Pattern: PATTERN NAME
INTRODUCTION
Mont St. Michel
Many years ago, before we had to take off our shoes to travel by air, my lovely wife and I took a road trip through France. On a chilly gray day in the fall, we arrived on the northwest coast in Normandy to explore Mont St. Michel, an isolated abbey fortress where the tides rise to surround the island each night.
We drove the small car up the road that led to the island, following the few school trip buses and persistent vacationers out past signs that said, “Danger! Road floods at high tide. Do not leave your car overnight.” We parked in a low parking area and wove our way up, up, up into the town.
The pinnacle of the abbey rose triumphantly over the sea. Our climb to the top rewarded us with a view staring out across the gray sea to the horizon where the water blended into the clouds. The sun finally came out, and we laughed and explored, marveling at this fortress where people continue to live despite the nightly flooding.
As we walked back to the car, I went to the edge of the parking area (“Danger! Do Not Go Beyond This Point!”). The tides created shaggy triangular wavy lines in the sand, which was slowly drying leaving the wettest parts gray and the driest turning to a light cream.
We drove down the seaside to a small hotel for a restful night's sleep and a meal. They seated us at a window facing the sea, and the dim dining room lights allowed the stars to shine. We ate while the tide rose and the sea once again covered that sandy parking area.
When I received my little package of small skeins from Never Enough Thyme, I envisioned a pair of mismatched socks, playful with an abundance of different patterns. However, as I worked with the yarn, my memories of that day and evening at Mont St. Michel kept coming back into my mind. These socks are mismatched, one embodying the actuality of that moment of looking out towards the sea from the cozy dining room and the second leaving reality behind (as memories often do) to reveal just the colors and lines.
With the Harbor colorway, you can recreate this scene, but other colorways create whimsy, bringing serious playtime to the scene as you experiment with stripes, stranded colorwork, a traditional star stitch used in Orenburg lace, and two slipped stitch patterns.
photos: LA Bourgeois
SIZE
Adult S[M, L]
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot Circumference: 7[8, 9] inches/ 18[20.5, 23] cm
Foot Length: Adjustable to fit.
Leg Length: Sample as shown has leg 8 inches/20.5 cm; length is adjustable to fit, but going longer may require more yarn.
MATERIALS
Yarn
Never Enough Thyme fingering mini-skein set [75% Superwash Merino/25% Nylon; 450 yd total/90 yd per mini-skein]; color: Harbor; 1 mini-skein set
Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1/2.25mm needles for small circumference in the round
Notions
scrap yarn for Tubular cast on
stitch marker
yarn needle
GAUGE
36 sts/48 rounds = 4 inches/10cm in stockinette stitch
PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
Color A = Dark Blue
Color B = Light Blue
Color C = Gray
Color D = Beige
Color E = Cream
To substitute another gradient set, I recommend staging them from darkest to lightest colors within their color families while keeping those families separate. For example, I started with the dark blue since it was the darkest color and ended with the cream as the lightest. However, within those colors, the light blue, gray, and beige were all very close to the same tone. I put the light blue next to the dark blue since they are both blues and the beige next to the cream since they were both browns. I used the gray in the middle as it bridged the gap between those two color families.
As I knit, I will carry the yarn up the inside of the sock if I have five rounds or fewer between stripes of the same color. Otherwise, I cut the yarn and leave an end to weave. Weaving in ends can help to reduce the look of jogging stripes.
However, such a plethora of ends can be disheartening. To keep myself moving forward and continue motivation for weaving in all of my ends, I knit one round on the second sock and then weave in two ends on the first until all ends are woven in.
If you wish to have a longer leg than called for in the pattern, make sure to purchase an additional set of mini-skeins as you will use almost the whole set to knit the pair of socks.
Instructions for Ann Budd's tubular cast-on can be found here. This tutorial is shown for a flat row, but the same applies for working in the round. If you’d prefer, substitute your favorite stretchy CO.
Instructions for Kitchener stitch can be found here.
