Pink Heather Socks

As promised earlier, here are "clarified" instructions for the "Mens Grey Socks" pattern, free from Lion Brand. I made the grey socks for my SO, on bamboo needles, and made these pink heather ones for me on metal needles, which oddly enough, knitted up tighter. So tight that I wound up giving them to my daughter, who pronounced them a perfect fit. I think what happened was, since the yarn slips easier on the metal than the bamboo, I knit tighter without realizing it. And, obviously, did not check my gauge.

Note: If knitting in Wool-Ease, be aware that the skein holds only 85g, barely enough for a pair of socks. If you have a scale, keep track of your yarn usage on sock #1 so that you will have enough for sock #2.



(Directions are for knitting with 4 needles; instructions for 5 needles are in parentheses.)

Yarn: Worsted weight, at least 85g but 100g would be better.
Needles: 4 (or 5) needles in size US4 and US5, or size to give gauge (24 stitches + 28 rows = 4" in stockinette on larger needles.)

Sock Top
With smaller needles, cast on 40 stitches. If knitting with 4 needles, divide stitches so that 10 stitches are on needle 1, 20 on needle 2 (this will become the instep), and 10 on needle 3; if knitting on 5 needles, divide evenly on 4 needles. Being careful not to twist stitches, work in k1, p1 rib for 2.5 inches. Change to larger needles and knit every round until piece measures 6 inches from beginning.

Shape Heel Flap
Set up: Needle 1 and needle 3 (or 4) hold the heel stitches. Knit the 10 stitches on needle 1; turn. Sl 1, p 9 from needle 1, p 10 from needle 3 (4) so that 20 stitches are on one needle. Turn.
Row 1 (RS): *Sl 1, k 1; repeat from * across.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p across.
Repeat these two rows for 20 rows, ending with Row 2.

Turn Heel
Row 1 (RS): Sl 1, k 11, skp, k 1, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl 1, p 5, p2tog, p 1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, k 6, skp, k 1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, p 7, p2tog, p 1, turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4, increasing knit/purl count by one on each row, until 12 stitches remain.

Gussets
Set up: K 6; this will be needle 3 (4). On a new needle, k 6, pick up 12 stitches along side of heel flap, M1 between heel flap and instep. With next needle(s), k 20 across instep. With next needle, M1 between instep and heel flap, pickup 12 stitches along side of heel flap, k 6 stitches off needle 3 (4). Total stitches number 58. If knitting on 4 needles, needles 1 and 3 will have 19 stitches each, while needle 2 has 20; with 5 needles, needles 1 and 4 will have 19 stitches each, while needles 2 and 3 each hold 10 stitches.
Round 1: Knit to within 3 stitches of end of needle 1, k2tog, k 1; k 20 across needle 2 (and 3); k 1, skp, knit to end of needle 3 (4).
Round 2: Knit all around.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 40 stitches remain, 10-20-10 or 10-10-10-10.

Foot:
Knit all rounds until foot measures about 1.5 inches less than desired length to beginning of toes, or until you start running short on yarn.

Shape Toe
Round 1: Knit to within 3 stitches of end of needle 1, skp, k 1; k 1, k2tog, knit across to within 3 stitches of end of instep stitches on needle 2 (and 3), skp, k 1; k 1, k2tog, knit to end of needle 3 (4).
Round 2: Knit all around.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 16 stitches remain, 4-8-4 or 4-4-4-4.

Graft Toe
Knit stitches from needle 1 onto needle 3 (4). (Combine stitches on needles 2 and 3.) There are now 8 stitches on each of two parallel needles. Graft the two sides together, using the Kitchener stitch. Weave in ends.

P.S. It's funny how the same word sometimes pops up in semi-random fashion. I have knit enough socks to know the Kitchener stitch by heart. While perusing Whole Foods for the Whole Family the other day, I found a recipe for "Kitchener Special" submitted by a woman from Kitchener, Ontario. And this week's Knitter's Review Newsletter mentioned the upcoming Waterloo County Knitters' Fair in Kitchener, Ontario. Serendipitious!