Socks Soar On Two Circular Needles: A Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and Patterns

The frst sock book ever to teach
knitting with two circular noodles

learn in minutes
knit socks faster and more gracefully
300 fewer "intersections per average pair of socks
more control over intricate designs
translate traditional patterns
tricks for durability
11 designs from simple to sophisticated
basic pattern to Jft man, woman, or child
a betterfittingfelted boot
introducingCat'sTurned Toe the smoothest toe on the planet
many original tips and techniques
Techniques work for gloves, neck bands, cuffs and hats
author is a schoolteacher,
and has taught this method to children
ISBN 0 - 9 7 0 8 8 6 9 - 5 - 0
9 0000
ISBN 0-9708869-5-0
S o c k s S o a r on Two Circular Needles

A manual of elegant knitting
techniques and patterns
Cat Bordi
Passing Paws Press
Photography and Cover Design: Anne Sheridan Photography

and Fine Art, Friday Harbor, W A
Basic Layout: Cat Bordi
Prepress Work: By Design, Friday Harbor, W A
Printed by Bang Printing, Brainerd, MN
First Printing, May, 2001.
Second Printing, July, 2001, including minor revisions
Third Printing, September, 2001, including minor revisions
Fourth Printing, April, 2002, including minor revisions
Fifth Printing, November 2002, Including minor revisions
Text and graphics copyright 2 0 0 1 , Catherine Bordi
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the copyright holder.
Passing Paws Press

Post Office B o x 2 4 6 3
Friday Harbor, W A 9 8 2 5 0
cat @rockisland. com
Library of Congress Data:

Bordi, Cat.
S o c k s S o a r on Two Circular Needles: a manual of elegant
techniques and patterns/by Cat Bordi.
4 8 pages
ISBN 0 - 9 7 0 8 8 6 9 - 5 - 0
1. Knitting - Patterns 2 . Knitting - Techniques 3 . Knitting Socks.
Table o Contents
Knitting with Two Circular Needles
Is this b o o k for y o u ?
Falling in love
K n i t t i n g with two c i r c u l a r s : getting s t a r t e d
Casting on and j o i n i n g
Around and around
T r a n s l a t i n g a traditional p a t t e r n to the two c i r c u l a r m e t h o d
Patterns
S i m p l e S o c k in T h r e e S i z e s (easy)
Indoor Felted B o o t s (easy)
10
F l e e t f o o t (easy)
12
G a r d e n e r s S o c k (easy)
15
Night-Blooming J a s m i n e (intermediate)
18
Columbine P e a k ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )
20
Two A l e r t C a t s ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )
22
Cable-Top: with t h e Turned T o e ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )
25
Alpine M e a d o w ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )
27
B a v a r i a n Twisted S t i t c h ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )
31
L e a f and Tendril: with the Turned T o e (advanced)
35
Appendix
S p e c i a l T i p s and T e c h n i q u e s : the How, W h y , and W h e r e f o r e
40
S o u r c e s for Y a r n s , Needles, and O t h e r G o o d i e s
42
My Favorite K n i t t i n g T e c h n i q u e R e f e r e n c e s
42
Treasured Traditional S o c k Collections
43
I n t e r e s t e d in additional p a t t e r n s and t e c h n i q u e s ?
43
About the a u t h o r
43
Abbreviations and E x p l a n a t i o n s
44
It takes a village to write a book
y beloved daughter J e n n y has always been an inspiration to me. In her infancy,

her feet were so tiny they slid down the bathroom sink's sudsy drain, and now she
leaps hurdles and dashes around a track wearing the Fleetfoot socks you'll find in
this book. A culinary artist, she is also an artist of life itself, faithfully and thoughtfully
weaving the unique and profound tapestry of her individual nature. It's an honor to be
present in her life. From the very start of this book's journey, Jenny's insistence that it
become a "real book" encouraged me to leap the hurdles along the way. Thank you.
This book might not exist were it not for my kind mother, who somehow gathered
and regathered the patience to lovingly and methodically teach a very stubborn and
determined child to knit and sew. From the memorable day she taught me, a six year old, to
tie a knot in the end of sewing thread as I sat on the white rocking horse in our temporary
home in Merzhausen, Germany, to the help she still offers me in thinking about textile
design and function, I thank her for persevering for all those years, in so many ways.
Anne Sheridan is a dear friend whose artist's eye and heart gracefully captured
images of my socks on film, and who created a cover that makes me feel like I'm breathing
fresh spring air every time I look at it. Ingrid and Hans S k a c e l ' s interest, support, and
good advice helped me more wisely navigate the uncharted seas of putting this book
together. T h e members of my textile guild continually inspire me and their suggestions and
insights have been invaluable. Candy Hoeschen and Judy Brandt were especially helpful.
T h e Thursday afternoons of knitting and wise friendship with my teaching colleague, Kim
Norton, nourished the book's growth spurts and both of us. Eckhart Toiles gentle presence
kindled stillness in me, which has allowed this book to emerge in peace.
I thank all those knitters of centuries past, who figured out how to pull loops
through loops and hold them on sticks. More recent knitters, especially Barbara Walker,
Joyce Williams, Meg Swansen, and Elizabeth Zimmerman, have inspired me to open my
eyes and think and dream of new ways of pulling loops through loops on sticks into a sock
shape. A special thank you to Meg and her bright spirit for responding to my phone call by
generously sharing her enthusiasm and "everything she knows" about doing a book.
And last but certainly not least, I cherish and admire my many middle school
knitting students for their inventiveness and vital interest in an age-old art. Three students,
Emily Bayuk-Johnson, Caitlin Ness, and Kati English, stand out for their creativity, ability
to learn almost anything, perseverance in diving into new territory, and the many new
knitters they have taught themselves.
Kmlttng a sock, with two circula needles:

one needle works while the other rests
In addition to efficiency and speed, there are

many other advantages to using two circulars.
You can try on the sock at any time because the
cables wrap themselves right around your foot.
This makes it much easier to know if your gauge
is indeed correct, and you can tell when it's time
to start the toe. If durability is a high priority, you
can easily use a smaller diameter needle for a
tighter-knit sole. You'll never misplace a needle
or have one clatter to the floor and roll out of
reach under the sofa. Large designs can be kept
on one needle, making them easier to follow. In
fact, you can keep up to two thirds of the stitches
on one needle. You'll easily snug up the stitches
at the two needle intersections because you are
pushing your working needle against a thin,
pliant cable. T h e needles nestle gracefully with
your sock and yarn for traveling, taking up less
length than double-pointeds. And, if you have two
2 4 " circulars in the same size, you'll be able to
use them for everything from socks, to gloves, to
large sweaters and shawls.
Knitting with
Two Circular Needles
Is this book for you?
I hope so. If you can knit and purl, you can use
this book to knit socks faster and more
gracefully, using the magic of two circular
needles. You'll find four patterns easy enough for
a beginner, six for intermediate knitters, and one
for the advanced knitter. T h e socks appear in
relative order of difficulty.
I assume you have basic knitting skills, and own
at least one good knitting reference book (see
appendix for recommendations) to look up the
details of certain techniques beyond the scope of
this book, like invisible cast-on, grafting instruc
tions, and I-cord.
S o , if you love learning new skills, delight in
knitting architecture, love to knit socks, or just
have cold feet, I welcome you to the world that
lies within these pages.
I did not wake up in the middle of the night