Special Stitches
Star Cluster: Knit three stitches together, yarn over, knit the k3tog again. You will begin and end with three stitches.
Gusset Slip Stitch Pattern
Rnd 1: [Sl3wyib, k1] 8[9, 10] times
Rnd 2: K1, [sl1, k3] 7[8, 9] times, sl1, k2.
Rnd 3-4: Knit.
Foot Slip Stitch Pattern
Rnd 1: [Sl3wyib, k1] 8[9, 10] times
Rnd 2: K1, [sl1, k3] 7[8, 9] times, sl1, k2.
Rnd 3-6: Knit.
DIRECTIONS
SOCK ONE
Cast on 64[72, 80] stitches using tubular cast-on (see Pattern Notes above). Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Continue with A.
Ribbing rnd: [K1, p1] around.
Work Ribbing as set for 1 inch/2.5cm.
Change to stockinette and knit three rounds of each color in the following order: B, C, D, E, D, C, B, A
Work through stripe sequence twice, and a third time through to the end of the second B stripe.
Heel Flap
Change to Color C.
Row 1 [RS]: K 32[36, 40] . Turn work. The heel will be worked on these 3 2[36, 40] stitches.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p 31[35, 39] , turn.
Row 3 [RS]: [Sl1 purlwise wyib, k1] 16[35, 20] times, turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p 31[5, 39] , turn.
Repeat Rows 3-4 14[16, 18] more times: 32[36, 40] rows of color C.
Turn Heel:
Row 1 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k 17[19, 21] stitches, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k6, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k8, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 6 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k10, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 8 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 9 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k12, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 10 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p13, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k14, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 12 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p15, p2tog, p1, turn.
For Size Small only:
Row 13 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k16, ssk, turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p16, p2tog, turn. 18 sts.
For Size Medium only:
Row 13 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k16, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p17, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 15 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k18, ssk, turn.
Row 16 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p18, p2tog, turn. 20 sts.
For Size Large only:
Row 13 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k16, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p17, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 15 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k18, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 16 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p19, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 17 [RS]: Sl1 purlwise wyib, k20, ssk, turn.
Row 18 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p20, p2tog, turn. 22 sts.
Gusset
Continue in stripe sequence as established in Leg throughout gusset and foot.
Rnd 1: Join Color A at start of 18[20, 22] heel sts and knit across them. With RS facing, pick up and knit 16[18, 20] stitches along the side of the heel. Knit across instep sts. With RS facing, pick up and knit 16[18, 20] stitches along the second side of the heel and knit 9[10, 11] heel stitches. This is the new start of round position. 82[92, 102] sts.
Rnd 2: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; knit across instep sts; k1, ssk, k to end of round. 2 sts decreased.
Rnd 3: Knit.
Repeat Rnd 2-3 8[9, 10] more times, until 64[72, 80] sts rem.
Foot
Work even in stripe sequence as set until sock foot measures 2 inches less than the total length of the foot.
Finish the stripe you are currently working, then join color E and knit one round.
Toe
Rnd 1: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of round. 4 sts decreased.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Repeat Rnds 1-2 7[8, 9] more times, until 32[36, 40] sts rem.
Work Rnd 1 only 4[5, 6] times, until 16 sts rem.
To setup for closure, k to start of instep.
Using Kitchener stitch, graft toe closed.
SOCK TWO
Cuff
Cast on 64[72, 80] stitches using tubular cast-on (see Pattern Notes). Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Continue with A.
Ribbing rnd: [K1, p1] around.
Work Ribbing as set for 1 inch/2.5cm.
Leg
Rnd 1: With color A, knit all stitches.
Rnd 2: [With color A, k3, with color C, k1] to end of round.
Rnd 3: With color A, knit all stitches.
Rnd 4: With color A, k1, with color C, k1, [with A, k3, with C, k1] to last 2 sts, with color A, k2.
Repeat Rnds 1-4 3 times more.
