic Bind Off
K1, *k1, slip 2 stitches back to left needle, k2tog tbl; repeat from * to end.

Lace Pattern
Worked over even number of sts.
Rnd 1: [Yo, k2tog] around.
Rnd 2 & 4: Knit.
Rnd 3: [Ssk, yo] around.
Rep Rnds 1-4 for pattern.

DIRECTIONS
Short Row Toe
Note: Provisional Cast On sts will remain on waste yarn unworked while you work short rows back and forth on the live sts.

CO 28[30, 32] sts using Provisional Cast On and waste yarn.

Join working yarn.

Setup row [WS]: Knit one row with working yarn.

Short Row 1 [RS]: K27[29, 31], turn work.

Short Row 2 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, k25[27, 29], turn work.

Short Row 3 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to ‘double stitch', turn work (don't work the double stitch).

Short Row 4 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to ‘double stitch', turn work (don't work the double stitch).

Rep Short Rows 3-4 as above 7[8, 9] more times.

Short Row 5 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, turn work.
Short Row 6 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, turn work.
Short Row 7 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, knit next double stitch tog, turn work.
Short Row 8 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, knit next double stitch tog, turn work.
Rep Short Rows 7 & 8 7[8, 9] more times.

Setup rnd: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to last double stitch, knit double stitch tog, knit final st, pm for start of rnd, undo Provisional Cast On, placing 28[30, 32] sts on second side of needle, knit to end of rnd, knitting double stitch tog as you pass. 56[60, 64] sts.

Knit 3 rnds.

Foot
You will work the length of the sock now to match the length of your foot, less the gusset and heel rounds. Lengths below are suggestions, knit to your own foot length.

The first 28[30, 32] sts on the first side of the needle form the sole, and the rem 28[30, 32] sts form the instep.

Next Rnd: K30[32, 34] sts, work Lace Pattern across the next 24[26, 28] sts, k2.
Work in patt as set until foot measures 2.75[3, 3.25] inches less than desired total foot length from toe to heel.
Length to work for average foot: 5.25[6, 6.75] inches.

Gusset Increases:
The first 28[30, 32] sts on the needle are the heel sts and the next 28[30, 32] sts are the instep sts. Gusset increases are worked at either end of the instep sts. It can be useful to use markers to mark where the gusset sts start at each side, or divide sts across your needles so that the instep sts are easy to identify.

Next rnd, increase: K28[30, 32] sts, M1L, work Instep sts in pattern, M1R. 2 sts inc'd.
Following rnd: K28[30, 32] sts, k to instep, work Instep in patt to gusset sts, k to end of round.

Work these two rnds 8[9, 10] more times, 74[80, 86] sts; 28[30, 32] heel sts, 46[50, 54] instep sts including gusset sts.

Short row Heel
Continue on sole stitches only.

Short Row 1 [RS]: K27[29, 31], turn work.

Short Row 2 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, k25[27, 29], turn work.

Short Row 3 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to ‘double stitch', turn work.

Short Row 4 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to ‘double stitch', turn work.

Rep Short Rows 3-4 as above 7[8, 9] more times.

Short Row 5 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, turn work.

Short Row 6 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, turn work.

Short Row 7 [RS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, knit next double stitch tog, turn work.

Short Row 8 [WS]: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to first double stitch, knit double stitch tog, knit next double stitch tog, turn work.

Rep Short Rows 7 & 8 7[8, 9] more times.

Next Rnd: Slp wyif, lift yarn over needle, knit to last double stitch, knit double stitch tog, work in patt to end of rnd, remove marker, k1. This is the new start of round. Place marker or rearrange sts as desired.

Slip final heel st to instep sts for gusset decreases.
You will now have 26[28, 32] sts on heel needle and 48[52, 54] sts on instep needle.

Gusset decreases:
Dec Rnd: Work heel sts in Garter Stitch [working remaining double stitch tog], ssk, work in pattern to last 2 instep sts, k2tog. 2 gusset sts decreased.
Repeat this rnd 8[9, 10] more times. 56[60, 64] sts.

Slip first and last st from instep back to heel. This moves start of rnd by one st back to its original position. You will now have 28[30, 32] sts on each side.
Work 1 rnd even in patt, taking row of Lace pattern row worked.

Leg
Next Rnd: Work in Lace Pattern all the way around, starting with next row of Lace Pattern required for instep.
Work in patt as set until leg measures 6[6.5, 7] inches from start of Lace Pattern at heel, or 1.5 inches short of desired length.

Cuff
Work in Garter Stitch until Cuff measures 1.5 inches, or desired length.
BO all sts using Elastic Bind Off or your preferred stretchy bind off method.

FINISHING
Weave in all loose ends. Block sock to dimensions given.

Carol Feller is a knitwear designer and teacher living in Cork, Ireland with a family of boys and a big old lazy dog. Carol has designed over 160 patterns: self-published on her website, Interweave Knits, Brooklyn Tweed and others, or as part of one of her three books.

Carol's newest books; Short Row Knits (Potter Craft) & Dovestone Hills (Stolen Stitches) are released in Fall 2015.