Maeva sock: Knitty Winter 2011

by Stefanie Bold

(pronunciation: ma-eva)

I got inspired by those new versions of gussets. After looking at many, many stitch patterns and some nights worth of creative sleep, I woke with this design in my head.

From the toe emerges a cable, broadening to the whole instep. Then the gusset divides it. Those cables give some interest, but are also entirely doable by a not-so-experienced knitter. The leg part contains small seed stitch ribs, which break that sometimes boring stockinette stitch.

photos: Stefanie Bold

SIZE
XS[S, M, L]
which equals shoe size US Women’s 6-7[7½-8½, 9-10, 10-11]/US Men’s 4½-5½ [6-7, 7½-8, 8½-9]/EU 36-37[38-39, 40-41, 42-43]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot length 9.25[9.75,10.5, 11] inches.
See pattern notes for information on resizing to fit.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Lana Grossa Meilenweit Soja [60% Merino, 20% Soy, 20% Nylon; 200 m/m per 50g skein]; color: 15, 2 skeins

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 long US #0/2mm circular needle for magic loop method
OR
2 US #0/2mm circular needles for two-circulars method

Notions
yarn needle
scissors
stitch markers

GAUGE

34 sts/50 rounds = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

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

Wrap & Turn [W&T] – used when working short rows To wrap and turn on a RS row, knit to point specified in pattern, bring yarn to front of work between needles, slip next stitch to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this stitch to back of work, slip stitch back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin purling back in the other direction. To wrap and turn on a WS row, purl to point specified in pattern, bring yarn to back of work between needles, slip next stitch to right-hand needle, bring yarn around this stitch to front of work, slip stitch back to left-hand needle, turn work to begin knitting back in the other direction.

Working Wraps Together with Wrapped Stitches: When working rows which follow short rows, work the "wraps" at the turning points of the short rows, together with the stitches they wrap, as follows: When working a RS row: Knit to wrapped stitch. Slip next stitch from left needle to right needle, use tip of left needle to pick up "wrap" and place it on right needle, insert left needle into both wrap and stitch, and knit them together. When working a WS row: Purl to wrapped stitch. Slip next stitch from left needle to right needle, use tip of left needle to pick up "wrap" and place it on right needle, slip both wrap and stitch back to left needle, purl together through back loops.

M1L: Left-leaning Lifted Increase. Insert your left needle, from front to back, under the left leg of the stitch two rows below the stitch just knit. Knit into the back of this stitch.

M1R: Right-leaning Lifted Increase. Insert your right needle, from front to back, under the right leg of the stitch below the first stitch on the left needle. Transfer this stitch to your left needle and knit into the front of it.

Hints for adjusting rounds if you have a different round gauge:
If you have a heavier gauge (fewer rounds), you need to reduce some rounds in the pattern to get socks to the right length. There are several ways to do this: You can omit one or two repeats of the cabling (1 repeat = 6 rounds) on the foot. Or you can increase in every second round at the gusset instead of every third. If you need to add a few rounds, you can do some plain knitted rounds after the toe and before starting the pattern on the foot.

Charts
The charts for this pattern are very large. Each fits on a letter-sized page.
Click below and print each resulting page.

Chart 1 • Charts 2a+b • Chart 3a • Chart 3b • Charts 4a+b • Charts 5a+b
note: charts 1 and 3a revised January 26, 2011; charts 3b and 5a+b revised Jan 27, 2011

DIRECTIONS

Toe
Using Judy’s Magic Cast On,
CO 28 sts.

Toe round: Work chart 1 twice across round.

Work until Round 17[17, 19, 19] of chart 1 is complete. 60[60 64, 64] sts.

Foot
Foot round: Starting with row 6[1, 6, 1] work chart 2a[2a, 2b, 2b] for the instep, knit to end of round.

Work until round 42[42, 49, 49] of chart 2a or 2b are complete. 62[62, 66, 66] sts.

Gusset
Foot round: Work chart 3a[3a, 3b, 3b] for the instep, knit to end of round.

Work until round 41[41,44, 44] of chart 3a or 3b is complete.

Next round: Work chart in pattern as established, stopping after stitch 15[15, 16, 16] of the sole.

Heel turn
Check the length of your sock: it should be 7.5[7.75, 8.25, 8.75] inches long.

If it is too short, work additional rounds continuing the cable pattern. If it is too long, unfortunately you may want to undo a few rounds and adjust the gusset. Add or reduce rounds only in even numbers, remembering to stop partway through the final round.

Starting at stitch 16[16, 17, 17] of the sole, where you left off after the gusset, proceed as follows:

For sizes M & L:
Row 1 [RS]: K15, wrap and turn.
Row 2 [WS]: P30, wrap and turn.

For all sizes:
Row 1 [RS]: K14[14,29,29], wrap and turn.
Row 2 [WS]: P28, wrap and turn.
Row 3 [RS]: K27, wrap and turn.
Row 4 [WS]: P26, wrap and turn.
Row 5 [RS]: K25, wrap and turn.
Row 6 [WS]: P24, wrap and turn.
Row 7 [RS]: K23, wrap and turn.
Row 8 [WS]: P22, wrap and turn.
Row 9 [RS]: K21, wrap and turn.
Row 10 [WS]: P20, wrap and turn.
Row 11 [RS]: K19, wrap and turn.
Row 12 [WS]: P18, wrap and turn.

For sizes M & L:
Row 13 [RS]: K9.

For sizes XS and S:
Row 13 [RS]: K17, wrap and turn.
Row 14 [WS]: P16, wrap and turn.
Row 15 [RS]: K8.

Now work one round, using the last round given in chart 3a[3a, 3b, 3b] for the instep, and knitting the sole stitches, knitting the wrapped stitches together with their wraps. Stop at center back, that is after stitch 15[15, 16, 16] of the sole.

Heel flap
Starting at stitch 16[16, 17, 17] of the sole, follow chart 4a[4a, 4b, 4b] while working on the 30[30, 32, 32] “sole” stitches only. Row 1 is worked across the remaining 15[15, 16,16] sts on the sole. For ease of working, slip all heel stitches to a single needle or holder.
The sole stitches become the back part of the leg.

To avoid holes, the last gusset stitch gets decreased working in rounds again. This is included in the leg chart.

Stop where the chart ends. This is new beginning of round. You now have 61[61, 65, 65] stitches.

Leg
Leg round: Work chart 5a[5a, 5b, 5b] around.

Note: Round 1 contains the last decrease for the heel flap.

Work Rounds 1-4 of chart 5a or b, then repeat Rounds 3-4 twice more.

Work Rounds 5-8, then repeat rounds 7-8 18 times more. 62[62, 66, 66] stitches.

Work Rounds 9-12, then repeat Rounds 11-12 14 times more. 64[64, 68, 68] stitches.

Work Rounds 13-14, then repeat 9 times more or until leg is desired length.

Bind off loosely and work a second sock.

FINISHING
Weave in ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Stefanie got introduced to knitting by her Mom at the age of about 8. Since then, she's added lots of techniques and other crafts to her repertoire, thanks to books and the internet.

She blogs here [in German], and you can find her on Ravelry.