with a sudden realization of how to knit this way.
Instead, I spent months puzzling over how to use
two circulars to knit a tube, following blind
instinct, seemingly making no progress. It seemed
obvious that it must work, but how? Having knit
many socks on double-pointed needles, I thought
the process would follow the same steps. I kept
trying to work from one needle to the other, tying
myself in spiraling knots that I had to back out
of. I don't recall precisely how I muddled my way
to "Eureka!", but within days of solving the
mystery, Joyce Williams' excellent article on
knitting with two circulars appeared in the
summer 2 0 0 0 issue of Knitters'
Magazine.
Falling in love
I've written this book because I fell in love all
over again with knitting socks, this time on two
circular needles. W h e n I say circular needles, I'm
not referring to the old kind that you soaked in
boiling water in hopes that the cable would
unspring itself. As you probably know, the warm
bath never quite defeated the cable's urge to coil,
and knitting became an isometric exercise. You'll
burn fewer calories knitting with the best newer
circular needles, whose pliant, slinky cables are
already tame.
Knitting socks on two sleek circulars is like
taking an express train, while knitting socks on
the traditional four or five double-pointeds is
more like taking a milk-run train that stops at
every little village along the way. While knitting a
pair of socks on two circulars, you will pause for
about three hundred fewer intersections than
when using a traditional, double-pointed needle
method. I would gladly use double-pointed
needles for a historical knitting experience, but
not otherwise.
I immediately thought of the hundredth monkey

story, where a discovery by one monkey on an
isolated island is simultaneously repeated by
other monkeys on another ninety-nine isolated
islands. I suspect there are at least another
ninety-eight of you out there wondering why
everyone doesn't already know about this method.
Well, I wonder too, and want everyone to know
all about it.
correct number for your pattern, and then slide

half of the stitches to the other circular needle.
Hold the two needles parallel and push the
stitches up near the tips. Lay the tips holding the
stitches in the palm of your non-dominant hand,
and flatten out the stitches so they aren't twisted.
T h e loops should face out from the needles while
the cast-on knots form a long, narrow U between
the needles.
To achieve a smooth join at the top of your
sock, you will switch and interlock the two top
stitches. Pick up the dangling end of either
needle and use it to transfer the top stitch from
the left needle to the right needle. Then pass the
transferred stitch over the top stitch on the right
needle, pull out that stitch and move it to the left
needle. You're set for your first round of twocircular-needle knitting!
You'll find my recommended gauge is slightly
tighter than what the yarn label suggests. This is
to increase sock longevity. Before you start a pair
of socks, make sure you have the size needle that
gives you the correct gauge. In the appendix you'll
find a clever method for checking the gauge of
three needle sizes at the same time.
Knitting with two circulars:

getting started
Using two circular needles to knit a tube is
simple. Place half your stitches on one circular
needle, half on the other, join (see below) and
knit each set of stitches with the needle holding
those stitches. About the only mistake you can
make is to use one needle to knit from the other
needle, which you must not do, because the secret
is this:
One circular needle works

while the other rests
You will be happiest knitting socks with a needle

length from 1 6 " to 2 4 " . I personally prefer 2 4 "
needles because the tips of the unused set hang
down out of my way. S h o r t e r or longer needles
work, but not as comfortably. I urge you to invest
in top quality circular needles with silken smooth
tips, a pliant, non-coiling cable, and a smooth
join. I've tried a number of the circular needles
currently available, and find Addi Turbo needles
superior to the rest. Their cables are slinky yet
strong, and the tips are available in either
bamboo or nickel-plated brass (also gold, which I
have not tried). Bamboo offers you a little
traction when using a particularly slippery yarn,
while nickel allows you to speed-knit. Beware of
the cheapest circular needles; they are pretty
much the same as those I bought twenty years
ago and are more closely related to bedsprings
with points than functional knitting needles. If
you already have older circular needles, you may
want to use them to initially try out the twocircular method, but I hope you won't. T h e stiffer,
coiling cables and annoyingly catchy joins
undermine this method. I would still be happily
using sets of double-pointed needles for socks,
and not have written this book, were it not for
the quantum leap in circular needle technology.
Around and around

You have half the stitches on each needle, and
the top is joined and interlocked by the stitches
you switched. T h e working yarn rises from the
middle of that switch.
Take the needle on your right, and pull it so
that its stitches lie in the middle of the cable,
with the tips hanging down. This needle will rest
while the other needle does its work.
Letting the resting needle dangle, pick up one
end of the working needle in each hand. S t a r t
knitting and when you get to the end of those
stitches, stop. Pull the needle you just worked
with so its stitches lie in the middle of its cable,
and let that needle dangle while you pick up the
needle which just had a short nap. T h e yarn is
right where you need it, at the beginning of the
stitches. With one end in each hand, knit those
stitches and stop.
Repeat this over and over again . . . and soon
you will have socks. Actually, there's a little more
to a sock than just going around and around. I
suggest you begin with the Simple S o c k pattern,
and then move on to the more challenging
designs in this book.
Casting on and joining

The top of a sock must be elastic yet snug. I
prefer a long-tail cast-on, and cast on loosely to
one of the circular needles.
Recount the stitches to be sure you have the
3
Stitches have been cast on and divided between

thetworteedies. Notice that the^ Ueflat
with the Loops to the outside.
Thetop stitch.froynthei^nexiLehasbeen
transferred to the right needle,
to make agoodjoin.
The top stitch from the rightneedie has

been pulled through the transferred
stitch and moved to the leftneedle,
to complete thejoin.
This sock is bcma knit in profile. The leg,

heelfLzp, cmsfcncel turn core done. The
heeljlap stitches have been picked up
and afew rounds of decreases
have been worked.
This is the Leaf and Tendril sock being knit

Jace-jront, which is the opposite of profile.
This is the same Leaf and Tendril sock

being knitface-front,
showrifroni the back
(lyfow see the heel sticking out).
,5
stitches. T h e traditional pattern will read

something like this: "On first double point
needle, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k l ; k across second
dpn; on third dpn, k 1, ssk, k to end." Notice that
the decreases are placed within the last three
stitches of each needle, a nifty advantage for
traditionalists indeed.
We locate our decreases easily as follows: to set
yourself up for the gusset you will put half the
heel-turn stitches on one needle, pick up the
required number of heel flap stitches, and
continue on until you have collected half of the
instep stitches. As you can guess, you will collect
the same stitches in reverse order on the other
needle, giving you a sock-in-profile about to be
gusseted. S i n c e you don't have your decreases
lined up for you at the end of the needle, you may
choose to place a marker on each needle to
remind you to decrease. O r you may be like me,
and feel you're perfectly capable of seeing where
to decrease without a marker.
Translating a traditional pattern

Do you have already have a collection of
favorite sock patterns? They're all written in the
traditional method, right? Not a problem! You're
about to become bilingual.
Traditional sock patterns use three or four
needles to hold stitches and a fourth or fifth to
knit from those stitch-holding needles. As you
already know, with two circulars, each needle
turns around and knits from its other end, not
unlike my golden retriever, Persimmon, who loves
to catch her tail between her teeth and revolve
around and around to impress company.
Now let's stop and think a minute, even if you
have never knit a sock the traditional four-or-five
needle way. Wouldn't it make sense, if you had
three or four needles to hold stitches, to place the
decreases and increases at the needle ends so
they could be easily identified? Yes, it would. And
that is exactly why traditional patterns read, "k to
last 3 st, k 2tog," etc. Using our two-circular
method, you will sometimes need to arrange
stitches on the needles so you can decrease or
increase at the ends, and at other times a marker
will signal you to increase or decrease in the
middle of the needle.
Time to zoom down the foot. Those traditional

people have rearranged their stitches on three or
four needles again, since they cannot work with
just two like you and I. You need not rearrange a
thing. In fact, you're carefree until it's toegrafting time.
At the toe, traditionalists make their decreases
near the ends of the needles, rather like they do
when working the gusset. You, on the other hand,
are making your toe decreases in the middle of
each needle, and can watch the shape narrowing
symmetrically since it is not bisected between
needles. You may want to place a marker, or not.
You're in charge.
Time to graft the stitches. You'd better
rearrange them so the sock is no longer in profile
(each needle is holding half the stitches, and the
sock lies sideways), but face-front (one needle
holds the instep stitches, and the other needle
holds the sole stitches), which I admit the
traditionalists did not have to do, but don't they
deserve a break after all that extra needlefiddling? Graft those stitches together, after
reading the appendix where I give you a sweet
little technique for avoiding donkey-ears, and a
Lucy Neatby trick for people suffering from
graftophobia (fear of grafting stitches).
Voil! You are now bilingual forevermore.
Let's start at the top of a traditional sock, and

work our way down. Traditional patterns usually
tell you to put one third of the stitches on each
needle (or one quarter if using five needles).
Please put half the needles on each circular
needle, join, and work your way down the leg.
Now you're at the heel flap. Traditional
patterns will tell you to rearrange the stitches so
that half are on one needle and the other half
divided between the other two needles. You, with
your two circulars, have nothing to rearrange, for
each needle already has half the stitches. Your
biggest challenge is to choose which one deserves
to become a heel flap, and eventually the sole.
Now it's time to turn the heel, and both
traditional and circular methods work rows on
one needle to do this; no difference here.
Once the heel is turned, you will start the
gusset. In traditional patterns the first needle
holds half the stitches from the turned heel, plus
the picked up stitches from one side of the heel
flap. T h e second needle holds the instep (top of
foot) stitches, and the third needle holds the
picked up stitches from the second side of the
heel flap plus the second half of the turned heel
6
the correct gauge (most likely size 2 or 3 ) .

