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 :)
