Knitting Knee Socks, Daylong-style

I have knit a few pairs knee-high socks in the last couple of years, some of which have brought requests for instructions.  I'm starting with the easy ones.  These two are based on my Daylong Socks, Toe Up pattern.  I recently revised this pattern and posted the update on Ravelry. 

My main purpose in the revision was to consolidate all three pattern files into one listing.  Now both the cuff-down and the toe-up version are available for free.  The first pair of knee socks I knit, shown in the photo below, served as both test-knit and model for the pattern.

I love the yarn and the comfort of these socks.  However, they don't stay up as well as I'd like.  I tried to fix that with my next pair.

I ended the ribbing early to allow for gradual calf increases and to add a turned hem that would hold elastic. These stay up better.  They are 100% alpaca, though.  While warm, the fabric is a bit floppy and inelastic--and not durable--I have replaced the entire foot on both of these after a few years of wear.

Both of these are good methods of knitting simple knee socks. I've been very glad I knit these.  If you'd like to try a pair, I have posted the instructions as a supplement to my Daylong pattern.  Click the free link below to download the files through Ravelry.

Daylong Sock Pattern

Hitini sock pattern published

That's right, my latest sock pattern is available for purchase. Find it on Ravelry or click the link below.

<  download Double Heeled Socks

The Hitini pattern provides instructions and a color guide that will allow you to use your bits of leftover sock yarn to knit chevron striped socks. The chevron design flows through this sock from the garter-stitch cuff to the toe. The patterning is echoed in the slip-stitch heel flap in the Cuff-down version. The pattern also works well with self-striping colorways, especially when they are combined with one or two complementary colors.

The toe-up version includes instructions for a short-row “Boomerang” heel that avoids the p3tog’s of a standard short-row heel. Download the toe-up version on Ravelry or click the link above.

 Either way, toe up or cuff down, it makes a beautiful sock from leftovers. 

Perfecting Ribbed Hand-knit Socks

Here's a little Christmas in July.

I actually took these photos a few months ago, setting a theme for my latest sock pattern, the one with the princess foot. My inspiration for this pattern started with a pair of socks I was knitting as a Christmas present. The giftee required princess-soled socks, ones with the knit side turned inside. I didn't like knitting the first pair; hated having to purl the sole. When I had to knit a second pair with princess soles for the next Christmas, I devised a method of avoiding the purling.

Last fall, I found that the purl bumps on the soles of my socks were making my feet sore. Suddenly, I was motivated to perfect my method and write a pattern. Actually, I've written two patterns. I think they will make great gift socks.

Cuff Down

Uses Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock, Patons Kroy FX, any similar weight yarn.

Toe Up

The cuff down version has a heel flap and gusset. The toe up version has the boomerang short row heel that I used for my Burning Stripes socks pattern--minus the colorwork.Both patterns explain how I turn the sock to the other side to avoid purling.

There you have it, Christmas in July. Super-comfy socks for your friends and family, or if you are like me, for yourself. Free on Ravelry, click the link below.

 Daylong Socks

Knitting Shopping Socks

No, not shopping for knitted socks, knitting socks to wear while shopping! Really comfortable hand-knitted socks, socks that keep my feet from hurting (much) after a full day of walking--that's my goal. Towards that goal, I knit a pair of socks from a plain, durable yarn. 

I hope no one was expecting something spectacular. Even so, there is something about these socks that marks a new level of knitting success for me. The stripes match--almost perfectly. It wasn't easy, either. I had to cut the second skein of yarn into three pieces to get the repeats in the right place. I also fussed a good deal with the fit of these socks, changing the pattern of the ribbing to adjust the fit, wider at the top, narrow at the ankle and tapering at the toes. Since the number of stitches is the same throughout, they slip on very easily. I have other socks that I knit to fit my ankle tightly--those are a little hard to pull on over my heel. Not so with these. Besides the shaping, there's another feature that makes this pair of socks perfectly comfortable. Much of the foot is purl-side out. That means sensitive soles and toes are soothed by the smooth knit side of the stockinette. Although I have knit socks with Princess soles before, I found purling the entire sole much harder than just knitting the foot. I constructed these socks to avoid a lot of the purling. With so few knit stitches in the foot, it was easy to knit these socks inside-out after the heel flap. Besides the smooth, ready-for-shopping foot, and the ribbed shaping, I also like the tubular cast on I used for the 1x1 ribbed cuff. Absolutely perfect. I'm thinking of writing a pattern, but doubt it will be very popular at this point. These plain socks aren't attracting any attention. Instead, I'll just keep knitting all my socks with inside-out feet. They feel wonderful. 

