by Rich Ensor

I don’t know about you, but I noticed something about Knitty’s First Fall 2015 issue. No, I’m not talking about Neil Gaiman; although, that was impressive. I’m talking about the complete lack of sock patterns in the issue.

How could this happen? How could Knitty let sock knitters down like that? This is a tragedy!!

Except that the fault of the tragedy lies not with Knitty, but with me, or rather people like me – sock designers. There were no sock designs submitted for First Fall 2015. [Editor's note: this is completely true.]

Sock Designers, we failed.

There are worse failures, but still. Being armed with this realization, I made it my mission to rectify the situation for the Spring/Summer 2016 issue. Mind you, I can’t do this alone, but at least in this issue, if there are no sock patterns, it’s not for lack of trying.

Given that my inspiration was to rectify a grievance for which I must accept some small responsibility, I pulled out a sketch pad and started doodling. These socks are the result. There is a traditional(ish) Bavarian motif, where the twisted stitches travel on every round, running down the front of the sock. This motif is flanked by a very non-traditional asymmetric cable where the stitches don’t travel every round (so you’ll need to pay some attention). These not-at-all-Bavarian cables lend some negative ease to the socks giving a better fit. The ribbing between the asymmetric panels provides a bit more negative ease, plus the opportunity to offer a pattern in 4 sizes.

SIZE
Adult S[M, L, XL]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot Circumference: S[M, L, XL] 6.75[7.5, 8.25, 9] inches
Foot Length: adjustable to fit
Leg Length: adjustable to fit

Choose a size with approx. 10 % negative ease in the foot circumference.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Hazel Knits Piquant Lite [90% Merino Wool, 10% Nylon; 400 yards/366 meters per 110gm skein]; color: Lichen; 1 skein

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below — every knitter's gauge is unique]
US #1.5/2.5mm needles for working in the round

Notions
cable needle (optional)
yarn needle

GAUGE

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

Working the Cables with a cable needle
T2L: Sl next st to cn and hold in front of work; k1 tbl, then k1 tbl from cn.
T2R: Sl next st to cn and hold in back of work; k1 tbl, then k1 tbl from cn.
TP2L: Sl next st to cn and hold in front of work; p1, then k1 tbl from cn.
TP2R: Sl next st to cn and hold in back of work; k1 tbl, then p1 from cn.

Working the Cables without a cable needle:
T2L: With the right-hand needle in back of the work, skip the first stitch on the left-hand needle and insert the tip of the needle into the back leg of the second stitch. Drop both of the stitches off of the left-hand needle. The first stitch will fall free. Insert the left needle into the dropped knit stitch, then slide the other stitch back onto the left needle. Knit the first stitch through the back loop, then knit the second stitch through the back loop.

TP2L: With the right-hand needle in back of the work, skip the first stitch on the left-hand needle and insert the tip of the needle into the back leg of the second stitch. Drop both of the stitches off of the left-hand needle. The first stitch will fall free. Insert the left needle into the dropped knit stitch, then slide the other stitch back onto the left needle. Purl the first stitch, then knit the second stitch through the back loop.

T2R: With the right-hand needle in front of the work, skip the first stitch on the left-hand needle and insert the tip of the needle into the second stitch purlwise. Drop both of the stitches off of the left needle. The first stitch will fall free. Insert the left needle into the dropped stitch, then slide the other stitch back onto the left needle. Knit the first stitch through the back loop, then knit the second stitch through the back loop.

TP2R: With the right-hand needle in front of the work, skip the first stitch on the left-hand needle and insert the tip of the needle into the second stitch purlwise. Drop both of the stitches off of the left needle. The first stitch will fall free. Insert the left needle into the dropped stitch, then slide the other stitch back onto the left needle. Knit the first stitch through the back loop, then purl the second stitch.

DIRECTIONS

Cuff Round: Work Cuff Chart working highlighted columns 1[2, 3, 4] times across 52[56, 60, 64] sts; work Chart A[B, C, D] across the next 2[4, 6, 8] sts.

