Ruska, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com.

INTRODUCTION

Ruska

beauty shot

by Andrea Pfuhl

Tangy

Ruska aika is the Finnish expression for the "time of bright autumn colors" in Lapland. So, September is the most colorful month in the tundra. While the sunnier southern slopes are still green, the leaves of the Arctic shrubs and heather on the northern sides turn to magnificent shades of red, orange and yellow.

As a biologist, I came up with the idea of designing these socks as a homage to this harsh but beautiful habitat, which is increasingly threatened by climate change. They show the warm autumnal colors and simple leaf shapes of the tundra plants during ruska.

spacer photos: Wolfgang Schulze (1), Jürgen Pfuhl (2, 3)

SIZE

Adult S[M, L]
socks are shown in size M

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot Circumference: 7.5[8.5, 9.75] inches/ 19[22, 25] cm in pattern st
Leg Length: 6[6, 6.25] inches/ 15[15, 16] cm or adjustable to preference
Foot Length: adjustable to preference

Since stranded colorwork is less stretchy than stockinette stitch, choose a size that most closely matches your foot circumference.

MATERIALS

Yarn
MC: Woll Butt Söckli uni/meliert [75% superwash wool, 25% Polyamide; 230 yd/210 m per 50 g skein]; Jägergrün, color #41053; 1[1, 2] skeins
CC: Schoppel Zauberball® Crazy [75% superwash wool, 25% Polyamide (biodegradable); 459 yd/420 m per 100 g skein]; Early Automn, color #1153; 1 skein

Yarn Characteristics
These socks use traditional sock yarns in a wool and polyamide (nylon) blend. The CC is a yarn with a very long color gradient, which makes it nearly impossible to knit two identical socks from just one ball. Any matching weight/composition sock yarn in a gradient colorway will provide similar results. If you prefer to work two matching socks, choose a gradient yarn with a shorter gradient colorway.

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #2/2.25 mm needles for small circumference in the round

Notions
stitch markers
yarn needle

GAUGE

29 sts/38 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
32 sts/38 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stranded colorwork

PATTERN NOTES

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

Construction method: The socks are worked cuff down in the round.

Techniques:

Slipped sts: All sts are slipped purlwise with yarn held to the WS of the work.
To avoid long floats of yarn that your toes might get caught in, weave in the yarn not in use when a color goes unused for 5 sts or more can be found here.

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

Cuff
Using CC, and your preferred stretchy method, CO 60[72, 78] sts. Note or mark start of round.
Knit 5 rounds.

Ribbing round 1: (K2, p1) around.
Ribbing round 2: (K2, p1, yo, ssk, p1) around.
Repeat Ribbing Round 1 for approx. 1[1, 1.25] inches/ 2.5[2.5, 3] cm, or desired length.

Leg
Join MC

Setup Round, Size S only: With MC, Knit around.
Setup Round, Size M only: With MC, [k34, k2tog] 2 times. 70 sts
Setup Round, Size L only: With MC, [k39, M1L] 2 times. 80 sts.

Leg Round: Work Leg Pattern chart for appropriate size 6[7, 8] times around.
Continue as set until chart is complete. Break CC.

Heel Flap
Setup Row 1 [RS]: K 15[18, 20] sts, turn
Setup Row 2 [WS]: P 30[36, 42] sts, turn.
The remaining 30[34, 38] sts will be held, and used later for the instep.

Row 1 [RS]: Sl1, k 28[34, 40] , k1 turn
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p 28[34, 40] , k1 turn

Repeat Row 1-2 12[15, 18] more times, until 28[34, 40] rows total have been worked, including the setup row.

Turn Heel
Row 1 [RS]: K 19[23, 27] , ssk, turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p 8[10, 12] , p2tog, turn.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, k 8[10, 12] , ssk, turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, p 8[10, 12] , p2tog, turn.

Repeat Rows 3-4 until 10[12, 14] sts remain on heel. RS is facing.

Gusset
Gusset setup round: K 10[12, 14] sts of heel. With RS facing, pick up and knit 14[15, 20] sts along the first side of the heel flap. M1L between heel flap and the instep. Knit across the 30[34, 38] instep sts. M1L between instep and the heel flap, pick up and knit 14[15, 20] sts along the second side of the heel flap. Knit 5[6, 7] sts from the heel. 70[78, 94] sts

You are now in the center of the heel, this is the start of the round. Rearrange your stitches and place a marker for start of the round as required.

Gusset Round 1: K 5[6, 7] , k 15[16, 21] sts tbl, k 30[34, 38] instep sts, k 15[16, 21] sts tbl, k to end of round.
Gusset Round 2: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k instep sts; k1, ssk, k to end of round. 2 sts decreased.
Gusset Round 3: Knit around.

Repeat Gusset Rounds 2-3 7[6, 10] more times, until 54[64, 72] sts remain.
Size M only, Final Decrease Round: K to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k to end of round. 1 st decreased, 63 sts remain.

Foot
Continue even in stockinette until foot measures approx. 4[4.25, 4.75] inches/ 10[11, 12] cm less than desired foot length.

Lower Foot Round: Join CC and work Foot Chart 6[7, 8] times around. 60[70, 80] sts, 6[7, 8] sts increased. Continue as set until chart is complete. Break MC.

Toe
Work in CC only.
Size M Setup Row: K2tog, k to 2 sts before end, ssk. 2 sts decreased.

All Sizes
Decrease Round: Knit to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to end of round. 4 sts decreased.
Following Round: Knit around.

Repeat the last 2 rounds 4[6, 8] more times, until 40[40, 40] sts remain.
Work the Decrease Round only for 8 times, until 8 sts rem. Break yarn and pull through the remaining sts to secure.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends.
Soak in lukewarm water, and drain and squeeze out the excess water by rolling it up in a towel and let lay flat to dry.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Andrea is a biologist who lives with her husband Jürgen in Northern Germany near the Elbe River. She loves knitting socks, but also equips her husband and their relatives with sweaters, cardies and other knitted items. She was taught knitting (and even crocheting...) by her beloved and gifted grandmother in the 1970s.

She can be found on Ravelry as Suruvaippa (btw: Suruvaippa is the Finnish word for the elegantly coloured butterfly Nymphalis antiopa, the mourning cloak).