If you would like to try a Princess soled sock, click the link below for my free pattern.

Daylong Socks 

Burning Stripes Sock Pattern Announcement

Knit Striped Socks!

After hours of editing and revising and help from my wonderful tech editor, Amy, I've posted the revised version of the Burning Stripes sock pattern. These socks have tricky details which are actually quite easy to execute. In fact, the design represents my solution to the problems I had knitting striped socks.

What you see is a jazzy striped sock with multi-colored stripes and an interesting heel.

Knitting one is not as difficult as it might look. With the right yarn and this pattern, these socks are very easy to knit. I've spent the time finding that these colorways work together, developing an easy and attractive way of carrying the unused yarn, and adapting a boomerang heel to incorporate the stripes. In fact, this may be the only pattern which includes instructions for a boomerang heel with yarn overs.

The instructions are for knitting from the cuff of the sock down to the toe. However, the boomerang heel is a short-row heel design which will allow a knitter who is familiar with toe-up construction to knit these socks from the toe up to the cuff. Those interested in toe-up socks should look at my Daylong sock pattern. It includes a toe-up version that uses the same boomerang heel as the Burning Stripes pattern.

I hope this pattern will make knitting these socks fun and easy and encourage knitters to try a boomerang heel. The pattern offers 3 sizes and suggestions on improving fit. Detailed heel instructions, including a section on knitting a boomerang heel, are included in the pattern.





I'm so excited!  Thank you for all the support and patronage through these years.  It's been fun and kept me on my toes.  However, all good things must end sometime and this little run is so over.  I can not answer any questions or offer any support on this pattern, but it is now FREE.  Seriously.  Just click the link below, or the link below it to the Ravelry page for the pattern.
download now
Here's the link to the Ravelry pattern page: Burning Stripes socks on Ravelry

Knitted Guest Hand Towel Pattern

Bubble Up Towel

New:  This pattern is available on Ravelry.  Click the highlighted text to view the pattern page on Ravelry and to download the pattern.
Click the highlighted text for an immediate pdf download of the pattern.

Materials:

Yarn--4 50 gm. hanks (88 yds.) Pakucho cotton, color Natural (very white).

Small amount of contrasting yarn, about 20 yds ea. of 2 colors. I used Blue Sky Organic Cotton.

Needles--size 7 or size needed to get gauge.

Gauge: 20 st./4 in, gauge is not crucial.

Begin:

Cast on a multiple of 5 stitches plus 1. For a finished size of 15" wide by 22" long, allowing for shrinkage when washed, cast on 81 stitches.

Begin with a turned hem, so if you are careful about such things, use a size 7 or 8 needle to cast on, then knit on a 6. You're going to sew or knit this hem down and you want a loose edge to sew or pick up, and you want the back side to be fairly tight so the hem will lay flat. For me, I think, "It's just a towel" and use a long-tail cast on, starting with a size 8, switching right away to a 7. Draw out an extra long piece for your "tail" and you can use it to sew the hem down.

If you are really particular, use a provisional cast on, so that you can knit the loose stitches from the provisional cast on with the live stitches and eliminate sewing the hem. This is really overkill for a towel, but is one way to get a neat hem.

Abbreviations:

k - knit
p - purl
k2tog - knit two stitches together as one
k3tog - knit three stitches together as one

p1w - purl one, wrapping the yarn loosely twice around the needle, producing a stitch that has two loops around the needle rather than one

sl 1 del - slip one stitch purlwise, dropping the extra loop you wrapped around the needle on the row before, producing a long slipped stitch (lss)

Border Pattern:

Knit 5 rows in stockinette. If you haven't already, change to a larger needle, the needle you will use for the front of the towel.

Knit 1 row on the wrong size, forming a purl ridge on the right side.

Knit 4 rows in stockinette. Knit a RS row, knitting the cast on or live stitch from provisional cast on together to turn hem, or just sew the hem down later.