S i z e : Child's medium, women's medium, and
men's medium.
L e g : Cast on ( 4 4 , 6 0 , 7 2 ) sts, join by switching
the two end sts, and work k2, p2 ribbing on
larger needles for (4 1 / 2 , 6, 6 1 / 2 ) inches.
H e e l F l a p : You will work the heel flap back and
forth on the ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) stitches on one needle,
while the other needle and its stitches wait. To
make the ribbing flow symmetrically down the
instep on the child's and women's socks, begin the
heel flap on the needle that starts and ends with
k 2 , not p2. For the men's sock, shift one stitch
from each needle to the other so each needle
begins and ends with a single knit stitch; you may
then use either needle for the heel flap.
Row 1: S I 1 as if to purl, * ( k l , si 1 as if to knit),
repeat from *, end k l .
Row2: S I 1 as if to purl, p ( 2 0 , 2 8 , 3 4 ) , k l .
Row 3: Repeat rows 1 and 2 each ( 1 0 , 1 4 , 1 7 )
more times. End with a completed purl row.
Turning Heel:
Row 1: K ( 1 3 , 1 7 , 2 0 ) sts, k2tog, k l , turn.
Row2: S I 1, p5, ssp, p i , turn.
Row 3: S I 1, k 6 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 4: S I 1, p7, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 7: S I 1, k l O , k2tog, k l , turn.
( S e e below for child's final 2 rows)
Row 8: S I 1, pl 1, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 9: S I 1, k l 2 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 10: S I 1, p l 3 , ssp, p l , turn.
( S e e below for women's final 2 rows)
Row 14: S I 1, pl 7, ssp, p l , turn.
( S e e below for men's final 3 rows)
Final 2 rows of child's
heel-turning:
Row 8: S I 1, pl 1, ssp, pl, turn.
Row 9: K 1 4
Final 2 rows of women's
heel-turning:
Row 13: K 1 8 .
Fina.1 3 rows of men's
heel-turning:
Row 15: S I 1, k l 8 , k2tog, turn.
Row 16: S I 1, p l 8 , ssp, turn.
Row 17: S I 1, k ! 9
Start here:
Simple Sock
in Three Sizes
If you ve never knit socks before, I hope you 11
start with this simple sock, given in three sizes,
and designed to make you successful right away.
The leg ribbing continues down the instep to the
toe, for an excellent fit. You could spend the rest
of your life knitting just this simple sock
pattern,
varying it by choosing different ribbing designs or
other textured patterns, colors, and
interesting
yarns. I think of a sock as the ideal small canvas
for knitting creativity - a small investment
of yarn
and time and a tantalizing shape on which to place
designs. At the end of the pattern,
alternate
instructions are given for using a smaller
needle
for the sole, which will make the sock more
durable.
Y a r n : (2, 3 , 3 ) 5 0 gram, 1 5 0 meter balls of
Libero Sportgarn, 8 0 % wool, 2 0 % nylon, in color
1 8 0 , or color of your choice.
G a u g e : 2 8 sts = 4 "
N e e d l e s : Two 2 4 " circular needles to give you
7
Picking up Gusset Stitches: With the same
How to tell? Try the sock on! T h e flexible cables

allow you to try on your sock at any point, and I
hope you have been delighting your foot with
frequent try-ons all along. If you are knitting for
someone who is not there, figure out how much
shorter or longer than your foot their foot is. Try
the sock on and add or subtract the difference
between your foot and theirs. You try the sock on
rather than measuring it flat because the sock
may stretch in circumference on your foot, which
shortens the length a bit.
needle, knit up ( 1 1 , 1 5 , 1 8 ) sts in the loops

along the heel flap. In the intersection of the heel
flap and instep, pick up a stitch. On the next
round you will knit it through the back loop (a
twisted stitch), to keep a hole from appearing
here later. Place a marker.
Look at the other end of your needle, where
the ( 1 4 , 1 8 , 2 0 ) heel turn stitches are patiently
waiting. Transfer the distant (7, 9 , 1 0 ) to the
other needle.
K across half of the instep sts, maintaining the
ribbing pattern (for child's and women's sock:
*p2, k 2 , repeat from *, end p2; for men's sock:
k l , p2, *k2, p2, repeat from *, end k l ) . This
ribbing continues until the toe. You now have
( 3 0 , 4 0 , 4 7 ) sts on this needle.
With the other needle, knit across the second
half of the instep stitches, maintaining the
ribbing pattern, place a marker, and pick up a st
in the intersection of the instep and heel flap.
Knit up ( 1 1 , 1 5 , 1 8 ) sts in the loops along the
heel flap, then k the (7, 9 , 1 0 ) heel turn sts. You
should have ( 3 0 , 4 0 , 4 7 ) sts on each needle.
K o n e round: k (7, 9 , 1 0 ) , k ( 1 0 , 1 4 , 1 7)
through back loops, k2tog, (marker is here), k
( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) instep sts, maintaining the ribbing
pattern (marker is here), ssk, k ( 1 0 , 1 4 , 1 7 )
through back loops, k (7, 9 , 1 0 ) .
Toe: You will knit all sts now, and decrease every
other round.
Round 1: K ( 8 , 1 2 , 1 5 ) k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k (8, 1 2 ,
15) on each needle.
Round 2 and all even numbered rounds: k all sts.
Round 3: K (7, 1 1 , 1 4 ) k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k (7, 1 1 ,
14) on each needle.
Round 5 and all odd-numbered rounds: Continue
knitting one st fewer before and after decreases.
S t o p when you have a total of ( 8 , 1 0 , 12) sts left
on each needle. K one round. K (4, 5 , 6 ) sts
more, and rearrange the sts so that the sock lies
face-front on the needles rather than in profile.
Grafting the Toe: Slip the sts closest to the
needle ends over their adjacent neighbors. This
will prevent little peaks ("donkey ears") at the
corners of your grafting. If you're not sure how to
graft, check one of the knitting books in the
appendix. If you're still nervous, try Lucy
Neatby's trick: using a waste yarn of a different
color but similar weight, knit about an inch on
the to-be-grafted sts. Then pull the knitted waste
yarn inside the sock, and graft the sts following
the path of the waste yarn. Pull out the waste
yarn when you're done, and weave in ends. One
more sock, and you're ready to wear them!
Gusset:
Round 1: k ( 1 5 , 2 1 , 2 5 ) , k2tog, k 1, (marker is
here), continue instep ribbing for ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 )
sts, (marker is here), k l , ssk, k ( 1 5 , 2 1 , 2 5 ) .
Round 2, and all even numbered rounds: K
across both needles, maintaining the ribbing
pattern on instep sts.
Round 3: k ( 1 4 , 2 0 , 2 4 ) , k2tog, k 1, (marker is
h e r e ) , instep ribbing for ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) sts,
( m a r k e r is h e r e ) , k l , ssk, k ( 1 4 , 2 0 , 2 4 ) .
Round 5 and all odd-numbered
rounds: keep
decreasing as in rounds 1 & 3 , knitting 1 fewer
sts before the k2tog and after the ssk. Maintain
the ribbing pattern on instep sts. W h e n you have
a total of ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) sts left on each needle,
you have completed the decreases and it is time
to just knit your way down the foot until begin
ning the toe decreases. Yes, you will maintain the
ribbing pattern on the instep.
Knitting the sole of the sock with a

