April 14, 2006
Knee socks!
The specs:
Yarn: Knitpicks Color your own sock yarn, 1 skein, plus 10 grams. dyed with kool aid many months ago.
Pattern: my own basic knee sock pattern.
Needles: size 1 40-inch circular needle, for magic loop.
I was surprised with how fast these knit up. I even successfully practiced knitting while reading with them, because they are stockinette. who knew, knitting while reading actually works. This alone is a good reason to knit stockinette things!
The calf increases are my favorite part. They are worked in sets of two, and each pair of increases is worked on the outside of previous increases, so they get more spread out as the socks get taller.
Originally, I was just going to keep knitting until the skein ran out. Then I realized that I had leftover yarn from the cascading leaves socks. Apparently my skill lies in consistently dyeing nearly the same shade of green, because it matched. So I knit as far as the striped skein would go, then switched to solid green for the ribbing. This really helped give the socks needed extra length. They would have tended to fall down if they ended mid-calf.
Read on for the pattern.
very basic toe-up knee sock pattern:
These socks are worked over 60sts at a gauge of 7sts/inch. They fit a woman's size 9 foot. Adjust the stitch number as necessary to acheive desired fit.
Yarn: about 500 yards fingering-weight sock yarn.
Needles: US size 1 40" circular needle
Use your favorite toe-creation method. I used the turkish cast on, with magic loop, and started with 24 stitches, 12 sts on each needle. Increase 4sts every round to 40 sts total, then increase every other round to 60sts. Each increase round is worked as follows: *Kfb, knit to 2 sts remain on needle, kfb, k1, repeat from * on second needle.
Knit the foot of sock to desired length and create the heel using a short-row heel. I used the short row heel from Anna's Elfine socks pattern.
After the heel, knit about 4 inches even. Then increase on either side of 2 center back stitches. I worked the successive sets of increases on the outside of previous increases, so the back-sock-side of each increase round went as follows: knit 14 sts, m1, k to 14 sts remain, m1, k14.
Work a set of increases every 10 rounds until a total of 8 increases have been worked. 76 stitches total. When the socks measure 14 inches from the bottom of the heel, begin 2x2 ribbing. Work ribbing for about 2 inches. Bind off loosely. I used a size 6 needle and bound off in the rib pattern.
Comments (41)
Cute socks!! I love the colors. Thanks for sharing the pattern.
Posted by caitlyn | April 14, 2006 5:40 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 17:40
Awesome! Thanks for sharing the pattern, I've been meaning to make some knee highs for the longest time!
Posted by Angela | April 14, 2006 6:00 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:00
Is it wrong of me to be so in love with your knee socks???? Thanks very much for the pattern.
Posted by diana | April 14, 2006 6:13 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:13
Ahh! Those are so very, very, very adorable! I'm so impressed.
Posted by Elli | April 14, 2006 6:16 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:16
And again, is there anything you knit that doesn't turn out perfect???? Very cool!
Posted by cindi | April 14, 2006 6:24 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:24
Oooh those are so kneet (ha ha)! I would love to try them but ooooh scary! I do magic loop but i have not ever started toe up or tried the turkish cast on! I am very impressed cause those are sooo toe-tally cute! (sorry)
Posted by vegasandvenice | April 14, 2006 6:26 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:26
Oh, I love them. They turned out really great. I love the solid cuff on the stipey socks - it's the perfect touch. I'll have to make some - thanks for the pattern.
Posted by Stephanie | April 14, 2006 6:26 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:26
Really amazing, Diana. How on earth did you dye them to stripe so perfectly? Those are so fun. You are my hero.
Posted by Jenny | April 14, 2006 6:39 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:39
Good striperfection! Adorable.
Posted by mimsie | April 14, 2006 6:59 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 18:59
Oh, those are so adorable!! I'm very impressed that the striping ended up working so well, even with the calf increasing.
Posted by Purly Whites | April 14, 2006 7:03 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 19:03
Holy cow. Those are socks. SOCKS! I love them. Nooo - I must - not - cast - on. But someday, I will and then I too will have kneesocks of wonder. Not, probably, as cool as yours though. Amazing dye job.
Posted by Francesca (Stuntmother) | April 14, 2006 10:13 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 22:13
Very cute! You did a great job with the stripey dyeing :).
Posted by grumperina | April 14, 2006 10:30 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 22:30
They are super cool! Love 'em - particularly that you dyed all the yarn in them. And glad you gave knitting and reading a shot. With practice, you can definitely progress beyond basic stockinette - ribbing, stitch patterns, etc. That's gotta be good for your brain, right?!
Posted by Chris | April 14, 2006 11:12 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 23:12
Ok. I'll have to pick up the knee socks I was doing in the Vesper Knit and Tonic colorway. I love yours! I need to wear knee socks (even under my sweats).
