Salt Water House Socks

Wool socks!

I love them. My obsession with wool socks had a reluctant beginning. At first, I really couldn't stand knitting them. The fact that everyone else seemed to really love it was totally and completely boggling to me. Why would anyone want to knit such fussy little things, with annoying double points, and beyond skinny yarn? I'm a circular needle & chunky wool kinda girl. The bigger, the better.

But then... something changed.

I knit my ex a lovely pair of thick, chunky house socks.

And then everything made sense.

Socks can be chunky |:  

Since then, I've been experimenting with sock knitting. I still don't care for the whole double point thing, and I certainly don't knit any socks with itsy bitsy wool, but holy moly can they ever knit up fast! When you really put your mind to it, socks can be done as soon as they're started. 

But that's enough yabbering. On with the sock making. 

These socks are my first socks c:

Not the first socks I've knit - the first socks I've designed. What you get is a loose, slouchy, cozy pair of slipper socks perfect for wearing around the house when it's cool or to keep your toes toasty in bed.

 

Salt Sea House Socks

Designed by Winter Bird Knits

You will need...

- a medium weight yarn. I used Red Heart Super Saver in Aruba Sea. I'm not a huge fan of acrylics, but sadly, the only place I have to buy wool in my little Labrador town is a department store. Usually when I go out of town I stock up on lovely wools and alpacas but it doesn't really last long.

- 4.5mm double points

- wool needle for darning

- measuring tape

 

Using 4.5mm dpns, cast on 40 stitches. Join in the round, careful not to twist stitches.

 

Row 1-12: *K1 twisted, P1*

***K1 twisted simply means to knit into the back of the stitch. I really love the way a twisted rib looks. If you don't you can easily do a classic K1, P1 rib :) Whatever suits you!

 

Once you've finished knitting your rib, you will start knitting the pattern above the ankle. This pattern is a repeat of four rows. Simply repeat these four rows, ending with row four, until it's as long as you desire! You can make em short, you can make em medium, you can make em long! I did a bit of a shorter top, so they could be worn with skinny jeans or boots without being too bulky. Just because their house socks don't mean that they have to stay in the house :P

 

Row 1: Knit all

Row 2: *P1, K1*

Row 3: Knit all

Row 4: *K1, P1*

 

Easy or what?

 

Knit until it's the length you desire. You will then begin the heel. I chose a wrapped stitch heel that I recently came across that I just fell in love with. It might sound a smidge complicated when it's all wrote out, but trust me, it's easy and lovely and clean!

For the heel...

Divide the 40 sts into 20 & 20. Move first 20 sts onto one needle. These will be the stitches you use for the heel. Feel free to divide the other 20 sts amongst two needles or a stitch marker to make the knitting a bit more comfortable.  

Knit 19 sts. Move yarn to the front of the work as if you were going to purl. Slip the 20th stitch without working it. Turn work.  

When you turn your work, slip the first stitch. Purl one stitch. The stitch you slipped in now wrapped. You won't return to work this stitch until the second half of the heel.

Purl until you have one stitch left. Keep the yarn in the front of the front of the work as you have been while purling. Slip the last stitch, and turn your work. 

Slip the first stitch. Move your yarn to the back as if to knit. Knit 1. You have now wrapped another stitch! Continue knitting until you reach the last unwrapped stitch.  

Move yarn to the front as is to purl and slip stitch. You will have your first unwrapped stitch left on your needle. Turn work.  

Slip the first stitch. Purl until the last unwrapped stitch. Keep yarn in front and slip stitch. You will have your first unwrapped stitch left on your needle. Turn work.  

Continue in this manner until there are 7 wrapped stitches on either side and 6 unwrapped stitches in the middle.

 

Still with me? :)

Once you have 14 wrapped stitches total and 6 unwrapped, you will begin to reactivate these stitches.

Knit the 6 unwrapped stitches in the middle. You've come to the first wrapped stitch. To work this stitch, lift the yarn that wraps the stitch.

Knit both the stitch AND the wrapping together. Wrap the next stitch as described above. This stitch will have been wrapped twice. Turn work.

Purl until first wrapped stitch. Lift wrapping & knit together with stitch. Wrap the next stitch. Turn work.

Continue in this manner until you have you only have one stitch left on either end to knit together with wrapping, and there is none left to wrap. Knit to last stitch, lift wrapping and knit together with stitch. Turn work. Purl until last stitch. Lift wrapping and knit together with stitch.  

You will now have 20 active stitches and a turned heel!

 

Knit across the 20 heel stitches. Work row 1 of pattern across the top 20 stitches. Continue with a straight knit on the sole of the foot, and work the pattern on the top of the foot. Knit until the sock is the length you desire.

Decreasing for the toe...

Row 1: (Top of foot) K1, K2tog, continue pattern until last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1

(Sole) K1, K2tog, continue is straight knit until last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1

Row 2: (Top of foot) K2tog, knit in pattern until last 2 stitches, K2tog

(Sole) Knit all.

Repeat rows 1 & 2 until you have 18 stitches left. Finish by threading yarn through live stitches and darning in the end. Enjoy your new socks!!

 

***November 5th Update***

I have a new Facebook page which you should totally join! Keep up with new pattern releases and follow my adventures in knitting :)