INTRODUCTION

Intermingle

by Rich Ensor

With winter fast approaching, I start thinking about the delights of chunky cabled sweaters. The only downside of heavily cabled sweaters is that they can take a long time to knit. Socks on the other hand, are a much faster knit. Granted, chunky cables and socks don't often play well together. Cables tend to absorb negative ease, and too many chunky cables on the instep can make squeezing a sock into a shoe a bit of a challenge.

Intermingle addresses both of these issues. The cable appears as one panel surrounded by stockinette stitches. This allows the stockinette to provide the much-needed negative ease. Additionally, the cable gets split in half at the instep, so the sock isn't too bulky when worn inside of shoes. The cables are mirrored, just to keep things interesting.

photos: Rich Ensor

SIZE

Adult S[M, L
]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Foot Circumference: 7[8, 9] inches/ 17.5[20, 22.5] cm
Foot and Leg Length: adjustable

Choose a size with approximately 1 inch of negative ease in the foot circumference.

MATERIALS

Yarn
Green Mountain Spinnery Sock Art-Lana [100% Fine Wool; 400 yds/ 366m per 4 oz/100 g skein]; color: Dungarees; 1[1, 2] skeins

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 small circumference in the round: DPNs, 1 long or 2 shorter circulars, as you prefer

Notions
cable needle
yarn needle

GAUGE

32 sts/40 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch
36 sts/40 rounds = 4 inches/10 cm in pattern stitch

PATTERN NOTES

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

C4L: Place 2 sts on cn and hold to front; k2, k2 from cn.
C4R: Place 2 sts on cn and hold to back; k2, k2 from cn.
T3L: Place 2 sts on cn and hold to front; p1, k2 from cn.
T3R: Place 1 st on cn and hold to back; k2, p1 from cn.

Techniques:

• grafting 1 and grafting 2

CHARTS

DIRECTIONS

Cuff
Note: The instructions for both the right and left cuff and leg are identical with the exception of the chart being worked.

Using your favorite stretchy method, CO 64[72, 80] stitches. Distribute stitches across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round.

Cuff Round: Work appropriate Leg Chart across 44 sts; [k1, p2, k1] to end of round.
Repeat Cuff Round for a total of 18 rounds or until desired length of cuff.

Leg
Leg Round: Work appropriate Leg Chart across 44 sts; k to end of round.

Repeat Leg Round until desired length ending on row 24 of the Leg Chart.

Heel Flap
Note: the Heel Set Up shifts the beginning of the round for both socks and repositions the cable to either the left or right side of the instep on the foot.

Right Heel Set Up: Work 20 sts in pattern. Stop here

Left Heel Set Up: Work 52[56, 60] sts in pattern. Stop here.

The heel flap is knit back and forth on a total of 32[36, 40] stitches, starting at this point. Turn work so that wrong side is facing.

Heel Flap Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p 31[35, 39] , turn.
Heel Flap Row 2 [RS]: [Sl 1 wyib, k1] 16[18, 20] times, turn.

Repeat Heel Flap Rows 1–2 13[15, 17] times more for a total of 28[32, 36] rows in the heel flap.

Heel Turn
Row 1 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p 18[20, 22] , p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k7, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p8, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 4 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k9, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 5 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p10, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 6 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k11, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 7 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p12, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 8 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k13, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 9 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p14, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 10 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k15, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 11 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p16, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 12 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k17, ssk, k1, turn.

Small size only: 20[-, -] sts rem. Proceed to Gusset.

Row 13 [RS]: Sl 1 wyif, p18, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 14 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k19, ssk, k1, turn.
Medium size only: -[22, -] sts rem. Proceed to Gusset.

Large size only:
Row 15 [WS]: Sl 1 wyif, p20, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 16 [RS]: Sl 1 wyib, k21, ssk, k1, turn. 24 sts.

Gusset
Right Sock Gusset Set Up Round: With right side facing, pick up and knit 14[16, 18] stitches along the first side of the heel flap. Work Right Foot Chart across 23 sts; k to end of instep sts. Pick up and knit 14[16, 18] along the second side of the heel flap, knit across heel stitches and first set of gusset stitches. This is the new start of round. 80[90, 100] sts.

Left Sock Gusset Set Up Round: With right side facing, pick up and knit 14[16, 18] stitches along the first side of the heel flap. K 9[13, 17] ; work Left Foot Chart starting at row 2 of the chart. Pick up and knit 14[16, 18] along the second side of the heel flap, knit across heel stitches and first set of gusset stitches. This is the new start of round. 80[90, 100] sts.

Gusset Round 1: Work the 32[36, 40] instep stitches in pattern as set; k1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1. 2 sts decreased.

Gusset Round 2: Work the next 32[36, 40] instep stitches in pattern as set; k to end of round.

Repeat Gusset Rounds 1–2 9[10, 11] times more until 28[32, 36] stitches remain on the bottom of the foot. 60[68, 76] sts.

Foot
Continue working the pattern as set on the instep and knitting the sole stitches until the foot length is approximately 1.5[1.75, 2] inches/ 4[4.5, 5] cm short of desired length.

Toe
Toe Set Up: K1. This is the new start of the round.
Toe Round 1: K1, ssk, k 24[28, 32] , k2tog, k1; this is the new end of the instep; k1, ssk, k 24[28, 32] , k2tog, k1. 56[64, 72] sts.
Toe Round 2: K 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 and 3 until 28[32, 36] total stitches remain. Repeat Toe Round 3 (decreasing every round) until 16[20, 24] total stitches remain.

FINISHING

Cut the yarn leaving a 12-inch/30cm tail and graft the rem sts together. Block and weave in all ends.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

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 Tampa, Florida with three cats who think that stitch markers solely exist to entertain them. He can be found online and on Ravelry.

Pattern & images © 2018 Rich Ensor.