INTRODUCTION

Escape Reality

by Lisa K. Ross

Sock knitting for me is a form of escapism. It's a chance to break away from the convention of daily life and go a little crazy. Socks don't have to match your clothes or flatter your figure, and you don't have to choose colors that look best with your skin type. They're a chance to experiment with color and technique while still creating wearable results. All my life I've been a rule follower, but wearing outrageous socks has become my small form of rebellion.

Though most days my handknit socks are shown-off with shoes I bought for that purpose, I can always hide them under boots with the knowledge that I have a rainbow of happiness tucked away inside. Because of this, I love creating designs that are inspired by colorful fictional worlds, such as Oz, Narnia, and Wonderland.

These socks create fantasy out of the 'Made in the USA' mittens designed by Donna Druchunas. Donna's description of the veritable melting pot of knitting techniques we have in America really spoke to me. Taking a tradition such as stranded colorwork that is older than our country and making it your own is such an exciting adventure of blending the old with the new. By pairing the 'Coca Leaf' chart in Donna's article with the wild colors of 'Alice in Wonderland' mini-skeins, I have created something entirely new and whimsical. Even better, the colors are reversed on the second sock, making it just as fun to knit as the first one. After all, who needs rules when it comes to socks?

photos: Annie Prince

SIZE

Child[Adult M, Adult L]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot Circumference: 7[8.75,  10.5] inches/  18[22,  26.5] cm

Foot Length: adjustable to fit

Leg Length: adjustable to fit

These socks are designed to be worn with zero ease. Choose the size closest to your actual foot measurement.

MATERIALS

Holly & Ivy Dyeworks [75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon; 462yd/422m per 100g skein];
[MC] Little Black Raincloud; 1 skein
[CC1-5] Alice in Wonderland mini-skeins; 1 set

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
US #2/2.75mm needles for small circumference in the round

Notions
1 stitch marker, tapestry needle

GAUGE

32 sts/48 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch on smaller needles
32 sts/32 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in colorwork pattern on larger needles

Note: gauge is always taken after blocking.

PATTERN NOTES

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

Both socks use the MC for cuffs, heels, and toes.
Sock A uses the MC to form the dot grid and the CC to form the "leaves."
In Sock B, the chart colors are reversed.

Break CC and join next CC in pattern after every chart repeat.

CHARTS

Techniques:

• Kitchener Stitch

DIRECTIONS

Cuff
With smaller needles and MC, CO 48[64, 76] sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist sts.

Ribbing: [K1, p1] around.
Work Ribbing until cuff measures 1.25 inches/3cm from CO edge. Do not break yarn.

Increase Round: *M1L, k 6[10, 9] ; repeat from * to last 0[4, 4] sts; k to end of round. 56[70, 84] sts.

Leg
Switch to larger needles. Join CC1. Work Sock Chart (Sock A version for the first sock, Sock B version for the second) around, beginning at the bottom right corner of Row 1. Switch CC colors after every chart repeat. Continue in pattern until sock leg measures desired length, and ending after Row 13 of chart.

Heel Flap
Switch to smaller needles. You will now be working with the first half of the sts and decreasing to the stockinette gauge. Arrange the first 28[35, 42] sts so they are all on one needle. Use MC throughout heel flap and turn. Sock A, break the yarn for CC; Sock B, do not break the yarn for the CC.

Decrease Row [RS]: With MC, k 0[1, 1] , (k 3[5, 4] , k2tog, k 2[4, 4] ) 4[3, 4] times, k 0[1, 1] . 24[32, 38] heel sts.

Row 1 [WS]: (Sl 1 st wyif, p1) to end.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k to end.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1 st wyif, (sl1 wyif, p1) to last st, p1.
Row 4 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k across.

Repeat Rows 1-4 9[10, 11] more times, and work Row 1 once more. There will be 21[23, 25] selvedge sts along each side of the heel flap.

