No matter your relationship interests or status, everyone craves a little bit of passion and danger...and there's nothing more passionate and dangerous than a vampire boyfriend. The entwined gothic heart cable appears on the front and the back of the sock. The cable design flows organically from the customized ribbing, down the leg and along the top of the foot. I've also kept the cable flowing down to the heel -- engineered carefully so that the heel features a full repeat of the heart -- because heel stitch would look boring beside such patterning! And the toe finishes after a full heart motif also. |
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And on the sides... it looks like a simple 2-over-2 cable, but if you look closely, you can see two tell-tale eyelet holes. My vampire boyfriend is Spike; our editor's is Lestat (but only the book version), and the co-owner of one of our LYSs is all about Edward. My test knitter professes an odd fondness for Nosferatu, and the other Knitty tech editor crushes on David Bowie's character in The Hunger. Not forgetting Angel and Bill, of course - there are plenty of sexy vampires to go around. |
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model: Cheryl Fay photos: Sarah Fay |
SIZE |
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS |
MATERIALS Tools |
GAUGE |
PATTERN NOTES |
You may find it easier to work at least the leg section using two circular needles or the magic loop technique, as cable crosses are worked over most of the stitches of both the front and back of the leg. Note that the bitemark cable repeat is worked over an uneven number of rounds. There are two even rounds between the second eyelet and the cable turn. It makes working the pattern a little more challenging, but after much experimentation, I found that it looked best. Because of the cable crossings, these socks aren't as elastic as some. Make sure you match gauge and choose the right size to fit. C4B: Slip next 2 sts to cable needle
and hold to back of work; k2 from left needle, k2 from
cable needle.
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DIRECTIONS CO 60[64, 68] sts. Divide sts between needles and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. After several rounds have been worked, place split ring marker or safety pin in work to indicate beginning of round. Ribbing: Next Round: *P1[2, 3], work Round 1 of Heart Cable, p1[2,
3], work next round of Bitemark Cable; repeat from * once more. HEEL FLAP
Row 1 [RS]: K19[20, 21], ssk. Turn work. Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p10, p2tog. Turn work. Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k10, ssk. Turn work. Repeat Rows 2-3 6[7, 8] times more, then work Row 2 once more. 12 heel sts remain. GUSSET With RS facing, k 12 sts of heel; pick up and k 14[15, 16] sts along adjacent edge of heel flap, place marker; work all sts of instep in pattern, place marker; pick up and k 14[15, 16] sts along remaining edge of heel flap; k first 6 sts of heel. This point (center of heel) will now be beginning of round. 76[80, 84] sts: 36[38, 40] sts for instep, 40[42, 44] sts for sole and gusset. Redistribute sts on needle(s) as desired. For ease of working heart cable, place all instep sts on one needle. Set-up Round: K6, k13[14, 15] tbl, p1 tbl; work all sts of instep
in pattern; p1 tbl, k13[14, 15] tbl, Gusset Decrease Round: K to 3 sts before first marker, k2tog,
p1, work in pattern to next marker, p1, ssk, k to end of round.
2 sts decreased.
FOOT TOE Toe Decrease Round: K to 3 sts before first marker, k2tog, p1;
work sts of Bitemark Cable in pattern, ssp, work in pattern to
6 sts before next marker, p2tog, work sts of Bitemark Cable in
pattern, p1, ssk, k to end of round. 4 sts decreased. Work Toe Decrease Round. Work 2 rounds in pattern. Work Toe Decrease Round. Work 1 round in pattern. Work Toe Decrease Round 4[5, 6] times more. 21 sts. Next Round: K1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, s2pp, p1, k2tog, ssk, p1, ssk, k1. 13 sts. Break yarn, leaving a tail approx. 8 inches long. Use yarn needle to draw tail through remaining sts, and pull tight. |
FINISHING |
ABOUT THE DESIGNER |
Kate is Knitty's technical editor for socks. She loves a good vampire story almost as much as she loves sock knitting. (Ask her about Spike and Angel as an allegory for the Lennon-McCartney relationship...) You can see more of her work at wisehildaknits.com. |
Pattern & images © 2009 Kate Atherley. Contact Kate |