Date: Mon, 20 Mar 1995 15:02:44 -0600 From: Laura Marple To: Multiple recipients of list Subject: KNIT: Many things... (my sock pattern, quotes, etc.) SOCK PATTERN: Jenny Kosarew and Kerstin Nelson wrote about socks and fitting. After some strange looking experiments and a lot of consultation with my husband, I've come up with my own sock pattern (a hodgepodge of several commercial patterns, plus tips posted on this list) that fits him the way he likes his socks to fit. Jenny, I don't know how big your husband's feet are, but Kirk's are nearly 11" long! It's a "plain vanilla" pattern, but they can be made more interesting with horizontal stripes or contrasting heels and toes. Email me if you need clarification of any part of this pattern (I am typing it from memory, since I've never really written the instructions out fully). One thing that might help is that this pattern adds stitches at the tight "diagonal" bit, and then decreases to return to the original number. You will have to adjust for your gauge and personal preferences, of course, but I offer it to you all for what it's worth. Yarn: any fine sock yarn (Blauband, Socka, Lana Folk - one skein per sock) Needles: 4 dpns, 2.25mm Gauge: 9 st/inch Cast on 72st, work in k2 p2 rib for 2". Then work in stockinette stitch until the entire thing measures about 8". Divide the stitches so that there are 18st on each of two needles and 36st on the third. Work the 36st back and forth in stockinette stitch for 2" to form the heel flap, ending with a purl row. On the next row, knit to the center stitch, knit 5 more stitches, then ssk (slip the next 2st knitwise, and knit them tog through the backs of the loops). Turn, slip the first st, purl 10st, then p2 tog. Turn, slip the first st, knit to one stitch before the "gap", and ssk. Repeat the last two decrease rows until all the stitches of the heel flap have been used, ending with a knit row. You should have 12 heel stitches at this point. Next pick up 16st along each side of the heel flap. This will give you 80st in all (and almost an extra inch of ease around the instep, compared to the foot and leg. If you need more ease, pick up more stitches along the edges of the heel flaps). At this point, you will have to juggle the stitches around - the 36 instep st divided between 2 needles will be transferred to one needle, and the other two needles will have 22st each (6 from the heel, plus the 16 you pick up along the heel flap). Each round starts in the middle of the original 12 heel st. Work the first round even. Second round (and every alternate round): knit to within 3 st of the instep, ssk, k1. Knit the instep needle. On the third needle, K1, k2tog, knit to end of round. Third round (and every alternate round): knit even. Repeat these alternating decrease and even rounds until you are back to the original number of stitches - with 18st on each of the needles for the heel area. Knit even until the sock is about 3" shorter than the person's foot. Then (again with the rounds starting at the center of the heel), work until you are 3st before the end of the first needle, k2 tog, k1. On the instep needle, k1, then ssk. Knit to within 3st of the end of the instep needle, k2 tog, k1. Switch to the third needle, k1, then ssk. Next row (and alternate rows): knit even. Alternate these decrease rows with even rows until about 2/3 of the original number of stitches remain. Then knit the decrease round every round, until about 16st remain. Divide them evenly between 2 needles and graft together, weaving in the ends. All comments, questions and improvements on this pattern are welcome! Also, my $0.02 worth on the number of dpns - I've never tried using 5 dpns for socks, but I like 4 just fine. Changing from needle to needle slows me down a lot, and I can't help thinking that changing needles four times each round would be that much slower than three times. There again, I haven't had any problems with gapping or loose stitches between the needles (maybe it's because I use relatively small size needles and a tight gauge?) Hope everyone is well. >From Rainy Redmond - Laura ******************************************************** Laura Simeon Marple *** Redmond, Washington, USA thisbe@thisbe.seanet.com What a pity we can't make a cup of Ovaltine, was her last conscious thought. Life's problems are often eased by hot milky drinks. -Barbara Pym ******************************************************** --- This pattern downloaded from Wool Works: the online knitting compendium http://www.woolworks.org/