smaller needle for increased durability:
If you plan to try this, I applaud you. It's only a
bit harder than the basic pattern, and you'll be
rewarded with a sock that will last longer than it
would otherwise. How much longer I cannot tell
you. T h e tricky part is the gusset, which is a little
awkward until you're about halfway through.
Other than that, it's a piece of cake. You'll also
need to buy an extra, smaller diameter needle,
but if you're like me, you'd gladly buy another
circular needle instead of going out for lunch.
Foot: Knit along as instructed above until you

are two inches short of the end of the lucky foot.
8
You'll need an additional 2 4 " circular needle

one to two sizes smaller. You don't need to
determine the gauge this needle gives you. In
fact, although it will give you a tighter gauge, it
mysteriously won't make the sole of your sock too
short or too narrow.
ake yourself a peanut butter and jelly

sandwich for lunch (they're cheap, and
you're investing in needles, right?) and continue
on with the regular toe directions to the very end.
Leg: Using larger needles, follow regular direc

tions.
Heel and Turning Heel: Use smaller needle

and follow regular directions.
You must be a genius! You've learned how to

knit socks with two circulars, how to prevent
donkey ears when grafting, Lucy Neatby's graft
ing-made-easier trick, how to make a smooth join
when knitting in the round, how to knit a more
durable sole, that you can try on socks as you knit
to make them fit just right, and how to rearrange
your finances so you can buy more circular
needles.
Picking up Heel Stitches: With the smaller

needle, pick up (1 1, 1 5 , 1 8 ) sts in the loops
along heel flap. In the corner where the heel flap
meets the instep stitches, pick up a stitch and
knit it through the back loop. This will keep a
hole from appearing here later.
With the larger needle, k across the instep sts,
maintaining the ribbing (check previous instruc
tions for differences in men's, women's, and
children's). With the smaller needle, pick up a st
in the corner and k it through the back loop. Knit
up (1 1, 1 5 , 18) sts in the loops along the heel
flap, then k up to the last 2 sts on this needle.
K2tog. (You just eliminated the corner st.) On
the larger needle, work ribbing across ( 2 2 , 3 0 ,
3 6 ) sts. On smaller needle, ssk (you just elimi
nated the other corner st). K to end of sts on this
needle.
Don't throw away your double-pointed knitting

needles. They have many uses. A set of four will
make two pair of learner's knitting needles. J u s t
wrap rubber bands around the ends so the yarn
doesn't fall off. Two sets of five make five pair of
learner's knitting needles. I know; I am teaching
hordes of middle school children to knit, and
nothing scares them. Double-pointed needles are
ideal for knitting I-cord (and so is one circular just whip it around instead of sliding it back, like
you would with a double-pointed). And of course,
you can knit socks with them, just like in centu
ries past.
Gusset: Round I: On the larger needle, work

ribbing across ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) sts. On smaller
needle, k to within last 3 sts. K2tog, k l .
Round 2: On the larger needle, work ribbing
across ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 ) sts. On smaller needle, k l ,
ssk, k to end.
Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until you have ( 2 2 , 3 0 , 3 6 )
sts left on the smaller needle.
Oh, and you can use double-pointed needles for

chopsticks, or . . . you can use chopsticks for
knitting. My middle school students taught me
that.
Foot: Continue knitting the sole with the smaller

needle and the instep with the larger needle, until
you are two inches short of the end of the foot
(try it on).
Toe: Knit all stitches. Trade the smaller needle
for the second larger one if you like, which will
give you an even toe. Or, if you are a purist, trade
the larger needle for a second smaller one (if you
have twice not gone out to lunch, you can do
this), and knit a truly durable and even toe!
9
Yarn: About 2 2 0 yards of bulky 1 0 0 % wool

(some mohair is okay), not machine washable (it
won't felt). Lopi Icelandic works well. If you want
to make the "necklace", you 11 need a small
amount of yarn in a contrasting color.
Gauge: 3 sts = 1 "

Needles: Two size 1 0 . 5 or 11 circular needles in
any length from 2 4 " on up.
Size: woman's size 7 1 / 2 - 8 1 / 2 shoe
Leg: Cast on 4 0 sts, join by switching the two
end stitches, and knit one round.
Rounds 2 , 4 , and 6 : Purl
Rounds 3 , 5 , and thereafter: Knit.
Continue knitting until the leg is 5 " long (or
longer, if you have extra yarn and want to feel
extra cozy.)
Heel Flap: Now let 2 0 sts sleep on their needle
while the other needle knits rows back and forth
to make a square heel flap in garter stitch, 2 0 sts
wide and 2 0 rows deep. Just knit every row, until
you have 1 0 purl ridges or 2 0 rows, ending with
a completed wrong side row. T h e other needle
continues sleeping while you . . .
Felted Indoor Boots

To knit these lovelies, you 11 use oversize
yarn
and needles to create an oversize pair of socks,
then felt them to fit in a hot washing
machine.
The giant socks turn into thick, cozy boots. If you
want to try out both felting and two circular
sock
knitting in one fell swoop, this is the pattern for
you. Felting hides all but major errors, so you
need not worry about a thing.
Almost every sock pattern you run into, unless
it's a knee sock, uses the same number of stitches
for the leg and the foot. This works just fine in
an unfelted sock, because the leg stretches so
your heel fits through. But felt the sock, and not
only does it shrink, it also loses most of its
elasticity. This felted boot, which is basically a
sock pattern, solves this problem by using 40
stitches for the leg and just 34 for the foot. The
leg will fit very well, though, because a garter
stitch cuff rolls over and snugs it up.
The boots pictured have a chain stitch
necklace
embroidered
on before felting; you too can do
this if you have a second color of this yarn. You
soon will, because knitting these boots is almost
instant gratification,
and everyone you know will
beg for a pair. Adjust circumference
by felting
them for a shorter or longer time. To adjust
length, add a bit less than an inch and a half for
every extra inch you want after
felting.
Turn the Heel: (still garter stitch)

Row 1: k l 2 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 2 : s l l , k 5 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 4 : s l l , k7, k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 7: s l l , k l O , k2tog, turn.
Row 8 : s l l , k 1 0 , k2tog, turn.
Pick up Gusset Stitches: Knit across the 12

heel stitches, and then proceed to slide the needle
tip through each bloomp and knit a stitch through
it. Don't worry one bit about what I mean by
bloomp. You won't find it in Webster's. I made it
up. I am referring to the end of the purl ridge
where it peters out at the edge of the heel flap.
Just decide which little bumpy thing you want to
use as a bloomp and slide your needle tip right on
through as if you own the place, knit a stitch, and
go on to the next one. You are going to knit up
one st at each bloomp, for a total of 1 0 picked-up
stitches.
Have you knit up 1 0 stitches? Good. You
should find yourself at the intersection of the heel
flap and the sleeping needle, which needs to wake
10
up now. Knit right across the first 1 0 sts on the

sleeping needle, breaking our basic command
ment, "Thou shalt not knit from one circular
needle unto another. " Oh, well. No one's watch
ing. You should now have 12 turned heel stitches
plus 1 0 knit up bloomp stitches plus 1 0 sleeping
needle sts on the busy needle, for a total of 3 2
sts. Let the busy needle dangle and catch its
breath while the awakening needle (recently
known as the sleeping needle, also identifiable as
instep needle) knits the remaining 1 0 instep sts.
Stop! You are about to fall off a cliff! You are
once again at a heel flap intersection, and have
you guessed? You will be knitting up 1 0 more
bloomps just like before, and I do hope that you
are enjoying yourself. S o - knit up those 1 0
bloomps, then knit across 6 of the turned heel
stitches on the other needle, once again breaking
our basic commandment, but still, no one is
watching. By the way, you ought to have 2 6 sts on
each needle. Knit one more round, and then,
Round 1 0 : k 1 0 sts.
Cut yarn 1 5 " from toe, and thread through
tapestry needle. Slide needle through the 1 0 sts
and pull tight. Weave yarn blissfully through the
toe to secure it, and snip the loose end. Your sock
is done! Knit the other one, and then,
Ask yourself: Would you like to duplicate
embroider the boot before felting? Do so now. Or,
a crochet hook (which I used) works beautifully if
you want to run a chain stitch in and out of the
fabric, and you can go in any direction you like.
Try swirls. Go wild! Whatever design you create
will look even better after felting, when it softens
and blends into the other color.
Time for the washing machine! You need

