INTRODUCTION

Habiliments

by Renate Kamm

My Sister-in-law is a woman who has made it up the ladder in the men’s world. She even went as far as keeping a very short hairstyle and wear exclusively pant suits to work to achieve success. A few days before Christmas she started her early retirement. In conversations leading up to the day I could sense her fear of the unknown. I could hear her usual assuredness fade. It was time to make her realize that this was the perfect opportunity, the right time, to re-make herself. It was not the end, but the beginning. To live without the corporate constraints, to break free and fully embrace the woman in her, I designed this pair of socks for her.

The word habiliments used in a sentence: "The women's rich habiliments made one think she was someone important", that's the flair generated by wearing these socks.

These socks include several knitting features that contribute to the impression of richness. The toe-up pattern begins with a Turkish cast on, includes a reverse Dutch heel, and carries a mock-cable to separate the varying front and back designs.

A beaded star pattern is featured on the front leg and the design is topped off with Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off.

photos: Renate Kamm

SIZE

Women's S[M, L]

Shown in size Medium

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot circumference: 7[7.5, 8] inches/ 18[19, 20.5] cm
Choose a size with approximately .75 inch/2 cm negative ease.

Leg length: inches/cm
Foot length is adjustable to fit.

MATERIALS

Oink Pigments: Nimbus [80% Superwash Merino/10% Cashmere/10% Nylon; 410 yds/375 m per 100 g skein] color: Red Rum; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1/2.25mm needles for small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long or 2 short circulars
Crochet hook size 14 / 0.9mm to mount the beads

Notions
27 seed beads to match yarn thickness, size 8
yarn needle
stitch markers
stitch holder

GAUGE

32 sts/44 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

Turkish Cast On
1. Hold two needles parallel. Leaving a 6-inch (15 cm) tail in front, bring yarn from front to back between needles. *Wrap working yarn over top of both needles, around front, and under needles to back. Rep from * until number of wraps over top needle equals half the number of stitches needed. Make sure that you have the same number of wraps on bottom needle.

2. Knit stitches on top needle Note that last stitch is anchored only by the tail; be careful not to pull free.

3. Work stitches on bottom needle. Video instructions can be found here.

C2R: skipping first stitch, knit second st on the left needle (coming in front), knit first st, then let both slip off the needle
C2L: skipping first st, knit tbl the second stitch on the left needle, knit first st, then left both slip off the needle

Purl and Bead: Work the purl stitch and then, using the crochet hook, place the bead onto the stitch.

Techniques:

• Turkish cast on
• Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off
• Purl and bead

CHARTS

Note: On Back Leg chart, once you have completed Rows 1-15, repeat Rows 10-15.

DIRECTIONS

Toe
Using the Turkish cast on method, CO 6 sts total – 3 sts per side. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Round 1: (K1, kfb, k1) twice. 8 sts
Round 2: (K1, kfb twice, k1) twice. 12 sts.
Round 3: (K1, kfb, k2, kfb, k1) twice. 16 sts.
Note: Ensure that your stitches are divided, or markers are placed, so that you can identify the center of the round. The first half of the round forms the instep, the second half the sole.

Round 4, Increase: (K1, kfb, k to 2 sts before end of instep, kfb, k1; k1, kfb, k to 2 sts before end of sole, kfb, k1. 4 sts increased
Repeat Round 4 4 more times, until you have 36 sts total.

Knit 2 rounds.
Work Increase Round 4 again.

Repeat the last 3 rounds 4[5, 6] times, until you have 56[60, 64] sts.

Foot
Foot Pattern: Begin instep mock cables.
Round 1: C2R; k to last 2 sts of instep, C2L, k to end of round.
Rounds 2-3: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 1-3 until foot measures 2[2.25, 2.5] inches/ 5[5.5, 6.25] cm short of desired finished foot length.

Gusset increases
Next round, increase: Work instep in pattern as set, k1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1. 2 sts increased.
Following round: Work even.

While continuing to work the 3-round Foot pattern, work increases every other round 2[4, 6] more times, and work the increase round once more. 64[72, 80] sts. 4[6, 8] gusset sts per side.

Reverse Dutch Heel
Row 1 [RS]: Work across instep in pattern as set, and k 22[25, 29] sole sts. Turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1 pwise wyif, p 6[6, 8] , sl 1 pwise wyif, turn.

Note: You'll probably find it easier to work if you separate off the remaining sts. If you're working on two circulars, group them all to the other needle; if you're on magic loop, group them on the other side.

Row 3 [RS]: K 8[8, 10] , turn.
Repeat Rows 2-3 7[7, 9] more times, but do not turn at the end of the last row. 17[17, 21] rows total in strip.

Heel Flap setup row 1 [RS]: With RS facing, pick up and knit 8[8, 10] sts in the slipped sts along the edge of this strip, turn.
Heel Flap setup row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, ptbl 7[7, 9] picked up sts, p across to gap on other side, and then pick up and purl 8[8, 10] sts in the slipped sts along the edge of this strip, turn. 24[24, 30] sts for heel flap.

Start working decreases on the edges of the heel flap to decrease away the gusset sts. Slip 14[15, 18] sts from either side to the same needle as the heel sts.

Heel Flap row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, [k1, sl1] 11[11, 14] times, ssk, turn. 1 gusset st decreased.
Heel Flap row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p 22[22, 28] , p2tog, turn. 1 gusset st decreased.

Repeat Heel Flap Row 1-2 13[14, 17] more times, until 14[15, 18] sts have been decreased on either side of the heel flap. 52[58, 64] sts.

Leg
At this point, you're positioned at the start of the instep. This is the new start of round.
Size Small setup round 1: C2R, k3, kfb, (k7, kfb) twice, k to last 2 sts of instep, C2L, k11, k2tog, k11. 54 sts
Size Small set-up round 2: K12, kfb, k10, kfb, k to end of round. 56 sts

Size Medium setup round: C2R, k6, (kfb, k8) twice, kfb, k to last 2 sts of instep, C2L, k11, k2tog, k11. 60 sts

Size Large setup round: C2R, k14, kfb, k to last 2 sts of instep, C2L, k14, k2tog, k to end of round. 64 sts

Lower Leg round: Work across 33 instep sts in pattern as set, working Cables as required; work Back Leg Chart across rem 23[27, 31] sts, starting at st 5[3, 1] and ending at st 27[29, 31] .

Work as set until you have completed row 14 of Back Leg Chart. For size large, repeat work 2 more rounds in pattern.

Upper Leg round: Work Front Leg Chart across instep sts, continue Back Leg Chart as set to end of round.

Work as set until Row 33 of the Front Leg Chart is complete.

Cuff
Knit 2 rounds.
Ribbing round: [K1 tbl, p1] around.
Work 14[16, 18] rounds total.
Bind off with Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy method.

FINISHING

Wash to block and weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Renate Kamm has been a crafter all her life. Born and raised in Germany, she learned knitting, crocheting, and sewing in school, and never stopped creating. Her marriage brought her to San Diego, California where she is now retired from her job but still creates every day. To her, crafting is a part of life and a puzzle to be solved.

You can read about her crafting adventures on her blog and find her designs on Ravelry as Oberpfalzerin.

Pattern & images © 2018 Renate Kamm.