Wild Socks

 
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I love knitting socks. I’ve been pretty rigid about not selling them, and over the years I’ve come to deeply value having a bit of handwork that isn’t monetized. There’s no urgency in sock knitting for me. They just… happen. I’ve tried a few different methods, but I prefer a top down sock with a heel flap, the same way my great-aunt knit them. I knit these socks with alternating cuffs and toes for a practical reason- but as I sat down to write it out just now I just realized… it makes no sense. Like, it was not sound reasoning that led me to make these socks this way. Let’s not talk about it, haha. Anyway, they’re a mismatched pair and I was a little worried that it would be too wild for me but I think I can live with it.

Specs:

Yarn- Right here. I haven’t used this yarn before, but I’m hoping it will hold up well (I do not love to darn). The heel is scrap yarn from Tavi’s socks- I can’t remember what it is.

Needles- size US1 I think? I use a fully mismatched set of metal DPNs (every needle is a different color) that I’ve been supplementing with single thrifted needles since about 2006.

Pattern- my own. CO 64 st., 25 rows of 2x2 rib, 65 rows of stockinet (when I stripe in single rows I do a DPN variation of this technique). I knit the heel flap over half the stitches, usually 32 rows with 3 st of garter on either side, turn the heel in a v-shape, pick up stitches along the garter edge, decrease in a gusset every other row back down to 64 st. and then knit until the sock hits the base of my little toe. I decrease for the toe by 4st every other row until half the stitches are gone, then I switch to decreasing by 4 stitches every row until 8 remain. I kitchener across the last stitches and hide my ends and then I’ve got a sock :) Note: If you are a sock knitting novice this is probably not a helpful string of instructions… yet! I learned to knit socks from the pattern on a ball of Regia yarn and with my mom and a friend’s help. I wish I had a tested resource to send you to, but I don’t, I’m sorry! Another sock knitter can probably help you out if you ask around.

Grace Rother