H O T water and nice slippery detergent, 5 to 2 5
minutes of agitation (alone or with something
non-fuzzy, like blue jeans), then a cold hand (not
machine) rinse. Check the fit; you'll probably
need to repeat the process, checking more often
if you like, perhaps alternating 5 minutes of hot
soapy agitation with cold rinses. If you are a
nervous type, now is not the time to mellow out.
Once I decided to have a second cup of tea while
my boots were felting and when I returned they
had shrunk to fit Thumbelina. Well, not that
much, but you get the idea. S o stay nervous, be
paranoid, and check those socks as often as you
like. Beware of how much they can tighten up
when going from a hot bath to a cold one. Try
them on wet, and once you are satisfied with the
fit, rinse them gently but well, machine-spin or
towel-press the excess water out of them, and
arrange them in a nice upright foot shape, as if
you were in them, to finish drying. They will look
like a work of art waiting for your feet to take up
residence. If you like, now is a safe time to make
a cup of tea and gaze happily at the boots for an
hour or so.
Work the Gusset:

Round 1: k l 4 sts, k 2 tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k l 4 .
Round 2 and all even rounds: k all sts.
Round 3 : k l 3 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k l 3 .
Round 5: k l 2 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k l 2 .
Round 7: k l 1 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k l 1.
Round 9 : k l O sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k l O .
Round 11 : k 9 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k 9 .
Round 1 3 : k 8 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k 8 .
Round 1 5 : k7 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k 7 .
Round 17: k 6 sts, k2tog, k 2 0 , ssk, k 6 .
Round 1 9 and onward: You have a total of 3 4
sts, right? If not, k2tog or ssk in the same
place(s) until you do. Should you have fewer than
3 4 , don't worry, this is the make-mistakes-andno-one-will-know-sock. Felting heals all.
Foot: Now knit, and knit, and knit - until the
foot is 1 0 1 / 2 " long for a size 7 1 / 2 foot, or 11
1 / 2 " long for size 8 1 / 2 foot. Then it's time for:
The Toe: If you have to rearrange stitches
(more on one needle than the other) to manage
this gracefully, do so:
Round 1: (k5, k 2 tog) 4 times; k 6 .
Rounds 2 and all even rounds: knit.
Round 3 : (k4, k 2 tog) 5 times.
Round 5: (k3, k 2 tog) 5 times.
Round 7: (k2, k 2 tog) 5 times.
Round 9 : ( k l , k 2 tog) 5 times.
11
Leg: Cast on 6 0 sts and work k l . p l ribbing on

larger needles for 2 " . Begin the chart on one
needle now, working in stockinette where indi
cated. You are knitting in profile (side to side, not
front to back). B e sure to work the right chart
for the right leg, and the left chart for the left
leg, on opposite sides of the leg, so you will have
a matching pair when done! W h e n you complete
the chart, resume k l , p l ribbing until the leg is
8" in length.
Heel Flap: Rearrange the stitches so that your
sock is face-front: K 1 5 sts into one needle and
then shift the second 1 5 sts to the other needle,
which now has 4 5 sts. Shift the last 1 5 sts from
that needle to the first needle, so they each have
3 0 sts. You will work the heel flap back and forth
on the 3 0 stitches on the needle which would be
in the back of your foot if the winged foot is on
the right (or left) side, depending on which foot
you are working on right now.
Row 1: S I 1 as if to purl, * ( k l , si 1 as if to knit),
repeat from *, end, k l .
Row 2: S I 1 as if to purl, purl to 1 st from end,
kl.
Row 3: Repeat rows 1 and 2 each 1 4 more
times.
Fleetfoot
/ designed this sock for my daughter Jenny, who
has been fleet of foot all her life, and is a track
athlete. I worked the sock in purple, and the
winged shoe in gold, her high school's colors. It's
an easy sock to knit, just a stockinette
foot and a
lxl rib leg, with a stockinette
space where the
winged foot is duplicate stitched later. You can
easily alter the pattern to incorporate
any small
design you like. Simply chart a stockinette
space
that holds your design, or knit the sock
without
any design at all. Note: The photo shows a shortrow heel and toe, but I have rewritten
the pattern
to use a standard heel and toe for greater
dura
bility.
Turning Heel:
Row 1: K 1 7 sts, k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 5-11. continue as above, knitting or purling
one extra st each time between the slipped st and
the decrease. Work final tw,o rows as follows:
Row 13: K 1 8 .

needle, pick up 1 5 sts in the loops along the heel
flap. You are in the intersection of the heel flap
and the instep. Pick up a stitch here and knit it
through the back loop (a twisted stitch). This will
keep a hole from appearing here later. Place a
marker.
Look at the other end of your needle, where
the 1 8 heel turn stitches are patiently waiting.
Transfer the distant 9 sts to the other needle. K
across 1 5 instep sts. You now have 4 0 sts on this
needle.
With the other needle, k across second 1 5
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 3 1 yd balls Trekking Color,

7 5 % wool, 2 5 % nylon, in color 6 4 , and one 5
gram, 2 2 meter card of Manuela Gold Stickgarn,
7 9 % rayon, 1 1 % lurex, 1 0 % polyamide.
Gauge: 3 0 sts = 4 "

Needles: Two 2 4 " circular needles to give you
the correct gauge (most likely size 1 or 2 ) .
Size: Women's medium
12
instep stitches, place marker, and pick up a st in

the corner and k it through the back loop. Pick
up 15 sts in the loops along the heel flap, then k
the 9 heel turn sts. You have 4 0 sts on each
needle.
K one round: k 9 ; k l 4 through back loops,
k2tog, (marker is here), k 3 0 instep sts, (marker
is here), ssk, k l 4 through back loops, k 9 .
himself did the design. W h e n the gold stitching is

done, use a length of purple yarn to back-stitch
the details. Don't make the mistake I only noticed
moments before the book was set to go to the
printer. I'll let you study the cover of the book,
and the black and white photo of the socks at the
start of this pattern, to catch it! The close-ups
you'll find on page 1 3 are correct.
Gusset:
Round 1: k 2 1 , k2tog, k l , (marker is here), k 3 0 ,
(marker is here), k l , ssk, k 2 1 .
across both needles.
Round 3. k 2 0 , k2tog, k l , (marker is here), k 3 0 ,
(marker is here), k l , ssk, k 2 0 .
rounds: keep
sts before the k2tog and after the ssk. S t o p
when you have a total of 3 0 sts left on each
needle.
Foot: Just knit your way down the foot (which is
in profile, and has been all along) until you are
two inches short of the length of the foot.
Toe: You will decrease every other round.
Round 1: K 1 2 , k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k l 2 on each
needle.
Round 2 and all even numbered rounds: k all sts.
Round 3: K l 1, k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k l 1 on each
needle.
S t o p when you have a total of 1 0 sts left on each
needle. K one round. K 5 sts more, and rearrange
the sts so that the sock lies face-front on the
needles rather than in profile.
Grafting the Toe: S e e the appendix for donkey
ear remedies and grafting assistance. Don't forget
to make the other sock with the winged shoe on
the other side of the leg!
Duplicate stitching the winged feet: Use a

