Pretty Comfy Sock
By Debbi Young

Size: Women's Medium

Materials and Tools:

2 50-gram skeins Cascade Fixation or
Circulo Fixaca/Obsession sock yarn in color of your choice

1 size 3 12-inch circular needle and 1 set of five size 3 double-pointed needles, (or needles in a size which will give you the correct gauge)

Ring markers or loops of yarn

Gauge: 6.5 sts/inch in stockinette stitch

Abbreviations:
st = stitch
k = knit
p = purl
yo = yarn over
tog = together
pm = place marker
BOR = beginning of row
ssk = slip first stitch as if to knit, slip second stitch as if to purl, place slipped stitches back on left needle, knit the slipped stitches together through the back loops
k2tog = knit two st tog
RS = right side
WS = wrong side
SRW = slip 1, bring yarn forward, move slipped stitch back to left needle, move yarn to back, turn
dpn = double-pointed needle
pu = pick up

Notes: Slip all stitches as if to purl

To pick up a wrap on a knit stitch, simply knit the wrap and the stitch together.

To pick up a wrap on a purl stitch, lift the wrap and place it on the left needle; purl the two stitches together.

Pattern:
Round 1: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 2: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 3: p1, [yo, k2, ssk, k2, p2] five times; yo, k2, ssk, k2, p1.
Round 4: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 5: p1, [k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1, p2] five times; k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1, p1.
Round 6: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 7: p1, [k2, yo, k2, ssk, p2] five times; k2, yo, k2, ssk, p1.
Round 8: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 9: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 10: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 11: p1, [k2, k2tog, k2, yo, p2] five times; k2, k2tog, k2, yo, p1.
Round 12: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 13: p1, [k1, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, p2] five times; k1, k2tog, k2, yo, k1, p1.
Round 14: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.
Round 15: p1, [k2tog, k2, yo, k2, p2] five times; k2 tog, k2, yo, k2, p1.
Round 16: p1, [k6, p2] five times, k6, p1.

 
 

Instructions:
Holding two size 3 dpns together, cast on 49 sts. Carefully remove one needle and transfer sts to a 12-inch circular needle (or divide equally on four dpns). Join, making sure not to twist. P1, *k2, p2,* repeat between * to last 2 sts, p1, pm, p last st tog with first st of second round. (This will close the little gap you get when knitting circularly.)

Work 11 more rounds of k2, p2, ribbing (12 rounds total), beginning and ending each round with a p1.

Begin pattern; work four pattern repeats plus round 1. Work 47 stitches of round 2. Move your beginning of round marker to this point. (66 rounds)

Heel:
Many thanks to Claudia Krisniski of Countrywool for her inspiration in knitting short-row heels and her permission to rephrase her directions here. Her clear and concise instructions can be found on her website in the pattern for the Children in Common socks. I hope you'll find time to make a pair of socks for this wonderful organization. Apologies if my version of Claudia's heel is unclear; the fault is entirely mine, not hers.

Place another marker in a different color after the 26th st on your needle. In other words, you will have 26 sts between the BOR marker and the one you just added. You will be working a short-row heel on these 26 sts.

Round 1 (RS): p1, k24, SRW, turn
Round 2 (WS): p24, SRW, turn
Round 3 (RS): k23, SRW, turn
Round 4 (WS): p22, SRW, turn
Round 5 (RS): k21, SRW, turn
Round 6 (WS): p20, SRW, turn
Round 7 (RS): k19, SRW, turn
Round 8 (WS): p18, SRW, turn
Round 9 (RS): k17, SRW, turn
Round 10 (WS): p16, SRW, turn
Round 11 (RS): k15, SRW, turn
Round 12 (WS): p14, SRW, turn
Round 13 (RS): k13, SRW, turn
Round 14 (WS): p12, SRW, turn
Round 15 (RS): k11, SRW, turn
Round 16 (WS): p10, SRW, turn
Round 17 (RS): k9, SRW, turn
Round 18 (WS): p8, SRW, turn

Turn Heel:
Next round: K8, pm #3 (a different color or a loop of yarn), k next 8 st, p1, picking up and knitting the wraps as you come to them (explained in Notes); pu one st between the next two sts from the round below, twisting it as you place it on the right needle; sl left heel marker, yo, k2, ssk, k2, p2, yo, k2, ssk, k2, p2, yo, k2. ssk, k2, sl right heel marker; pu one st between the next two sts from the round below, twisting it as you place it on the right needle; p1, picking up wrap; k8, picking up wraps. Knit across 8 heel sts to marker #3.

Next round: K8, p2, slip left heel marker, k6, p2, k6, p2, k6, slip right heel marker, p2, k16. Remove marker #3.

Reverse Heel Shaping: (Remember to pick up wraps!)
Round 1 (RS): SRW the next stitch, turn
Round 2 (WS): p8, SRW, turn
Round 3 (RS): k 9, SRW, turn
Round 4 (WS): p10, SRW, turn
Round 5 (RS): k 11, SRW, turn
Round 6 (WS): p12, SRW, turn
Round 7 (RS): k 13, SRW, turn
Round 8 (WS): p14, SRW, turn
Round 9 (RS): k 15, SRW, turn
Round 10 (WS): p16, SRW, turn
Round 11 (RS): k 17, SRW, turn
Round 12 (WS): p18, SRW, turn
Round 13 (RS): k 19, SRW, turn
Round 14 (WS): p20, SRW, turn
Round 15 (RS): k 21, SRW, turn
Round 16 (WS): p22, SRW, turn
Round 17 (RS): k 23, SRW, turn
Round 18 (WS): p24, SRW, turn

Next round: K24, move marker to this point of the round; p2tog, making sure to pu the wrap in the first stitch; [k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1, p2] two times, k1, yo, k2, ssk, k1, remove marker; p2tog, picking up wrap in second stitch; replace marker.

Foot:
K24 across bottom of foot, sm, continue in pattern across 24 instep sts, beginning and ending pattern section with a purl st. You should be on round 6 of the 16-round pattern repeat.

Continue to knit around in this manner until foot is two inches less than desired length, ending with either round 2 or round 10 of pattern chart.

Toe:
Divide your 48 sts evenly on four dpns. Begin round at center back of sock.
Round 1:

On first needle, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; on second needle, k1, ssk, knit to end; on third needle, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1; on fourth needle, k1, ssk, knit to end.

Round 2: Knit around.
Continue alternating these two rounds until you have 16 stitches total remaining, 4 on each needle. Knit across 4 sts on second needle (8 stitches on first needle). Slip sts from fourth needle to third needle (8 stitches on third needle). Weave, graft or kitchener stitch the toe sts together.

Make second sock.


© 2000 by Debora J. Young. You may copy and share this pattern as long as this copyright notice remains intact. Please do not post to the internet, include on a website or republish without prior permission. Debora J. Young, P.O. Box 98, Forest Hill, WV 24935-0098. E-mail: djy@citynet.net

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