Begin border stitch pattern, "Bubble Wrap":

Stitch Pattern Notes: This stitch pattern is from Nicky Epstein's Knitting Over the Edge. It is a great book, and I am indebted to Ms. Epstein for the cute pattern. I've not seen it in any other stitch dictionaries, but am hopeful that it is ok to use it here. Using this stitch pattern will make 15 bubbles, which are actually bobbles with the purl side showing. They are made from one stitch. On wraps, wrap yarn twice, loosely. Be sure to slip stitches with yarn in back. After all bobbles are made, pull the slipped stitches on each side of the bobble to tighten it and loosen the slipped stitch.

Row 1 (WS) With A, p1, *p1w, p2, p1w, p1* repeat 14 times more.

Row 2 (RS) With B, k1, sl1 del, k2, sl 1 del, *[k1, yo, k1, yo, k1] into next st, sl 1 del, k2, sl 1 del* repeat 14 times more, end k1.

Row 3 With B, p1, sl 1, p2, sl 1, *k5, sl 1, p2, sl 1* repeat 14 times more, end p1.

Row 4 With B, k1, sl 1, k2, sl 1 *p5, sl 1, k2, sl 1* repeat 14 times more, end k1.

Row 5 With B, p1, sl 1, p2, sl 1, *k2tog, k3tog, pass k2tog st over k3tog st, sl 1, p2, sl 1* repeat 14 times more, end p1.

Row 6 With A, k1, *drop first lss (long slipped stitch) off needle, sl 2, drop next lss off needle, then with LH needle, pick up first lss, sl 2 sts from RH needle back to LH needle, then pick up second lss with LH needle and k5* repeat 14 times more.

Row 7 With A, purl all stitches.

Row 8 With A, knit all stitches.

Rows 9-16 Repeat rows 1 through 8 once more, changing color B to color C.

Row 17 With A, purl

Row 18-19 With A, knit.

Towel Body:
Now you are ready to knit the middle portion of the towel. I used plain stockinette, but you can substitute another stitch pattern if you prefer. If you use stockinette, you need a border to prevent the edges from curling. I've tried garter, but it was too tight lengthwise. I then tried seed stitch, but it was too wide. In the manner of Goldilocks, I'm now trying the border stitch pattern from Arietta. I mean to use it in my next sweater, and need to practice it.

If you like a selvedge edge, use your favorite, such as slipping the first stitch of each row purlwise.


Body Pattern:
Knit one row, placing two markers, one after the first 10 stitches and one after 71 stitches, before the final 10, then begin edge pattern--

Row 1 (WS) Knit 10 stitches, slip marker, purl 61 stitches, slip marker, knit 10.

Row 2 Knit.

Row 3 same as Row 1.

Row 4 Knit.

Row 5 *p1, k1* 5 times, purl 61 stitches, *k1, p1* 5 times.

Row 6 -7 Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches.

Row 8 Knit.

Continue the edge pattern (or the pattern of your choice) until the entire towel measures 15 inches in length, then begin the border pattern for the opposite end, first knitting a row on the wrong side then knitting 3 rows in stockinette. Repeat Rows 1-19 of the bubble wrap pattern, knit a wrong side row, knit 5 rows in stockinette, using a smaller needle if you like, and bind off and sew the hem. Alternatively, bind off while picking up purl bumps from the towel to attach the hem without sewing.

Knitted Guest Towel

I've completed another guest towel. I chose a different edging for this one. The edging on the first one is nice enough, but the dots of contrasting color are formed with bobbles that tend to pop in and out of the slip-stitches surrounding them, making a less-than-ideal fabric for hand drying. Cute to look at, but not totally practical.

This second version has a variation of a dot slip-stitch edging, slightly modified to make it lie flatter. I also had to use a different main color, since I didn't have any of the white Pakucho cotton left from the first towel. This color is "avocado", really more gray than green.
The Pakucho and the Blue Sky organic cotton both produce an exceptionally soft towel. I'm not sure that knitted hand towels are as good as the standard terrycloth ones. However, they work well as a guest towel, if a unique look is wanted.

The Blue Sky cotton is very loosely spun, and thus is exceptionally soft. This may mean that it won't wear well--another reason to use it for guest towels. The colors are pretty and may last longer without fading or pilling if they are washed less often than hand towels are usually.