two foot length of gold yarn and a tapestry
needle. If you've never done duplicate stitch,
practice a little on the sock (or on an old sweater)
and then pull it out. You'll methodically duplicate
stitch all the full squares and then weave your
way in and out to fill out the triangles and
smooth the edges. Don't expect perfection. Once
it's on your runner's leg it will look like Mercury
13
Fleetfoot
Charts
Left Foot
Right Foot
[]
purl this stitch with purple yarn

knit this stitch with purple yarn, then later duplicate stitch it with gold
knit this stitch with purple yarn
Use the close-ups below to b a c k s t i t c h the details of the wings and shoes:
14
continue part of the way down the instep. You

may choose to work the color design using
intarsia-in-the-round (see appendix) or by work
ing duplicate stitch later. Work until leg is 6 "
long.
Heel Flap: You will work the heel on the back
needle (without the flower) while the instep
needle (needle with the flower) rests.
Row 1 : S l l as if to purl, * k l , s l l . repeat from *,
end k l .
Row 2 : S I 1 as if to purl, p 2 6 , k l .
Repeat rows 1 and 2 another 13 times for a total
of 2 8 heel flap rows.
Turning Heel:
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Gardener's Sock
This elegant black cotton sock sets off the fresh
colors of the flowers that bloom across its front.
The 6-ply cotton pink and green yarns
include
one ply of lustrous rayon, which heightens
their
color and catches light. The background
yarn,
Fortissima Cotton, is famed for its soft hand and
durability. A lxl ribbing begins at the top of the
leg and then a curved opening of
stockinette
begins in the front after about two inches.
This
smooth space is where the flower grows. If the
design is done in duplicate stitch, this is one of
the easiest socks in the book.
1 : K 1 6 sts, k2tog, k l , turn.

2 : S I 1, p5, ssp, p l , turn.
3 : S I 1, k 6 , k2tog, k l , turn.
4 : S I 1, p7, ssp, p l , turn.
5 : S I 1, k 8 , k2tog, k l , turn.
6: S I 1, p9, ssp, p l , turn.
7: S I 1, k l O , k2tog, k l , turn.
8 : S I 1, p l 1, ssp, p l , turn.
9 : S I 1, k l 2 , k2tog, k l , turn.
1 0 : S I 1, p l 3 , ssp, p l , turn.
1 1 : S I 1, k l 4 , k2tog, turn.
1 2 : S I 1, p l 5 , ssp. turn.
13: K 1 6 s t s .
Pick up Gusset Stitches: Pick up 6 sts in

loops along heel flap on this needle. Switch to
the other needle and pick up another 8 , plus 1
twisted corner st for a total of 9 picked up sts on
this needle. Knit across the 2 8 instep sts (con
tinuing to work intarsia if you are doing so). Pick
up 1 twisted st in the corner and 8 more in loops.
Use the other needle to pick up 6 more loops.
You now have 4 6 sts on the instep needle and 2 8
on the sole needle. T h e 1 8 extra sts on the
instep needle will all be decreased away as you
make the gusset.
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 1 0 m balls Fortissima Cotton,

color 0 2 ; one 5 0 gram, 1 3 0 m ball each Malta,
8 2 % cotton, 1 8 % rayon, colors 2 6 and 1 4 .
Gauge: 7 sts per inch.
Needles: Two circular needles to give you proper
gauge (probably size 1 or 2 )
Gusset:
Round 1 : On instep needle, k 7 , k 2 tog, K 2 8 ,
ssk, k 7 . On sole needle, k across.
Round 2 : K across both needles.
Round 3 : On instep needle, k 6 , k2tog, k 2 8 , ssk,
k 6 . S o l e needle: k across.
Round 4 and all even rounds: K across both
needles, keeping to instep pattern.
k 5 . S o l e needle: k across.
Leg: Cast on 5 6 sts, place 2 8 sts on each needle,

and join by switching the two end stitches. Work
k l p l ribbing for 2 inches. On needle that begins
with a k s t , k l , p l , k l , begin chart. End k l , p l .
Continue ribbing on other needle. Chart will
15
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Gardener's Sock Charts

T h e leg starts out with two inches of k l p l ribbing, which then dissolves
into a smooth stockinette space just slightly wider than the flower
design. T h e k i p ribbing continues around the sides and back of the leg.
[]
purl with black yarn
knit with black yarn
knit with green yarn
knit with pink yarn
^ ^ ^ l l l l l l

16
range the stitches so that the sock is in profile,

with 2 8 stitches on each needle. To do so, you'll
need to knit 1 4 sts into one needle. You will work
the centered double decrease as follows:
Round 1: K 1 2 , edd, k 2 5 , edd, k l 3 .
Round 2 : K all sts.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 another 8 times. You
should have 1 0 sts left on each needle. Rearrange
the sts again (you'll have to knit 5 stitches into
the first needle to do so), so the sock is now facefront, so that you can graft. Each needle will
start with the central decrease stitch followed by
9 more stitches.

k 3 . Sole needle: k across.
Round 11 : On instep needle, k 2 , k2tog, k 2 8 ,
ssk, k 2 . S o l e needle: k across.
Round 1 3 : On instep needle, k l , k2tog, k 2 8 ,
ssk, k l . S o l e needle: k across.
Round 1 5 : On instep needle, k2tog, k 2 8 , ssk.
Sole needle: k across. Transfer 1 st from each
end of the instep needle to the sole needle.
Round 17: On instep needle, k 2 8 . S o l e needle:
S s k , k 2 6 , k2tog.
Round 1 8 : Knit across both needles. You have 2 8
sts on each needle. If you've been working
intarsia-in-the-round, it is now complete. Bravo!
Grafting the Toe: Use the donkey ear elimina

tion technique described in the appendix, and
graft the stitches. Weave in loose ends (if you
have done intarsia-in-the-round, you will have
quite a few), or work duplicate stitch if you have
not done intarsia-in-the-round.
Foot: Continue knitting all rounds until the sock

is 8" long from heel to current round.
Toe: You'll work a centered double decrease
(edd; see abbreviations for technique) toe. Rear
hile you a r e peacefully knitting, let

your a t t e n t i o n drop into the
w a r m t h o f your h a n d s and the feeling o f

the yarn gliding and pressing against
t h e m . . . your fingers moving gracefully
and steadily . . . in s i l e n c e .
17
Leg: Cast on 7 0 sts and work k l p l ribbing for

2 " . Knit all rounds for 1". In next round, m l k
(pick up loop beneath st you just knit, place loop
on left needle, and knit it) every seventh stitch to
make a total of 8 0 sts in the next round. Knit 1
round, and rearrange sts if necessary to give you
4 0 on each needle. Now join the white yarn and
start the 19-round Jasmine pattern, working
from the chart below. Note that it is worked in
10-st repeats, which means that you will have 4
tidy repeats on each needle and it will be quite
easy to follow.
W h e n you have completed the 1 9 stranded
rows, drop the white yarn, knit one more round
and then ssk every seventh st (you will be ssk'ing
every 7th and 8 t h st together) so that you are
back to 3 5 sts on each needle. Continue knitting
all rounds.
Heel Flap: You will work the heel flap on the
3 5 sts on one needle.
Row 1 : si 1 as if to purl, * k l , si 1, repeat from *,
ending k 2 .
Row 2 : S I 1 as if to purl, p 3 3 , k l . Repeat these
two rows until you have 3 6 rows of heel stitch.
Night-Blooming Jasmine
Turn the Heel:

