I met Audrey Clarke when our youngest kids were in first grade. (They are juniors in college now.) We just happened to volunteer in class on the same day. On our first school field trip we got on the school bus and both took out our knitting, looked at each other and laughed.

From then on we became fast friends and were inseparable. Audrey was the best BKFF (Best Knitting Friend Forever) a person could ever want.  When I needed to go look for yarn or buttons Audrey would say,  “When should I come over and pick you up?”  When my knitting was giving me trouble she would say, “Come on over, let’s take a look”. She even once volunteered to frog several inches of lace for me because I discovered a mistake and was contemplating whether or not to fix it. I spent many hours sitting at Audrey’s kitchen table, laughing, drinking coffee, margaritas, or wine (depending on the time of day) and knitting. 

Audrey was also an excellent cook and seamstress. 

SIZE
Women’s S [M, L]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot Circumference: 7 [7.5, 8] inches, unstretched
Foot Length: Adjustable.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Lisa Souza Knitwear and Dyeworks Timaru [65% superwash Merino/ 35% Rayon of Bamboo; 500 yd per 100g skein]; color: Mother of Pearl; 1 skein


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

Notions
Yarn needle

GAUGE

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

Because of the nature of this lace pattern, this pattern is easier to work on magic loop or 2 circular needles, rather than double points.  There will be fewer shifting of stitches between needles to complete the work. 

When working the leg, pay attention to the note about slipping stitches at the start of certain chart rounds.  You will need to rearrange your stitches for ease of working.

DIRECTIONS
Socks
Loosely cast on 68 sts leaving a 12-inch tail to sew down cuff.  Join being careful not to twist and mark beginning of round.

Work even in stockinette stitch for 1 inch. 

Picot round: [K2tog, yo] to end of round. 

Continue in stockinette stitch for 1 inch. 

Next round: Work Chart A twice across round.

Note: At the beginning of Chart A rounds 15, 16, 19, 20, 23 and 24, slip the first stitch of the round.  This shifts the round start over by one stitch to compensate for the two decreases at the end of the chart and allows the pattern to line up.

Continue as established until you have worked two full repeats of Chart A. Work another 11 full rounds, and work to the last 2 sts of a 12th round. This will be the new start of the round – rearrange your stitches if you need to.

Heel Flap:
Turn so that WS is facing.  Heel flap is worked back and forth in rows on 34 sts.
Row 1 [WS]: K3, p31.
Row 2 [RS]: P3, [k1, sl 1], rep to last 3 sts, k3.

Repeat Rows 1 & 2 15[16, 17] more times. Repeat row 1. 33[35, 37] rows total. RS will be facing.

Heel Turn:
Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k17, ssk, p1, turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p3, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 3 [RS]: Sl 1, k4, ssk, p1, turn
Row 4 [WS]: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 5 [RS]: Sl 1, k6, ssk, p1, turn
Row 6 [WS]: Sl 1, p7, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 7 [RS]: Sl 1, k8, ssk, p1, turn
Row 8 [WS]: Sl 1, p9, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 9 [RS]: Sl 1, k10, ssk, p1, turn
Row 10 [WS]: Sl 1, p11, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 11 [RS]: Sl 1, k12, ssk, p1, turn
Row 12 [WS]: Sl 1, p13, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 13 [RS]: Sl 1, k14, ssk, p1, turn
Row 14 [WS]: Sl 1, p15, p2tog, k1, turn
Row 15 [RS]: Sl 1, k16, ssk, turn
18 sts remain. Gusset:
Pick up and knit 18[19, 20] sts along the side of the heel flap for right gusset. Place marker for start of round. Work across 34 instep sts following row 13 of Chart B and place a second marker for end of instep.

Pick up and knit 18[19, 20]sts along the side of the heel flap for left gusset. Knit the 18 heel flap stitches and the 18[19, 20] right side gusset stitches. 88[90, 92] sts total.

Gusset decreases:
Decrease round: Work in pattern to end of instep; k1, SSK; knit to last 3 sts of round, k2tog, k1.
Following round: Work in pattern to end of instep; knit to end of round.
Alternate the above two rounds 11[10, 9] more times until 64[68, 72] sts rem total – 34 on instep, 30[34, 38] on sole.

Foot:
Work even as established on 64[68, 72] sts until the foot length reaches the base of the toes when measured from back of heel. 
Sizes S and L only: Remove marker from end of instep on final round.

Toe:
Size S only, setup round for toe: Remove start of round marker, k1; replace start of round marker; k32, place second marker for center of round; k to end of round.

Size L only, setup round for toe: Remove start of round marker, k36, place second marker for center of round, k36, replace start of round marker.

All sizes:
Decrease round: K 1, ssk,  knit to 3 stitches before second marker , k2tog, k2, ssk, knit to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1. 
Round 2: Knit. 

Repeat these two rounds until 32[36, 40] sts remain.
Repeat Round 1 3[4, 5] more times until 20 sts remain.
Graft toe sts together with Kitchener st.
Weave in ends.

FINISHING
Turn sock inside out.  Use tail of cast on yarn to sew down cuff.  Weave in ends. Block lightly.

Brenda’s designs are fueled by the creative energy of the San Francisco Bay Area. Her artistic vibe and desire to explore new techniques infuses her various creative outlets of cooking, beading, and most of all, knitting. 

You can find more of Brenda’s designs here and here. She's on Ravelry as Beeeepatipaknits and Twitter as bpatipaknits.