by Maria Näslund

I love the look of the knitted lingerie of the 1940's. Feminine details like a wide lace border at the hem of a camisole, a lace insertion at the neckline, broad ribbing with a small lace pattern, and narrow 1x1 ribbing in places where you'd want a little shaping. But I'm not sure that knitted underwear would be very practical. So I've gathered all these details into something more wearable, a delicate lace sock.

Knit in a delicious silk blend, it is just warm enough to ward off the first chill of autumn, and pretty enough to show off in your favorite sandals. Or treat yourself to a luxurious bed sock to keep your feet warm on a cold winter night.

SIZE
For socks: M, [L]
To fit foot circumference: 8[9] inches

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Cuff circumference: 8 [9] inches
Leg length: 9 [9.5] inches
Foot length: 9[9.5]  - see Pattern Notes for tips on adjusting.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Regia Silk [55% merino wool, 25% polyamide, 20% silk; 200 m/50 g]; 2 balls
shown in 02 Natural white and 032 Burgundy.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #0/2.0 mm double-point needles
OR
1 US #0/2.0 mm circular needle for magic loop
OR
2 US #0/2.0 mm circular needles for two-circulars method

Optional for cuff
1 set US #00/1.75 mm double-point needles

Notions
Yarn needle

GAUGE

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

To resize the sock foot: For longer or shorter socks, start toe lace portion, row 25[29] of Foot Chart at 5 [5.25] inches before desired foot length.

The lace cuff is knit on smaller needles if possible to reduce the stretching.

Picot stitch: Knit 1, slip it back to the left-hand needle, lift next 8 sts on left needle over this stitch. Make a yarn over, and knit the stitch again. This results in a yarn over and a normal stitch.  7 sts decreased.

For a video of Maria's unique wrapped yarn over technique, see here:

Wrapped yarn-over stitch, knit:
With yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise. Insert the right needle through the yarn-over in the row below, from the back to the front, and pull through a stitch. With the left needle, pass the slipped stitch over the new stitch.

Wrapped yarn-over stitch, purled:
With yarn in back, slip the next stitch as if to purl through the back loop (twisted). Insert the right needle through the yarn-over in the row below, from the front to the back, and pull through a stitch. With the left needle, pass the slipped stitch over the new stitch.

Making a yarn-over pair:
[RS] Bring yarn to front of work. Insert needle into the stitch knitwise, and bring yarn to the back over the needle and knit the first stitch. This will create a yarn over paired with a normal stitch.

[WS] Bring yarn to back of work. Insert right needle into the stitch purlwise, bring yarn forward over needle and purl the stitch. This creates another yarn-over pairing.

Decreasing the yarn-over pairs:
When working the k3tog, you will be knitting the next three stitches (two yarn-over stitches and the normal stitch from the next yarn-over pair) together.

To work the P3tog tbl: Slip the next two stitches purlwise (two yarn-over stitches), slip the normal stitch knitwise, place the stitches back on the left needle one by one, and purl the stitches through the back loop.

Instructions for grafting can be found here and here.

DIRECTIONS
Lace cuff
With smaller needles if you have them, cast on 120 [135] stitches using the long tail method.

Divide the stitches as you prefer, and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. 

Picot round: [K1, yo, ssk, k1, picot stitch, k2tog, yo] to end.
64 [72] stitches

Cuff round: Work Cuff Chart around.

Work until all 38 rows of Cuff Chart are complete.

Size M only: Knit first 4 sts of round with last needle.  This position is the new start of round, the center back.

Leg round: Work appropriate size of Leg Chart across round.
Continue until Leg Chart is complete.  After Leg Chart is complete, you will have 78[86] sts.

Top of heel
For size L:
Heel row 1 [RS]: Work 19 sts in twisted rib pattern as established, turn.

Heel row 2 [WS]: Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair (see pattern notes), work 36 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.

Heel row 3 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 35 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.

Heel row 4 [WS]:  Make a yarn-over pair, work 34 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.

Both sizes:
Heel row 1 [RS]: Work 17[33] sts in twisted rib pattern as established, turn.

Heel row 2 [WS]:
Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair, work 32 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.

Heel row 3 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 31 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 4 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 30 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 5 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 29 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 6 [WS]: Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair, work 28 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 7 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 27 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 8 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 26 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 9 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 25 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 10 [WS]: Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair, work 24 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 11 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 23 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 12 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 22 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 13 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 21 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 14 [WS]: Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair, work 20 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 15 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 19 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 16 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 18 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 17 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 17 sts in twisted rib pattern.

Size M only:
Heel row 18 [WS]: Turn. Slip the first stitch as if to purl through the back loop, and put it back on the left needle.  Make a yarn-over pair, work 16 sts in twisted rib pattern, turn.
Heel row 19 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, work 15 sts in twisted rib pattern.

Bottom of Heel
Row 1 [RS]: Knit the next stitch (the normal stitch in the first yarn-over pair). Turn.
Row 2 [WS]:  Make a yarn-over pair, p16[18]. Slip the next stitch purlwise (yarn over-stitch from the next yarn-over pair), slip the normal stitch knitwise, place the stitches back on the left needle one by one, and purl the two stitches through the back loop.

See pattern notes re: the decreases.

Row 3 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k17[19], k3tog. Turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p18[20], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 5 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k19[21], k3tog. Turn.
Row 6 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p20[22], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 7 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k21[23], k3tog. Turn.
Row 8 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p22[24], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 9 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k23[25], k3tog. Turn.
Row 10 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p24[26], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 11 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k25[27], k3tog. Turn.
Row 12 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p26[28], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 13 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k27[29], k3tog. Turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p 28[30], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 15 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k29[31], k3tog. Turn.
Row 16 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p30[32], p3tog tbl. Turn.
Row 17 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k31[33], k3tog. Turn.
Row 18 [WS]: Make a yarn-over pair, p32[34]. Using the normal stitch that was not included in the heel turning, p3tog tbl. Turn.

Row 19 [RS]: Make a yarn-over pair, k33[35]. Using the normal stitch that was not included in the heel turning, k3tog. Turn.

Row 20 [WS] Make a yarn-over pair, purl 34[36]. Slip the yarn-over stitch, and then pick up the topmost leg of the normal stitch from the decrease on the previous row. (This will tighten the next normal stitch.) Slip the next stitch (the wrapped stitch) knitwise, and put all three stiches back on the left needle, and p3tog tbl. Turn.

Row 21 [RS]: Do not make a yarn-over. Slip the first stitch, and k35[37]. Slip the yarn-over stitch, and then pick up the topmost leg of the normal stitch from the decrease on the previous row, slip the next stitch (the wrapped stitch) knitwise, and put them all back on the left needle and k3tog.

When the heel is finished you will have 78[86] stitches in total.

FINISHING
Graft toe closed and weave in ends.

Maria lives outside of Lund, in Sweden, and spends most of her time knitting. She is obsessed with knitting unnecessarily complicated socks on impossibly thin needles.

This, and other knitting adventures is chronicled on her blog Sticketyg [in Swedish]. She can also be found on Ravelry.