Rnds 5-7: With color A, knit all stitches.
Rnd 8: [With color A, k7, with color C, k1] to end of round.
Rnds 9-11: With color A, knit all stitches.
Rnd 12: With color A, k3, [with color C, k1, with color A, k7] to last 5 sts, with color C, k1, with color A, k4.
Repeat Rnds 5-11 once more.
Rnd 13: [With color A, k3, with color B, k1] to end of round.
Rnd 14: [With color B, k1, with color A, k1] to end of round.
Rnd 15: [With color A, k1, with color B, k1] to end of round.
Rnd 16: With color B, k1, [with color A, k1, with color B k3] to last 3 sts, with color A, k1, with color B k2.
Knit with B until sock leg is 5 inches/13cm long.
Rnd 18: With color E, knit all stitches.
Rnd 19: With color E, p6, [work star cluster, p13] to last 10 sts, work star cluster, p to end of round.
Knit with B until sock leg is 5.75 inches/14.5cm.
Rnd 20: With color E, knit all stitches.
Rnd 21: With color E, p11, [work star cluster, p13] to last 6 sts, work star cluster, k3.
Knit with B until sock leg is 6.5 inches/16.5cm.
Rnd 22: With color E, knit all stitches.
Rnd 23: With color E, p3, [work star cluster, p13] to last 13 sts, work star cluster, p10.
Knit with B until sock leg is 7 inches/18cm (approximately 3 rounds).
Heel Flap
Change to Color A.
Row 1 [RS]: K 32[36, 40] . Turn work. The heel will be worked on these 32[36, 40] stitches.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 purlwise wyif, p 31[35, 39] , turn.
Row 3 [RS]: With color B, [sl1 purlwise wyib, k1] 16[18, 20] times, turn.
Row 4 [WS]: With color B, sl1 purlwise wyif, p 31[35, 39] , turn.
Row 5 [RS]: With color A, [sl1 purlwise wyib, k1] 1 6[18, 20] times, turn
Row 6 [WS]: With color A, sl1 purlwise wyif, p 31[35, 39] , turn.
Repeat Rows 3-6 6[7, 8] more times, and work Rows 3-4 again. 32[36, 40] rows worked.
Turn Heel:
Repeat as for SOCK ONE, with color B.
Gusset
Through the gusset of the sock, work a stripe sequence of E, D, C in 4-round bands.
Rnd 1: Join color E and knit 18[20, 22] heel stitches. With RS facing, pick up and knit 16[18, 20] stitches along the first side of the heel. Work Gusset Slip Stitch across 32[36, 40] stitches on instep. Pick up and knit 16[18, 20] stitches along the other side of the heel and k 9[10, 11] sts from the heel. This is the new start of round
Rnd 2: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; work Gusset Slip Stitch pattern across instep; k1, ssk, k to end of round. 2 sts decreased.
Rnd 3: K to instep; work Gusset Slip Stitch pattern across instep; k to end of round.
Repeat Rnds 2-3 8[9, 10] more times, until 64[72, 80] sts rem.
Foot
When the Gusset is complete, finish the final Gusset Slip Stitch band (if necessary). Continue in the same color sequence with six-round bands and Change to the Foot Slip Stitch pattern for the instep, continuing where you left off in the color sequence. Work even as set until sock foot measures 2 inches less than the total length of the foot.
Finish the stripe you are currently working, join color E and knit one round.
Toe
Work as for first sock.
FINISHING
Weave in ends. Block.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
LA Bourgeois lives with her beautiful wyfe, two dogs and two kitties who patiently put up with her knitting obsession (which includes being a partner in her local yarn shop, Sew Steamboat). She indulges in her loves of designing knitting patterns and teaching knitters new techniques, all while recording her journey on her blog.
Her latest adventure includes knitting, designing and teaching her way through the Knitter's Almanac during 2016 (although she strongly suspects a knitter's year equals two regular human years).
Pattern & images © 2016 LA Bourgeois. Contact LA