3 X 20 = 60

I know I’m behind. I did indeed finish knitting these socks in October, and I fully intended to post the pattern in November, but I just got too busy. Anyway, this is sock pattern Number Ten in the series of twelve sock patterns to celebrate My Year of Being 60.  I have to say that I am especially pleased with this pattern. Its subtle texture and flow from one stitch pattern to the next resulted in a nice looking sock and a delightful knitting experience. And the pattern suits the yarn. Or, the yarn suits the pattern….

This sock has a stitch pattern with a repeat of 3 stitches. Twenty repeats of a 3-stitch pattern equals 60 stitches total. After fiddling around for 3 or 4 days, I made up the stitch patterns I used. The main stitch pattern is as follows:

Main Stitch Pattern:

Rounds 1-7: *k2,p1; rep from * around.
Round 8: *yo, ssk, p1; rep from * around.
Rounds 9-15: *k2, p1; rep from * around.
Round 16: *k2tog, yo, p1; rep from * around.

I used a delightful yarn, “Squish”, from Yarn Hollow in the color “Mushroom”, a subtly variegated grey. This yarn is 60% merino superwash wool, 30% bamboo, and 10% nylon, with 434 yards and 4 ounces per skein. I used one skein. I got my gauge (7 ½ sts per inch) using US size 1 (2.25 mm) needles in the main pattern as described above.

Cuff:

Loosely CO 60 sts. I used a long tail cast on, with US size 3 (3.25 mm), then changed to US size 1 (2.25mm) for the sock. I used a set of 4 double pointed needles and distributed the stitches so that there were 21 sts on Needle 1, 21 sts on Needle 2, and 18 sts on Needle 3.

Rounds 1-3: purl.

Round 4: *k2, p1; rep from * around.
Round 5: *k1, p1, k1; rep from * around.

Repeat Rounds 4&5 until cuff measure 1 ¾ inches, end having finished a Round 5.

Repeat Rounds 1-3.

Next round (I am calling is a “wrap round”): *insert R needle between the 3^rd and 4^th stitches on the L needle from front to back, wrap working yarn around R needle; pull the wrapped yarn through to the front; place this loop on the L needle; k this loop tog with the first stitch on the L needle; k2; rep from * around.

Leg:

Work in the main stitch pattern:

Rounds 1-7: *k2,p1; rep from * around.

Round 8: *yo, ssk, p1; rep from * around.
Rounds 9-15: *k2, p1; rep from * around.
Round 16: *k2tog, yo, p1; rep from * around.

Work these 16 rounds twice, then Rounds 1-15 again.

Round 17: “wrap round” as described above.

Rounds 18-20: purl.
Round 21: knit.
Round 22: “wrap round” as described above.

Leg of sock should measure about 6 ½ inches in length.

Heel Flap:

Knit 14 stitches on Needle 1. Place the next 31 sts onto 2 needles. Slip the last 15 stitches onto Needle 1. The heel flap is worked flat on the 29 sts on Needle 1. The 31 sts on the other two needles constitute the instep.

Row 1 (WS): sl1, purl across.

Row 2: sl1, k1, *sl1, k2; rep from * to end.

Repeat Rows 1 & 2 until heel flap is approximately 2 inches long, end having finished a Row 1.

Heel Turn:

The turned heel is made up of “short rows” with decreases. This process shapes the heel. As a result, for each row you will work a different number of stitches, and you will end up with fewer total stitches than you started with.

Row 1 (RS): sl1, k15, ssk, k1, turn work.

Row 2: sl1, p4, p2tog, p1, turn work.
Row 3: sl1, k to 1 st before “gap”, ssk, K1, turn work.
Row 4: sl1, p to 1 st before “gap”, p2tog, P1, turn work.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until 17 sts remain, having finished a row 4.

Next row: sl1, knit across.

Gusset:

Pick up and knit 16 sts along the right edge of the heel flap. To do this, insert right needle under the first edge stitch (under both strands of the stitch), wrap the working yarn around the needle, and pull a stitch through (one stitch has now been picked up and knitted). Repeat this process until 16 stitches have been picked up.

Slip the following 33 sts onto one needle. These stitches constitute the instep of the sock. Work these 31 sts following Round 1 of the instep pattern (see below).

Instep Pattern:

Rounds 1-7: p1, *k2, p1; rep from * to end of instep needle.
Round 8: p1, *k2tog, yo, p1; rep from * to end of instep needle.
Rounds 9-15: p1, *k2, p1; rep from * to end of instep needle
Round 16: p1, *yo, ssk, p1; rep from * to end of instep needle.

Pick up and knit 16 sts along the left edge of the heel flap.

Onto this same needle, knit the next 8 stitches (from the remaining heel stitches). Slip the remaining 9 heel stitches onto Needle 1 (with the right side gusset).

You now have 25 sts on Needle 1, 31 sts on Needle 2, and 24 sts on Needle 3. The middle of the heel falls between Needle 3 and Needle 1. Consider this point to be the beginning of the round.

Round 1: On Needle 1, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On Needle 2, work Round 2 of instep pattern. On Needle 3, k1, ssk, k to end.

Round 2: On Needle 1, knit. On Needle 2, continue working instep pattern as established. On Needle 3, knit.

Rep Rounds 1 & 2 until there are 15 sts on Needle 1 and 14 sts on Needle 3 (60 sts total).

Foot:

After completing all the gusset decreases, continue working even, and continue repeating the instep pattern for as long as you want, end having finished either a Round 1 or a Round 9. (I worked 4 repeats of the instep pattern.)

Continue instep as follows:

Round 1: k1, *k2, p1; rep to last instep stitch, k1.

Repeat this Round to the very tip of the toe.

Toe:

The toe is 30 Rounds total.

Because there is a different number of sts for instep and sole of the foot, Round 1 of the toe contains 2 decreases as follows:

Round 1: On Needle 1, knit. On Needle 2, k1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On Needle 3, knit.

This toe is then shaped so that it gradually narrows. To achieve this effect, you will work a “Decrease Round” more frequently as the toe progresses.

Perform a Decrease Round on Rounds 6, 10, 14, 17, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, and 30. On all other rounds (except Round 1 as described above), work even.

Decrease Round: On Needle 1, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On Needle 2, k1, ssk, knit to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1. On Needle 3, k1, ssk, k to end.

After all decreases, there will be 18 sts rem: 5 sts on Needle 1, 9 sts on Needle 2, and 4 sts on Needle 3. Now, knit the next 5 sts onto Needle 3, leaving 9 sts on Needle 2 and 9 sts on Needle 3.

Graft the toe using the Kitchener stitch:

Cut the working yarn, leaving a 20 inch or longer tail. Thread this tail through a darning needle. Orient the sock so that the 2 needles are horizontal, the instep side of the sock is facing you, and the working yarn is coming off the right side of the needle in the back.

Step 1: Insert darning needle into the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit, pull the yarn through and slip this stitch off the needle. Insert darning needle into the next stitch on the front needle as if to purl, pull the yarn through and leave this stitch on the needle.

Step 2: Insert darning needle into the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl, pull the yarn through and slip this stitch off the needle. Insert darning needle into the next stitch on the back needle as if to knit, pull the yarn through and leave this stitch on the needle.

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until all stitches have been worked and slipped off the needles.

Weave in all ends.

If you have any questions – or if you find any mistakes – you can either leave a comment on this blog page or email me: atyler@centurytel.net or amy@stonesockfibers.com

This pattern is free, but it is still copyrighted. So, feel free share a copy of this pattern or knit these socks, but please do not sell the pattern. Thank you.