Lesula, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com. Free knitting pattern for a colorwork sock inspired by Cookie A's legendary Monkey sock.
INTRODUCTION
Lesula
I’m not sure there is a sock designer out there who can say they haven’t been influenced by Cookie A. Let’s face it, she’s brilliant, and she probably more than anyone else showed us that socks can be a bit more than a ribbed leg and a stockinette foot. Monkey is by far her most popular pattern being knit in excess of 20,000 times.
With all humility, I present Lesula, a color work sock inspired by Monkey. With the combination of lace and purls, one of the things that jumps out to me about Monkey are these little triangles. That is where Lesula starts. Tiny little triangles worked in contrasting colors.
To avoid having a jog in the pattern, there is a colorwork seam worked into the back of the leg. The pattern for the seam finds itself appearing on the sole as well.
In case anyone is wondering, a lesula is a recently discovered colorful monkey.
photos: Rich Ensor
SIZE
Adult S[M, L]
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot Circumference: 8[9, 10] inches/ 20[22.5, 25] cm
Foot Length: adjustable to fit
Leg Length: adjustable to fit
As with many colorwork socks, these are designed with no negative ease. Choose the size closest to your actual foot measurement.
MATERIALS
Yarn
Miss Babs Hot Shot [80% Merino Wool; 400 yd/366 m per 114g skein];
[MC] Cloak; 1 skein
[CC] Russet; 1 skein
Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #2/2.75mm needles for small circumference in the round
Notions
yarn needle
GAUGE
32 sts/48 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in pattern stitch
PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]
To avoid a jog, the leg pattern begins slightly off-centered in the back of the leg. Instructions are included in the heel to shift the beginning of the round to center the pattern on the instep.
Chart A: Note that 4-st repeat is only worked once for leg, and worked multiple times on the sole as indicated.
Techniques:
CHARTS
DIRECTIONS
Cuff
With MC and your favorite stretchy method, CO 64[72, 80] stitches].
Distribute stitches across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.
Cuff Round: [K1, p2, k1] 16[18, 20] times.
Repeat the Cuff Round as set for 1 inch/2.5cm (approximately 12 rounds).
Leg
Leg Round: Work Chart A; work Chart B beginning at column 9[11, 1] ; work Chart B beginning at column 1 4[5, 5] times more; work 5[3, 1] columns of Chart B beginning at column 1.
Continue working pattern as set until desired length of leg is reached.
Heel Flap
Heel Set Up: Work 19[21, 23] sts in pattern as set.
The heel flap is knit back and forth on a total of 31[35, 39] stitches. Turn work so that wrong side is facing.
Work with MC. Leave CC attached.
Row 1[WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p 30[34, 38] , turn.
Row 2[RS]: [Sl 1 wyib, k1] 15[17, 19] times, k1, turn.
Repeat these 2 rows 15[17, 19] times more for a total of 32[36, 40] rows in the heel flap.
Heel Turn
Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p 17[19, 21] , p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k6, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p7, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 4 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k8, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 5 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p9, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 6 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k10, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 7 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k12, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 9 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p13, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k14, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p15, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 12 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k16, ssk, k1, turn.
Small size only: 19[-, -] sts rem. Proceed to Gusset.
Row 13 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p17, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 14 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k18, ssk, k1, turn.
Medium size only: -[21, -] sts rem. Proceed to Gusset.
Row 15 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p19, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 16 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k20, ssk, k1, turn. 23 sts rem.
Gusset
Gusset Set Up Round: With right side facing and using MC, pick up and knit 16[18, 20] stitches along the first side of the heel flap. Work the next 33[37, 41] stitches in pattern as set. Break CC. Using MC, pick up and knit 16[18, 20] along the second side of the heel flap, knit across heel stitches and first set of gusset stitches. This is the new start of round. 84[94, 104] sts.
Rejoin CC at start of instep.
Gusset Rounds 1– 20[22, 24] : Work the next 33[37, 41] stitches in pattern as set; work Small[Medium, Large] Gusset Chart working the repeat 6[7, 8] times. 64[72, 80] sts.
Foot
Foot round: Work instep in pattern as set; work Chart A on the sole working the highlighted repeat 7[8, 9] times.
Continue until the foot length is approximately 1.5[1.75, 2] inches/ 4[4.5, 5] cm short of desired length. Break CC.
Toe
Note: On all sizes, there are 2 more sts on the instep than on the toe. On the first toe round, the decreases are only worked on the instep allowing the pattern to remain centered.
Toe Round 1: K1, ssk, k 27[31, 35] , k2tog, k1; place marker or divide at this point for end of instep; k remaining sts. 62[70, 78] sts.
Toe Round 2: K all sts.
Toe Round 3: K1, ssk, k until 3 stitches before end of instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k until 3 stitches before end of round, k2tog, k1.
Repeat Toe Rounds 2 and 3 until 30[34, 38] total stitches remain. Repeat Toe Round 3 (decreasing every round) until 18[22, 26] total stitches remain.
FINISHING
Cut the yarn leaving a 12-inch tail and graft the rem sts together. Block and weave in all ends.
ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Rich started knitting as a way to relieve stress. His first two projects were sweaters, since there was no one to tell him that perhaps a scarf would be a better starting point. At some point, Rich got it into his shiny, bald head that knitting socks might be a good idea.
Rich lives in Tampa, Florida with four cats who think that stitch markers solely exist to entertain them. He can be found online and on Ravelry.
Pattern & images © 2017 Rich Ensor.