Repeat the Cuff Round until the 6 rows of the Cuff Chart have been worked twice (12 rounds).

Leg
Leg Round: Work Leg Chart working highlighted columns 1[2, 3, 4] times across 52[56, 60, 64] sts; work Chart A[B, C, D] across the next 2[4, 6, 8] sts.

Repeat the Leg Round until desired length is reached, ending on an odd numbered chart row. Note the last row number of the chart that was worked. Sample as shown has 3 repeats, and measures 5.5 inches long.

Heel Flap
Heel Set Up: Work the first 12 sts as set. Turn work so that wrong side is facing.

The heel flap is knit back and forth on a total of 26[28, 30, 32] stitches. Rem 28[32, 36, 40] stitches will be held for instep.

Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p25[27, 29, 31], turn.
Row 2 [RS]: [Sl 1 wyib, k1] 13[14, 15, 16] times, turn.

Repeat these 2 rows 12[13, 14, 15] more times for a total of 26[28, 30, 32] rows in the heel flap.

Turn the Heel
Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p14[16, 16, 18], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k5[7, 5, 7], ssk, k1, turn.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p6[8, 6, 8], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 4 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k7[9, 7, 9], ssk, k1, turn.
Row 5 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p8[10, 8, 10], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 6 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k9[11, 9, 11], ssk, k1, turn.
Row 7 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p10[12, 10, 12], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k11[13, 11, 13], ssk, k1, turn.
Row 9 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p12[14, 12, 14], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k13[15, 13, 15], ssk, k1, turn.

Small and Medium sizes only: 16[18] sts rem. Proceed to Gusset.

Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p0[0, 14, 16], p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 12 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k0[0, 15, 17], ssk, k1, turn. 18[20] sts rem.

Gusset
Gusset Round 1, set up: With RS facing, pick up and knit 13[14, 15, 16] sts along the first side of the heel flap; work Instep Chart beginning with the row that follows the last row number worked on the leg, working the outlined columns 0[1, 2, 3] times across the 28[32, 36, 40] instep sts; pick up and knit 13[14, 15, 16] sts along the second side of the heel flap, knit across heel sts and first set of gusset sts. This is the new start of round. 70[78, 84, 92] sts.

Gusset Round 2: Work instep sts in pattern as established; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1. 2 sts decreased.

Gusset Round 3: Work instep sts in pattern as established; k to end of round.

Rep Gusset Rounds 2-3 7[8,8,9] times more, until 26[28, 30, 32] sts rem on the sole. 54[60, 66, 72] sts.

Foot
Work Instep Chart working the outlined columns 0[1, 2, 3] times across the 28[32, 36, 40] instep sts; k to end of round.

Work even as set until the foot is 1.3[1.4, 1.5, 1.75] inches short of full foot length.

Toe
Toe Set Up: K1[1, 2, 2]. This is the new start of round.

Toe Round 1: K1, ssk, k21[24, 27, 30], k2tog, k1; this is the new end of the instep; k1, ssk, k21[24, 27, 30], k2tog, k1. 50[56, 62, 68] sts.

Toe Round 2: Knit all sts.

Toe Round 3: K1, ssk, k until 3 stitches before end of instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k until 3 stitches before end of round, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.

Repeat Toe Rounds 2-3 6[7, 8, 8] more times until 26[28, 30, 36] total sts remain. Repeat Toe Round 3 (decreasing every round) 3 times; 14[16, 18, 24] total sts remain.

FINISHING
Cut the yarn leaving a 12-inch tail and graft the rem sts together. Weave in all ends.

Rich started knitting as a way to relieve stress. His first two projects were sweaters, since there was no one to tell him that perhaps a scarf would be a better starting point. At some point, Rich got it into his shiny, bald head that knitting socks might be a good idea.

Rich lives in Northern Virginia with four cats who think that stitch markers solely exist to entertain them. He can be found online here and on Ravelry.