Row 1: K 1 9 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row2: S I 1, p5, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 5-14: continue to decrease as above,
knitting or purling one extra st each time be
tween the slipped st and the decrease.
Row 15: S I 1, k l 8 , k2tog.
These charcoal socks, dark as the night, bloom

with luminous wreathes of jasmine flowers. I knit
my wreathes in handspun Samoyed from a dog
aptly named Cloud; you may choose a fingering or
similar weight white angora or even a mohair.
The more feathery the fiber, the better. This is a
simple sock to knit, and a fine time to learn to
knit with two strands of yarn at a time, if you've
never tried it. The only trick is to strand the
yarns loosely enough that you can be sure of
getting the sock over your heel. You have 10
extra stitches on the stranded rounds, which will
help protect against over-tightness.
You will have
to gently hand-wash these socks, because the
pure angora is not
machine-washable.

needle, pick up 1 8 sts in the loops along heel
flap. In the corner where the heel flap meets the
instep stitches, pick up a stitch and knit it
through the back loop. This will keep a hole from
appearing here later. Place a marker. Look at the
other end of your needle, where the heel turn
stitches are patiently waiting. Transfer the distant
10 sts to the other needle.
K across 1 8 of the instep sts. You now have 4 7
sts on this needle. Now pick up the other needle
and knit across the remaining 1 7 instep stitches,
place a marker, and pick up a st in the corner
and k it through the back loop. Pick up 18 sts in
the loops along the heel flap, then the 1 0 heel
turn sts. You should have 4 7 sts on the first
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 1 Om balls Trekking Color, 7 5 %

wool, 2 5 % nylon, in color 6 2 , and one 10g, 37yd
ball Angora Creative, 1 0 0 % angora, in color 0 1 .
Gauge: 8 sts = 1 "

Needles: Two 2 4 " circular needles in the size to
give you the correct gauge (probably size 1 or 2 ) .
lcS
needle and 4 6 on the second.

K one round: k l O , k l 7 through back loops,
k2tog (marker is here), k 3 5 , (marker is here),
ssk, k l 7 through back loops, k l O .
19
18
17
16
Gusset:
15
14
Round 1: k 2 6 , k2tog, (marker is here), k 3 5 ,

(marker is here), ssk, k 2 6 .
Round 3: k 2 5 , k2tog, (marker is here), k 3 5 ,
rounds: keep
sts before the k2tog and after the ssk. W h e n you
have 3 6 sts left on the first needle and 3 5 on the
second, knit one round, then work one more
decrease on the first needle. You now have 3 5 sts
on each needle.
13
12
11
1(1
!)
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
1 2
3 4
6 7
9 10
This is one repeat of

the Night-Blooming
Jasmine design. Enjoy!
Foot: Knit your way down the foot until you are
2 " from the toe tips. How to know? Try the sock
on, before you have gone too far.
Toe: The rest is easy. The 18th stitch on each
needle is the center stitch, and you will work a
centered double decrease (edd) on it every other
round.
Round 1 : *K 16; si 2 as if to k2tog, k l , pass k st
over 2 slipped sts; k 1 6 , repeat from * on other
needle.
Round 2 and all even rounds: Knit merrily
around.
Round 3 and all odd rounds: Repeat round 1,
except drop the first and last k st count on each
needle by 1. For instance, round 3 begins and
ends with k l 5 on each needle.
Continue until you have 1 3 sts on each needle.
Grafting the Toe: Use the donkey ear elimina
tion technique described in the appendix, and
graft the stitches. Weave in loose ends, and you
are done with at least one sock, if not two.
19
Heel Flap:
Row 1: P 3 5 , k l .
Row 2 : si 1 as if to purl, * k l , s l l , repeat from *,
end k l .
Row 3 : S I 1 as if to purl, p 3 4 , k l .
Repeat rows 2 and 3 another 1 7 times.
Turn Heel:
Row 1: On right side, k 2 0 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 2 : S I 1, p5, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 3 : S I 1, k 6 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 4 : S I 1, p7, ssp, p l , turn
Rows 5 - 1 4 : Continue knitting or purling one
more stitch each row.
Row 1 5 : S I 1, k 1 8 , k2tog, turn
Row 1 6 : S I 1, P 1 8 , ssp, turn.
Row 1 7 : K 2 0 .
Picking up Gusset Stitches: Pick up 18 sts

along side of heel flap, plus one twisted stitch
picked up at gusset-instep corner. Place a marker,
then knit across 1 8 instep sts. Use other needle
to knit remaining 1 8 instep sts, place a marker,
pick up one twisted stitch at gusset-instep corner
and 1 8 more along heel flap. Knit 1 0 heel turn
sts onto this needle, so that you have a total of
4 7 sts on each needle. Your sock is now in
profile.
Columbine Peak
Lace and ribbing combine in this rugged and
beautiful sock. Panels of lxl ribbing flow down
the sides of the foot all the way to the toe to keep
the lace panels snug. This is an easy,
methodical
sock to work. I've often wondered if lace socks
let cold air in the little yarn over holes, but I can
say from my sock-wearing
experience
in the
Pacific Northwest,
that it doesn t seem to matter
as long as the socks are knit of wool.
Gusset:
Round 1 and all odd rows: k up to last 3 picked
up sts at gusset corner; k2tog, k l , ( p l , k l ) 6
times; work 12-st instep lace pattern; ( k l , p l ) 6
times, k l , ssk, k to end of needle.
Round 2 and all even rounds: K around but keep
the 12-st ribbing columns going.
After 11 decrease rounds, you should have a total
of 7 2 stitches. Rearrange the sts again to put all
the ribbing and lace on instep needle and the
other sts on the sole needle (sock is face-front
now).
Yarn: two 5 0 g , 2 1 0 m , Fortissima Colori 7 5 %

wool, 2 5 % nylon, in color 4 8 5
Gauge: 17 stitches = 2 "

Needles: Two 2 4 " circular needles in the size
that gives you the correct gauge (probably size 1
or 2 ) .
Foot: Continue with the established pattern for a

total of 5 repeats of the downward arrow on the
foot. T h e 14th row of the last repeat is the first
row of the toe decrease. If your foot is a different
length, adjust as needed.
Leg: Cast on 7 2 stitches, divide between two

needles, join by switching the two end stitches,
and work k l , p l ribbing for two inches. Knit all
sts for two rounds, then begin Columbine Peak
pattern. S i n c e the pattern repeat is 1 2 sts, you
will fit three repeats on each needle. Repeat the
14-row pattern 4 times, skipping final row of last
repeat.
20
Toc:
Round 1: * K 1 5 , k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k l 5 , repeat
from * on other needle.
Round 2 and all even numbered rounds: knit.
Round 3 : * K 1 4 , k2tog, k 2 , ssk, k l 4 , repeat
from * on other needle.
S t o p when you have 1 4 sts left on each needle. K
one round. K 7 more, and rearrange the sts so
that the sock lies face-front.
14
13
12
11
10
a
a
a
a
6
a 5
4
3
2
1
2 1
D
12 11 10 9
Grafting: Refer to the appendix for grafting

assistance, then graft, weave in ends, and you are
done.
8 7
6 5
4 3
Columbine Pattern Repeat

0
yarn over
k2tog
ssk
knit
hen your h o m e is quiet, listen

to the sounds your n e e d l e s
and yarn m a k e . T h e y have t h e i r own
g e n t l e voice, and you m a y never h e a r
it unless you go quiet and just listen.
21
end stitches. Knit rounds for 1". Join in the

cream yarn. Now *kl yellow, k l cream, repeat
from * for another inch. B e sure to strand the
yarn loosely behind so that the cuff remains
elastic enough to go over your heel. Now drop the
yellow and knit with cream. If you are working
intarsia-in-the-round, you will start the cat design
1 1 / 4 " from the yellow and white cuff. If you
plan to do duplicate stitch, this is where you will
start the design too, but after finishing the sock.
Knit along until the leg measures 7".
Heel Flap: You will work the heel flap in rows
on 3 1 stitches on one needle. If you have been
working intarsia-in-the-round, then you have the
sock in profile, and will have to rearrange stitches
so that the sock is face-front, with the cats
centered in the front. If you plan to work dupli
cate stitch, you may leave the stitches as they are.
To work the heel flap, you will work rows back
and forth on the heel needle while the instep
needle rests. J o i n in the yellow yarn again, and
*kl yellow, k l cream, repeating from * and
ending with k l yellow. Turn and purl back,
maintaining the same colors. Repeat these two
rows 1 2 more times for a total of 2 6 rows of the
yellow and cream vertical stripe.
Two Alert Cats