Turn Heel
Row 1 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k 14[18, 22] , ssk, k1; turn work
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p 7[7, 9] , p2tog, p1; turn work
Row 3 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k 8[8, 10] , ssk, k1; turn work
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p 9[9, 11] , p2tog, p1; turn work
Row 5 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k 10[10, 12] ssk, k1; turn work
Row 6 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p 11[11, 13] , p2tog, p1; turn work
Row 7 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k 12[12, 14] ssk, k1; turn work
Row 8 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p 13[13, 15] , p2tog, p1; turn work.

Adult Sizes only:
Row 9 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k -[14, 16] ssk, k1; turn work
Row 10 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p -[15, 17] , p2tog, p1; turn work
Row 9 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k -[16, 18] ssk, k1; turn work
Row 10 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p -[17, 19] , p2tog, p1; turn work

Size Adult L only:
Row 11 [RS]: Sl1 wyib, k20, ssk, k1; turn work
Row 12 [WS]: Sl1 wyif, p21, p2tog, p1; turn work

16[20, 24] sts rem. on your needle and it is ready to work a RS row.

Last heel row, size Child only: Sl1, k across heel.

Last heel row, size Adult M only: Sl1, k8, k2tog, k9. 19 heel sts.

Last heel row, size Adult L only: Sl1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. 22 heel sts.

Break MC.

Gusset
Switch to larger needles. At the top corner of the heel flap, the new CC is ready to be joined for Sock A and the previous CC is ready to be worked for Sock B. Sock A, join and use MC for the next round; Sock B, use current CC. You will now pick up sts along each side of the heel flap in pattern as given for your size below and resume working in the round.

Next Round: M1 between the heel flap and the instep of the sock, pick up and k 21[23, 25] sts along edge of heel flap, k across 16[19, 22] heel sts, pick up and k 21[23, 25] sts along heel flap, m1 between the heel flap and the instep of the sock, k across 28[35, 42] held instep sts. 88[102, 116] sts.

For the following rounds, ensure you're working the appropriate gusset chart for Sock A/B.

Next round, establish patterns, size Child only: K one chart repeat, pm, work Gusset Chart, pm, k three chart repeats.
Next round, establish patterns, size Adult M only: K one chart repeat, then sts 1-3 of chart, pm, work Gusset Chart pm, k sts 4-14 of chart, k three chart repeats.
Next round, establish patterns, size Adult L only: K one chart repeat, then sts 1-7 of chart, pm, work Gusset Chart pm, k sts 8-14 of chart, k four chart repeats.

Continue in pattern, working Gusset Chart between the two placed markers until it has been completed.

Next Round: Work in pattern to 1 st before m, sl1, remove m, sl st from right needle back to left needle, ssk with next color in pattern (working st 14[3, 7] of chart), sl1, remove m, sl st from right needle back to left needle, k2tog with next color in pattern (working st 1[4, 8] ); continue in pattern to end of round. 56[70, 84] sts.

Foot
Continue in pattern until the foot measures approximately 1[1.5, 1.5] inches/ 2.5[3.5, 4] cm less than the total desired length, ending after Row 14. Break CC yarn.

Toe
Switch to smaller needles.

Decrease Round: (K 5[9, 8] , k2tog) 8[6, 8] times, k to end. 48[64, 72] sts.

Round 1: Knit. 
Round 2: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before instep, k2tog, k1; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of instep, k2tog, k1. 4 sts decreased.

Repeat Rounds 1-2 until you have 32[40, 48] sts on your needles.

Repeat Round 2 until you have 16[20, 20] sts on your needles. Arrange your stitches so that the first 8[10, 10] sts are on one needle and the last 8[10, 10] sts are on another needle. Break yarn, leaving a 12 -inch/30cm tail and graft toe closed with Kitchener stitch.

FINISHING

Weave in all ends and wet block the sock to relax the stitches.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

Lisa K. Ross is a mother of four boys living in Bloomington, Indiana. Her maiden name "Stricker" means "knitter," though she did not pick up needles until years after getting married. Since that time, she has rarely put down the knitting needles, feeling that knitting is in her blood.

Her obsession with sock knitting and fantasy has led her to create the Socks of Oz and Socks of Narnia collections available on Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2018 Lisa K. Ross.