Wow ... amazing ... after 9+ parts and a version 2, I think I'm finally figuring out how socks work. And now, this is a real pair for me! :P Like version 2, I found that I liked making both sides of the socks at once. For my first pair, I wanted knee high socks to wear with my boots. (I know, I know ... Boots?! Well, I love traveling to cooler/cold places so, that's when I'll wear them. :) Plus, they'll be tabi knee highs so, if it's really cold here, I can still wear them with my Birkenstocks. ;)).
Since I lost my original blog about this adventure, this is what I managed to recreate. While the beginning isn't the most accurate, it gives you the gist of it.
- I started with a Provisional cast on. Based on my knitting math, I should have casted on 60 sts (8 sts per 1") but when I tried it on, it was too loose. :( I asked my sock friend how much she casted on for her socks (she has the same small sized feet as I have) and she said that her cast on was 56 sts. But, it was still too big. So, I figured that since my sock was really stretchy, perhaps I needed to account for negative ease so, I ended up casting on a total of 54 sts. That seemed to fit my feet perfectly.
- K 1 straight row, then connected in the round.
- K 3 rows then another 10 rows in the round as part of the foot portion.
- Started the toes: with 27 sts on each side, splitting it up for 13 sts for big toe, 14 sts for remaining toes.
- Big toe:
- Row 1:
- Front: k, twisted yo, k to last st, twisted yo, k, total of 15 sts
- Back: k, twisted yo, k to last st, twisted yo, k, total of 15 sts
- Row 2-7: k
- Row 8:
- Front: k, twisted yo, k to last st, twisted yo, k, total of 17 sts
- Back: k, twisted yo, k to last st, twisted yo, k, total of 17 sts
- Row 9-17: k
- Row 18:
- Front: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 15 sts
- Back: k, k2tog tbl, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, total of 15 sts
- Row 19: same as row 18 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 13 sts on each side
- Row 20: same as row 19 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of the 11 sts on each side
- Row 21: same as row 20 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 9 sts on each side
- Row 22: same as row 21 continuing to decrease 2 sts, total of 7 sts on each side
- Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
- In hindsight now, I should've made the big toe a bit bigger by either adding another stitch (for a total of 16 sts) or simply casting on and additional 4 stitches when splitting out the toes. While the toe fits, it's a bit tight and could be better.
- The rest of the toes:
- Row 1:
- Front: k, k2tog tbl, k to the end, picking up 2 sts, for a total of 16 sts
- Back: pick up 2 sts, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 16 sts
- Row 2:
- Front: k, k2tog, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 14 sts
- Back: k, k2tog, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 14 sts
- Row 3:
- Front: k, k2tog, k, for a total of 13 sts
- Back: k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, k, for a total of 13 sts
- Row 4-10: k
- Row 11:
- Front: k, k2tog tbl, k to the end, for a total of 12 sts
- Back: k to the the last 3 sts, k2tog, k for a total of 12 sts
- Row 12: k
- Row 13: same as row 11, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 10 sts
- Row 14: k
- Row 15: same as row 13, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 9 sts
- Row 16: k
- Row 17: same as row 15, continuing to decrease 2 sts, for a total of 8 sts
- Row 18: k
- Row 19: same as row 17, 6 sts
- Row 20: k
- Row 21: same as row 19, 5 sts
- Row 2: k
- Bound off using the Kitchener stitch.
- This came out perfectly. :)
- Then I went back to the bottom of the provisional cast on and picked up the stitches to start the foot.
- Row 15-28: k, there should be 27 stitches on each side
- Row 29: decrease a st on each side, for a total of 26 sts
- For the right side:
- Row 30-57: k
- Row 58: increase a st using a M1L or M1R on each side for a total of 27 sts
- Row 58-68: k
- Row 69: k 27 sts on the top side, decrease 1 sts to 26 sts on the bottom side
- Row 70: k, keeping 27 sts on the top side and 26 sts on the bottom side
- For the left side: Row 30-48: k
- Row 49: increase a st using a M1L or M1R on each side, for a total of 27 sts
- Row 50-76: k
- Row 77: k 27 sts on the top side, decrease 1 sts to 26 sts on the bottom side
- Row 78: k, keeping 27 sts on the top side and 26 sts on the bottom side
- With the foot done, I started on the heel portion using the German short row method:
- On the right side:
- Row 71: k the frontside; on the backside: k the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to k, creating an extra st), then k to the end, creating 1 ultimate st and 25 regular sts on the RS (right side (aka the knit side))
- Row 72: turn the sock around so you're looking on the backside, slip the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to p, creating an extra st), then p to the second to the last stitch, creating 1 ultimate st and 24 regular sts on the WS (wrong side (aka the purl side))
- Row 73: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to k, creating an extra st), creating the 2nd ultimate st on the RS; then continue to ktbl to the the 2nd to the last st
- Row 74: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to p, creating an extra st), creating the 2nd ultimate st on the WS; then continue to k to the the 2nd to the last st
- Row 75-88: continue to follow either Row 73 or 74 until you have 9 ultimate sts on both sides and 8 regular sts
- Row 89-90: pick up a st, p the picked up st and p the first wrapped stitch (aka the 9th ultimate st on the WS): p to the next 9th ultimate sts on the RS then turned my work around (so that I am now on the RS); k2tog tbl (k the wrapped and picked up st together) and k tbl to the left side
- Row 91-92: pick up a st, k tbl the picked up st and k tbl the next wrapped stitch (aka the 9th ultimate st on the RS) then turned my work around so that I'm now on the WS; p2tog (this p the wrapped and picked up st together) and p to the right side.
