Wishbone Socks
Wishbone Socks, by Kara
Yarn: Regia Cotton (wool/cotton/nylon) (Two balls)
Needles: Brittany Birch 2.0mm
Gauge: 8st/inch in stockinette
To fit a very slender foot and leg. (If you need to make them bigger, buy another ball of yarn. For an extra inch of width, increase toe to 64 stitches, then remember that you’ve got 4 extra stitches on bottom of foot; the other 4 on the top of foot, one in each purl column, so purl columns are 4, 3, 3, 4. You might also want to inc 8 stitches at calf instead of 4. Distribute stitches logically.)
Cast on 16 st. using Judy’s Magic Cast-on. (8 st. on each needle)
Make a toe.
(if you need more specific instructions:
Divide evenly onto four needles.
Needle 1: k1, m1, k to end of needle.
Needle 2: k to last st, m1, k1.
Needle 3: k1, m1, k to end.
Needle 4: k to last st, m1, k1.)
Continue increasing every round until you have 32 stitches, then alternate plain rounds and inc. rounds until you have 56 st.
Rounds begin at needle 1 (side leg).
Needles 1 & 2 (28 st. total): p1, work 3 reps Wishbone Cable, p3
Needles 3 & 4 (28 st. total): k across.
(Blodges represent purl sts, blank squares are knit. Cable crossing occurs on row four — diagram should make it obvious what to do)
18 reps of cable pattern, then make short-row heel. For the first sock, I used the short-row heel from Summer 2007 Interweave Knits, but I’m not very happy with it. I think the No-Holes one might be better: No-Holes Short Row Heels
When you’re working in the round again, add a single rep of the cable pattern on the back of the leg.
So 56 st. total on four needles:
Front of leg: Needles 1 & 2: p1, 3 reps cable pattern, p3 (divide somewhere convenient)(28st)
Back of leg: Needles 3 & 4: k9, cable pattern, p2, k9 (divide somewhere convenient)(28st)
Work 9 reps of cable pattern.
******
Calf increase:
M1 on either side of both 9-st columns of stockinette as follows: When you reach the first 9-st column of stockinette, k1, m1, k7, m1, k1. Repeat when you reach the second 9-stitch column of stockinette. (4 new st – 60st total)
******
Work 9 more reps of cable pattern, then work 18 rounds k1p1 ribbing and finish off with a stretchy cast-off. I used a grafted cast-off.
Category: Blog, Free Patterns, Handmade 10 comments »
May 20th, 2007 at 11:03 am
Ohhh, those are beautiful, especially the color! I still need to knit my first real patterned sock, as all the ones I’ve done so far have been plain ole socks.
May 20th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Well, if you knit this pattern let me know if anything is unclear :) I really enjoyed the little cable pattern — easy to memorize, and since there’s a crossing every four rows, there’s always something to look forward to, and it’s easy to see how far you’ve come!
May 25th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Wow! What lovely socks!
I found your blog via your collaborative librivox recording of ‘Whose Body?’
It’s really great!
I’m a freelance illustrator (hence my interest in audio literature – need something to keep my brain busy while fixing drawings on the computer) who likes to knit – your blog caters admirably to both interests!
I look forward to making your wishbone socks….
best,
Ellen L.
May 25th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Hi Ellen, I LOVED reading Whose Body! I wish there were more Sayers books in the public domain — I’d read them all. Hope the socks turn out well — send photos! Last night I turned the second heel using the “No Holes” method that I linked to — it’s better than the method from Interweave Knits, but I’m still not crazy about short-row heels.
November 1st, 2007 at 9:10 am
Hello Kara,
It’s nice to meet you. I was wondering if you do any cross-stitch. I’m looking for a nice maple leaf pattern as our family runs a humble maple syrup operation in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of New York. I would love to make something I could put on our glass gift bottles. I should also mention I’m Dan’s aunt and have followed sporadically both of your lives, as I love Dan very much and always have. I probably don’t have to tell you my part of the family is a little “nuts”. I am Josephine’s youngest sister. In fact, I’m the youngest in the family of 9 children. I have fond memories of Dan and Tabatha as children and I was there also through some tough times for them. I don’t know if Dan has ever told you about me, but I just wanted to say hello to you and him. My husband’s name is Vic and we also have one son, Garrett who is 15. Anyway, in an extended family like mine, I can never be sure what information about me has been shared with Dan. All I can tell you both is that I have a wonderful immediate family of myself, husband and son and the worlds greatest black lab ever named Bernie. I have recently had renewed communication with Josephine and I have prayed for both Dan and Tabatha’s life to be full, happy and blessed. It certainly sounds like that for Dan. For that I am thankful. Please tell him hello. Thank you,
Susan
November 3rd, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Hi Susan! I sent you an email and a maple leaf chart… hope you got them! :)
January 6th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Hi!
I am also looking for a maple leaf pattern, preferably for a hat. My brother Chris races for the Canadian Ski Cross team and I want to make them hats & maybe scarves. Anybody have any ideas?
Thanks!
Debby
January 6th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Hey Debby, I found a couple of charts for Susan by googling things like “maple leaf chart”, “maple leaf cross-stitch”, “maple leaf graph” etc. Good luck!
February 24th, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Oh my Kara, I don’t understand the cable chart. What I see is the cable crossing every 4 rounds…But,
1. Does it cross from the front to the back?? Or back to front???
2. What keeps it from turning into a cable twist???
I’d love to make these socks. Would you explain when you get a min???
Thanks
February 24th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Hmm… let’s see if I can explain :)
On the cable crossing row, you have your two purl stitches first. Then you have a column of six knit stitches. The two center stitches of this column cross over the other stitches; one goes all the way to the left and one goes all the way to the right.
I don’t usually think of cables in WORDS, but it would be something like:
Put two stitches on cable needle and hold to the back. Work next stitch, then the two on the cable needle. Put next stitch on cable needle and hold to the front, work two stitches, then the stitch on the cable needle. Does that make sense?
(google around for instructions on how to work cables without a cable needle — I find it a lot easier!)
I do not recommend the short-row heel unless you really love short-row heels. You can work your favorite ordinary heel but backwards, so the heel flap is under your foot.