Thursday, November 21, 2002

Plaid Socks

I spent all summer designing socks for my hearty, umm, out-doorsy neighbor who had helped up so much in the garden of our new house. Nothing was big enough and no heel/toe was strong enough. After much playing around with slip stitch patterns, I incorporated two strands of yarn and created my own two-stranded heels and toes. The plaid effect from the colours was a complete surprise but is now one of my new stand-bys.

Materials: Regia Canadian Color 100g - colorway: 4743 : CC in pattern
Lana Grossa Meilenweit Tweed 2 x 50g - Color: 114 (dark green) : SC in pattern

Needles: 2.5mm Addie Turbo Circs

Ribbing
Cast On 80 stitches with CC and knit 25 rows of 2x2 rib

Leg
Join SC and knit all stitches increasing 1 at end of row -

commence plaid Pattern:
Row 1: with CC - knit 2, slip 1, *knit 4 slip 1* continue until last 3, then knit 2, purl 1 (seam line)
Row 2: with SC - knit all the way around until last stitch, purl 1

Continue in this pattern until leg length is achieved - my socks were 9 inches with 100 rows

Heel
You should now be at the seam of the leg, which will correspond to the middle of the heel. Arrange the stitches so that there are 41 heel stitches and immediately knit 2 tog with SC and alternate CC and SC until end of heel row, ending in SC.

Row 1: Slip 1, Purl Across with SC and CC held together, purl last stitch with SC
Row 2: Slip 1, Knit 1 with SC, Knit 1 with CC alternating to end of row, end with SC

Continue for 30 rows

Round Heel
With both strands held together, purl 21, p2tog, p1 turn
Slip 1, k 3*, slip 1, k1, PSSO, k1, turn
Slip 1, p 4*, p2tog, p1, turn
Continue with these two rows, always increasing 1 at the * (or working until the last stitch before the gap and then starting the 2togs).

You should end up with 22 heel stitches. Pick up and knit 16 stitches from the side of the heel, knitting with double strands for 9 stitches, then drop the SC.
Continue across the foot, keeping in pattern, pick up and knit 16 stitches from other side of heel.
Knit across heel until spot where SC and CC switch, drop CC, p/u SC and knit until last 3 stitches, knit 2tog, k1.
Knit across foot and start next heel row with k1, slip 1, knit 1, PSSO.
Continue in this manner, always switching yarn at side of heel and decreasing every other row until you return to 20 stitches on each needle.

Foot
Knit the foot until desired length, keeping in pattern on the top stitches. Mens size 12 takes 94 rows. Finish with Row 2.

Toe
The toe is knit like Row 2 of the Heel, alternating SC and CC strands to get checkerboard effect. When you need to knit 1 strand twice to keep the effect, use the SC.


Row 1: Alternating strands, K1, Slip 1, Knit 1, PSSO, across top of toe until last 3 stitches, K2tog, K1 - repeat on bottom of toe
Row 2: Knit while alternating strands with every stitch

Knit these 2 rows until 52 stitches are left and then continue with Row 1 until 10 stitches remain.

Kitchener toes closed with both strands together and weave in ends separately. Weave in ends at top of sock and dare the recipient to wear through these bad boys!

7 comments:

  1. Hi, I just came across your pattern whilst browsing and would like to say thank you, I've been looking for a suitable man sock pattern for my boyfriend for quite a while and think this is the one ;-) I am planning on making them in the Blue Moon Fibre Socks that Rock Yarn, and would just like to say thank you ever so much for the pattern! It looks fab!

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  2. Anonymous7:35 PM

    Please post the needle size for the men's "Plaid Socks'
    The pattern is very nice..

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    Replies
    1. It depends on your tension over 10cm/4". For 4ply sock wool, you usually want about 8 stitches per inch. I recommend doing a tension square to check; before you begin the sock. The standard needle size is about 2.5mm/US 1.5 ( Aus, NZ). However if you are a loose knitter, you would go down a size to 2.25mm/US1. If you are a tight knitter you would go up a size to 2.75mm/US2. Whatever size needles you knit with, it is vital that the tension is correct, so that the sock fits!

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    2. Aus and NZ use metric sizes

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  4. My dh wears a size 13 shoe. Does this sock really fit? I use 72 stitches for my socks when I am knitting with a 2.5 mm needle. I am just wondering - don't want to start this without modifications if it will be too small. Very pretty pattern.

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    Replies
    1. Dear Connie, I am no expert, but the pattern says to cast on 80 sts for the rib, then you add 2 more sts making 82. So I don't think it will be too small in the circumference, if anything it will be too big, if you normally use 72 stitches. My guess is the pattern is for a very wide Men's foot!

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