- Row 93-106: continue to follow Rows 89-90 or 91-92 until all the wrapped stitches were done; picked up sts as needed (anywhere between 2-3 sts) and either k2tog tbl or p2tog as needed to maintain a total of 26 sts (aka the goal is to get back to the original number of sts before starting the heel).
- Row 107: k ,slipping the stitches back to the front so you're no longer k tbl.
- On the left side:
- Row 79: on the backside: k the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to k, creating an extra st), then k to the end, creating 1 ultimate st and 25 regular sts on the RS (right side (aka the knit side))
- Row 80: turn the sock around so you're looking on the backside, slip the first st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to p, creating an extra st), then p to the second to the last stitch, creating 1 ultimate st and 24 regular sts on the WS (wrong side (aka the purl side))
- Row 81: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the back then to the front (as if to k, creating an extra st), creating the 2nd ultimate st on the RS; then continue to ktbl to the the 2nd to the last st
- Row 82: slip the second st, pull the working yarn straight up and bring it to the front then to the back (as if to p, creating an extra st), creating the 2nd ultimate st on the WS; then continue to k to the the 2nd to the last st
- Row 83-96: continue to follow either Row 81 or 82 until you have 9 ultimate sts on both sides and 8 regular sts
- Row 97-98: pick up a st, p the picked up st and p the first wrapped stitch (aka the 9th ultimate st on the WS): p to the next 9th ultimate sts on the RS then turned my work around (so that I am now on the RS); k2tog tbl (k the wrapped and picked up st together) and k tbl to the left side
- Row 99-100: pick up a st, k tbl the picked up st and k tbl the next wrapped stitch (aka the 9th ultimate st on the RS) then turned my work around so that I'm now on the WS; p2tog (this p the wrapped and picked up st together) and p to the right side.
- Row 101-114: continue to follow Rows 97-98 or 99-100 until all the wrapped stitches were done; picked up sts as needed (anywhere between 2-3 sts) and either k2tog tbl or p2tog as needed to maintain a total of 26 sts (aka the goal is to get back to the original number of sts before starting the heel)
- This came out perfect! :) *yay* :)
- With the heel done, I finished off the leg:
- On the right side:
- Row 108: picked up 3 sts on each side, k in the round
- Row 109: k in the round and k2tog tbl on the sides to decrease the sts back to a total of 28 sts on the front side and 27 sts on the back side
- Row 110-160: k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on the front and 27 sts on the back.
- Row 161: k, increasing 1 st (using a M1L) on the back side, for a total of 28 sts, and maintaining a total of 28 sts on the front side
- Row 162: k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on both sides
- Row 163: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 29 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 164: k, maintaining a total of 29 sts on each side
- Row 165-191 (26 rows): continue Row 163 or 164 for another 15 cm (6 inches); you should have a total of 41 sts on each side at Row 191
- Row 192-212 (20 rows): k, maintaining a total of 41 sts on each side for another 5 cm (2 inches)
- Row 213: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 42 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 214-216 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 42 sts on each side
- Row 217: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 43 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 218-220 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 43 sts on each side
- Row 221: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 44 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 222-224 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 44 sts on each side
- Row 225: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 45 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 226-228: (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 45 sts on each side
- Row 229: k2tog, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, decreasing 1 st on each side for a total of 44 sts
- Row 230: k, maintaining 44 sts on each side
- On the left side:
- Row 115: picked up 3 sts on each side, k in the round
- Row 116: k in the round and k2tog tbl on the sides to decrease the sts to 28 sts on the front and 27 sts on the back.
- Row 117-167: k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on the front side and 27 sts on the back.
- *Row 168: k, increasing 1 st (using a M1R) on the back side, for a total of 28 sts, and maintaining 28 sts on the front side
- Row 169: k, maintaining a total of 28 sts on both sides
- Row 170: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 29 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 171: k, maintaining a total of 29 sts on both sides.
- Row 172-196 (24 rows): continue Row 170 or 171 for another 15 cm (6 inches); you should have a total of 41 sts at Row 196
- Row 196-216 (20 rows): k, maintaining a total of 41 sts on each side for another 5 cm (2 inches)
- Row 217: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 42 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 218-220 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 42 sts on each side
- Row 221: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 43 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 222-224 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 43 sts on each side
- Row 225: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 44 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 226-228 (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 44 sts on each side
- Row 229: k, increasing 1 sts for a total of 45 sts on both sides using a M1R for the front side and a M1L for the back side
- Row 230-232: (3 rows): k, maintaining a total of 45 sts on each side
- Row 233: k2tog, k to the last 2 sts, k2tog, decreasing 1 st on each side for a total of 44 sts
- Row 234: k, maintaining 44 sts on each side
- With the leg done, it was time to actually finish off the sock with its cuff (*yay* homestretch!):
- For the right side:
- Row 231: on the front side: k2tog tbl, p, ktbl,p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog, p, ktbl,p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl; on the back side; p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog
- There should be 39 sts on each side
- Row 232-275: complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 6 cm (2.5" or 43 rows) of ribbing
- For the left side:
- Row 235: on the front side: k2tog tbl, p, ktbl,p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog, p, ktbl,p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl; on the back side; p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, k2tog tbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p, ktbl, p2tog
- There should be 39 sts on each side
- Row 236-279: complete cuff using 1x1 ribbing, for a total of 6 cm (2.5" or 43 total rows) of ribbing
- Bound off using a variation of the Estonian bind off, in which I picked up a stitch from the row below then used the Estonian bind off technique. :) Somehow my bind offs never look as crinkly as everyone else's bind offs but it seems to work. Perhaps I'll be able to figure it out at some point. :P
Look a finished pair! *Yay*! :)
