Thursday, October 20, 2011

Excellent Knee Highs


Yarn: Sock yarn designed to knit on 2.75mm needles. (US 2) - 150grams (about three balls of sock yarn)

Needles: set of four 2.75 double point needles (I like bamboo)

More: four stitch markers

Cast on 76 stitches, and divide on three needles as such: 28 on first needle, 20 on second and 28 on third needle. Join to knit in the round (don’t twist it!) and work in [K2, P2] ribbing for 2 inches. Change to [k3, p1] ribbing and work for 6 inches.

Decrease row: k3, p1, place marker, knit 2 together, k1, p1, [k3, p1]repeat 3 times, place marker, knit 2 together, k1, p1 [k3, p1] repeat 7 times, place marker, knit 2 together, k1, p1, [k3, p1]repeat 3 times, place last marker, knit 2 together, k1, p1, [k3, p1] one time (end of 3rd needle).

Work stitches exactly as established, slipping the markers for 5 rows.

*Decrease again: work to marker, after each marker knit 2 together, work like this to end of row.
Work 5 rows even.*

Repeat between * and *two more times!
You now have 60 stitches on the needles. Continue to work in the round until total length beyond last decrease is about 6 inches.

Heel: Put half the stitches (30 ) on one needle by knitting next 15 sts, and transfer previous 15 onto the front of this needle. Rearrange the other 30 sts onto two needles with 15 each. These 2 needles will be ignored for a while.

Working on the 30 st needles, Purl (wrong side) across. Right side: [Slip one, K 1] repeat across row. Work these two rows until repeated 15 times. (the heel should be almost square and be about 2.5 inches).

With right side facing you will now do the magic that is a heel turn! K17, K2tog, K1, turn to wrong side facing. Slip one, P5, P2tog, P1, turn. Slip one, Knit to the stitch before the gap (the space between the slipped stitch and the old heel stitches). Knit 2 tog (thus closing the gap and picking up the last slipped stitch and the next old heel stitch), K1, turn. Slip one, Purl to st before gap and P2tog over gap, P1, turn. Repeat these two rows, until all the old heel stitches are involved and worked.

Right side again: Knit across heel, pick up 15 sts up the side of the heel (put these on needle 1).

Work next 30 sts on needle 2, AND work them in the K3, P1 ribbing, as they are already still looking at you. Pick up 15 sts on the other side of the heel and knit half of the bottom of the heel sts. (needle 3). Check and make Needle 1 and Needle 3 have the same number of sts on each, adjust if needed.

Round ONE: Knit down Needle 1 to 3 sts before end, K2tog, K1, Needle 2: work in K3, P1 pattern as established, Needle 3: K1, K2tog, knit to end of needle. Round TWO: Knit needle 1, Pattern needle 2, Knit needle 3. Repeat these two rounds, until back to 60 sts (15, 30, 15). Then continue in stocking stitch for the under foot and ribbing stitch for the top of foot, until about 6 inches from the picked up stitches of the heel (or until sock is about 1.5 inches short of your foot length). Toe: round 1: Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 K1, K2tog, K across to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 3: K1, K2tog, K across to end. Round 2, Knit all sts without decrease. Continue to knit these 2 rounds until 16 sts are left. Graft two rows of eight sts.

Do it all again for sock two.

Cast on 60 stitches and join in the round. Knit for 1.5 inches in K2, P2 ribbing. Change to K3, P1 ribbing, and continue to work in the round until total length is about 7 inches.

Heel: Put half the stitches (30 ) on one needle by knitting next 15 sts, and transfer previous 15 onto the front of this needle. Rearrange the other 30 sts onto two needles with 15 each. These 2 needles will be ignored for a while.

Working on the 30 st needles, Purl (wrong side) across. Right side: [Slip one, K 1] repeat across row. Work these two rows until repeated 15 times. (the heel should be almost square and be about 2.5 inches).

With right side facing you will now do the magic that is a heel turn! K17, K2tog, K1, turn to wrong side facing. Slip one, P5, P2tog, P1, turn. Slip one, Knit to the stitch before the gap (the space between the slipped stitch and the old heel stitches). Knit 2 tog (thus closing the gap and picking up the last slipped stitch and the next old heel stitch), K1, turn. Slip one, Purl to st before gap and P2tog over gap, P1, turn. Repeat these two rows, until all the old heel stitches are involved and worked.

Right side again: Knit across heel, pick up 15 sts up the side of the heel (put these on needle 1).

Work next 30 sts on needle 2, AND work them in the K3, P1 ribbing, as they are already still looking at you. Pick up 15 sts on the other side of the heel and knit half of the bottom of the heel sts. (needle 3). Check and make Needle 1 and Needle 3 have the same number of sts on each, adjust if needed.

Round ONE: Knit down Needle 1 to 3 sts before end, K2tog, K1, Needle 2: work in K3, P1 pattern as established, Needle 3: K1, K2tog, knit to end of needle. Round TWO: Knit needle 1, Pattern needle 2, Knit needle 3. Repeat these two rounds, until back to 60 sts (15, 30, 15). Then continue in stocking stitch for the under foot and ribbing stitch for the top of foot, until about 6 inches from the picked up stitches of the heel (or until sock is about 1.5 inches short of your foot length). Toe: round 1: Needle 1: Knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 2 K1, K2tog, K across to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1. Needle 3: K1, K2tog, K across to end. Round 2, Knit all sts without decrease. Continue to knit these 2 rounds until 16 sts are left. Graft two rows of eight sts.

Do it all again for sock two.
These are ribbed throughout so that they stay up really well.

6 comments:

Janet Fenn said...

Thanks so much for posting this pattern! I have been searching for a decent knee sock pattern for DAYS! I'm going to try adding a few extra stitches so I can put a cable down one side. If it works, I'll send you a pic!

chris said...

that sounds great to add a cable! Glad to have inspired the idea. Love to see a photo.
chris

Lin R said...

I want to knit my husband some kilt socks.....could you give me some pointers on how to increase size of foot and leg of this pattern? Thanks!!!

chris said...

For a man's fit: I would make it 8 stitches wider throughout, make the length above the heal made to measure the man, then make the foot longer before closing the toe, measure as you go, but about 1 inch longer after the heal turn should be close.
The heal turn is worked on Half the stitches, so 60 becomes 68 and half is 34... hope that helps!
Chris

Unknown said...

Hi Chris! I am not certain how to work the row after the first decrease. In particular the stitches that were knit together. Do you knit one instead?

chris said...

The rows that are below the decreases, are worked as presented... ie: knit the knits and purl the purls. Over the four decrease rows, you will return to K3, p1 ribbing. Just knit what you see until then.
Hope that helps, Chris