Posted by Wendy | April 14, 2006 11:47 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 23:47
Super cute socks!
I absolutely swear by reading and knitting! I could never find the time to do both, if I were doing them separately. My favorite thing: reading other people's knitting blogs and knitting. :) Right now I'm on a lace project, which is a little hard to do while reading, so I'm only reading on the purl side. But it sure makes me fly through the pattern/knit side, because I want to get back to reading!
Posted by Lotta | April 14, 2006 11:57 PM
Posted on April 14, 2006 23:57
those are some cute socks you have there. great job.
Posted by lori z | April 15, 2006 12:59 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 00:59
Love em.
Posted by Jennifer | April 15, 2006 1:20 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 01:20
cery cute!
Posted by Julia | April 15, 2006 3:56 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 03:56
Beautiful, what a success!!
Posted by fleur | April 15, 2006 4:21 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 04:21
The socks are fabulous, I love the colours and the stripes. The increases look so neat.
Once I can figure out how to knit socks, I'm going to make some too. They rock!
Posted by Rain | April 15, 2006 7:08 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 07:08
Nice! And the colors work well with the blog :-).
Posted by colleen | April 15, 2006 8:36 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 08:36
I love them! The colors are perfect and what luck to have matching yarn for the ribbing.
Posted by Kelly | April 15, 2006 8:45 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 08:45
Cool! You can see the increases, the really good stitch definition, and two! of them. I really like them - you should be proud!
Posted by Terry | April 15, 2006 10:17 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 10:17
i am so impressed they striped all the way up, even with the increases!
Posted by SQ | April 15, 2006 11:23 AM
Posted on April 15, 2006 11:23
Love, love, love! Thanks for sharing the pattern.
Posted by Robyn | April 15, 2006 12:30 PM
Posted on April 15, 2006 12:30
They look so carroty! Just in time for the easter bunny.
Posted by Nadia | April 15, 2006 1:19 PM
Posted on April 15, 2006 13:19
So absolutely adorable! I love those colors together, very spritely! And yes, I love how stockinette knitting and reading go together. I read while doing my Hourglass, and it's a beautiful, wonderful thing.
Posted by Julia | April 15, 2006 2:45 PM
Posted on April 15, 2006 14:45
übercute! i love them! and the pattern too - thanks for sharing!
Posted by kris | April 16, 2006 8:41 AM
Posted on April 16, 2006 08:41
Diana! Those are to die for!! That is hand's down my favourite shade of green! *Drooling and Clapping*
Posted by Julia | April 16, 2006 2:13 PM
Posted on April 16, 2006 14:13
I love those! Thanks for sharing the pattern. And as for reading and knitting simultaneously, that's some serious multi-tasking. I have yet to master that. Can you post a tutorial? :)
Posted by Maritza | April 16, 2006 9:14 PM
Posted on April 16, 2006 21:14
Adorable! Gotta make me a pair of those...
Posted by cari | April 17, 2006 12:58 PM
Posted on April 17, 2006 12:58
Love, love, LOVE the Knee Socks! They really look great. I like how you dyed the yarn so the two colors stripe in different widths.
Posted by Venus | April 17, 2006 1:47 PM
Posted on April 17, 2006 13:47
GORGEOUS!!!
Posted by Yasmin | April 17, 2006 7:40 PM
Posted on April 17, 2006 19:40
They look super. Love the orange striping ;)
Posted by Lolly | April 18, 2006 8:55 AM
Posted on April 18, 2006 08:55
great socks! they are perfect for the not quite spring/not quite winter weather we are having nowadays!
Posted by melissa | April 18, 2006 2:32 PM
Posted on April 18, 2006 14:32
These are too cute. I love stripey socks! Thanks for the basic pattern... I'll definitely be using it.
Posted by gina | April 18, 2006 6:13 PM
Posted on April 18, 2006 18:13
Those are grrrrrrrreat! I had to say it.
Posted by beth | April 19, 2006 12:56 PM
Posted on April 19, 2006 12:56
SO cute! And I love that they match your blog. You must be in with the green or something to keep matching so well all the time.
Posted by Sarah | April 19, 2006 1:37 PM
Posted on April 19, 2006 13:37
LOVE your stripes!! Very, very cute.
Posted by carole | April 19, 2006 9:16 PM
Posted on April 19, 2006 21:16
Very cool trick with the elastic! Some very lovely socks! I'm set to do Cascading Leaves for Project Spectrum Green month! Yours are so pretty.
Posted by Barb | April 23, 2006 12:40 AM
Posted on April 23, 2006 00:40
Fabulous socks! I love knee-highs so much. Plus the stripes?! Forget about it... so cute. How's the elastic? Great idea.
Posted by neysa | April 28, 2006 5:48 PM
Posted on April 28, 2006 17:48