Circling this creamy cotton sock are two
beautiful and alert yellow cats. They stand at full
attention,
their faces close, both peering
out
wards, while on the back of your leg their tails
seem to dance together.
You may work this sock
in either intarsia-in-the-round
(see appendix for
methods) or by adding duplicate stitch when you
are done. The cuff is rolled stockinette.
Its an
easy sock if you use duplicate stitch, and more
challenging if you choose
intarsia-in-the-round.
Turn the Heel: You may alternate the yellow

and cream yarns or use all one color for turning
the heel.
Row 2 : S l l , p5, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 7: S I 1, k l O , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 8 : S I 1, p l 1, ssp, p l , turn.
Row 9 : S I 1, k l 2 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 1 0 : S I 1, p l 3 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 1 1 : S I 1, k l 4 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 1 3 : S I 1, k l 6 , k2tog. You have 1 8 sts.
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 1 0 m balls Fortissima Cottolana

in color 1 0 (cream), and 1 ball in color 7 (yel
low). Note: I decided to slightly deepen color of
the yellow yarn by microwaving it for 1 5 minutes
in a glass bowl containing 3 drops of yellow food
coloring, 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and a
quart of boiling water. This gives better contrast
with the cream, and is fun, too!
Gauge: 7 1 / 2 sts per inch ( 3 0 sts = 4 inches)
Needles: Two 2 4 " circular needles which give
you this gauge (probably size 2 or 3 ) .
Pick up Gusset Stitches: With cream yarn,

pick up and knit 1 6 sts along the edge of the
heel flap, plus one at the corner between the heel
and instep. Knit that last stitch through the back
loop to twist it so it does not leave a hole (de
pending on how you picked it up, you may have to
knit it through the front loop to twist it). Knit
Leg: Cast on 6 2 sts with yellow yarn, divide

between two needles, and join by switching the
22
across 1 6 of the instep sts. Now let the busy

needle rest while the instep needle knits the
remaining 1 5 sts it holds. Pick up and twist one
stitch in the corner, and pick up and knit 1 6 sts
down the other side of the heel flap, and k 9 of
the heel turn sts from the other needle. You now
have 4 2 sts on the resting needle and 4 1 on the
needle that has been busy. Your sock is in profile.
Knit one round.
Gusset:
Round 1: K 2 4 , k2tog, k 3 1 , ssk, k 2 4 .
Round 2 and all even rounds: K
Round 3 : K 2 3 , k2tog, k 3 1 , ssk, k 2 3 .
Odd rounds: repeat round 3 , each time knitting
one fewer sts at beginning and end of round.
Round 1 9 : K 1 5 , k2tog, k 3 1 , ssk, k l 5 .
Round 2 0 : K 6 3
Round 2 1 : K 1 4 , k2tog, k 4 7 .
Foot: Knit all rounds (on a total of 6 2 sts) until
sock is 2 " shorter than your foot length.
Toe: You will work a centered double decrease
(edd) on the center stitch of each needle.
Round 1 : Join in the yellow yarn, and begin *kl
yellow, k l cream, repeating from * for 1 4 sts.
Use cream to work edd on the next 3 sts, then
resume *kl yellow, k l cream, repeating from *
for 14 sts. Repeat on other needle.
Round 2 and all even rounds: K around, keeping
to established colors, being sure that central st on
each needle is cream.
Round 3 : *kl yellow, k l cream, repeating from *,
ending with yellow, for 1 3 sts. Use cream to
work edd , then resume *kl cream, k l yellow,
repeating from *, ending with cream, for 1 3 sts.
Repeat on other needle.
Repeat decrease pattern on odd rounds, main
taining established colors, until you have 11 sts
left on each needle. Rearrange stitches so sock is
face-front (you'll have to knit partway into one
needle to do so).
Grafting: Correct for donkey ears, and graft
with cream yarn. Work duplicate stitch if you
haven't been doing intarsia, and weave in ends.
Put on your cat socks, and purr.
1 2 3 4
.5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 3.5 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62
Two Alert Cats Chart

Stitch 6 0 marks the center front of the sock. Each
needle has 3 1 stitches, with stitches 6 1 - 2 9 on one needle,
and stitches 3 0 - 6 0 on the other.
If you are going to work the cats in duplicate stitch,
simply identify the center 5 stitches in the front of the
sock, and work the cats on either side of this column of
stitches.
If you are working intarsia-in-the-round, you'll
know where the center front and center back are because
the needles begin and end at those points.
weight. You will only use 3 7 sts; the 2 extra are

for security until you "claim" the 3 7 you need.
Purl 3 7 sts of the 3 9 sts, using both ends of the
same needle. Slide the 3 7 sts to the needle's
flexible cable. Pick up the other needle and,
starting at the end where you began to purl, slide
the needle tip through the first 3 7 of the sts
waiting in the waste yarn. W h e n you have 3 7 ,
slide them all to the needle's flexible cable. Make
certain there are 3 7 sts on each flexible cable,
not counting the extras. Pull out the waste yarn
and drop the extra cast-on sts. Take the cast-on
yarn tail and pull it through a nearby hole in the
yarn between the cables. This will secure the first
st and later you can pull the yarn end back out
and weave it in properly. Now take a look at the
curious sight on your needles: a narrow ribbon
with a bumpy purl back and a smooth plaited
front. Intriguing, isn't i t ?
Turning the Toe: Holding both needles in
your left hand, with the purl bumps touching your
palm, and pull the right hand needle so that its
stitches are in the middle of its cable. This needle
will rest while the other works:
Row 1 : S I 1, k 2 0 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 4 : S I 1, p 9 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 5 : S I 1, k l O , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 6 : S I 1, p 1 1, ssp, p 1, turn.
Row 8 : S I 1, p l 3 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 9 : S I 1, k l 4 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 1 1 : S I 1, k l 6 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 1 3 : S I 1, k l 8 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 1 5 : S I 1, k 2 0 , k2tog.
Do you have 2 2 sts on the needle? Good. Pick
up 2 sts in the space between the two needles,
and knit them twisted. You now have 2 4 sts on
this needle. T h a t ' s it for this side. Slide your
knitting to the flexible cable of the needle you've
been working with, and pick up the other needle,
where the other 3 7 sts have been napping.
Please notice that these 3 7 sts are alternately
mounted correctly and incorrectly. Slip them
from one needle point to the other, correcting
mounts as you go. Now knit the exact same shape
on this needle by repeating rows 1-15. Pick up 2
Cable-top
This sock introduces Cat's Turned Toe . Once
knitted, the toe stands open and sleek, like a
little custom parking garage for your toe. An
invisible cast-on unites two "heel turns " at their
curved edges, and knitting flows over the top of
the toes and curves over the sides in a most
mysterious and fluid way. The sock may be
simplified by skipping the cabled I-cord at the top
of the leg. Instead, knit until the leg is about one
inch taller than you wish. Bind off loosely, and
then the sock will have a softly rolled cuff. Or,
work a ribbed leg.
Materials: Two 5 0 g balls Fortissima 6 ply,
1 2 5 m , 7 5 % wool, 2 5 % nylon, color 1 0 .
Gauge: 6 stitches = 1 "
Needles: Two 2 4 " circular needles in the size
that gives you the correct gauge (probably size 3
or 4 ) and a U-shaped cable needle.
Starting the toe: Cast on 3 9 sts on one needle,
using invisible cast-on (see appendix) with a
clearly contrasting color waste yarn of similar
25
Row 17: S I 1, k 7 , then k 7 , knitting wraps

carefully with sts as you go. S I 1, k l (this st is
the first gusset st to be nibbled up), psso. Turn.
Row 1 8 : S I 1, p i 4 , then p8, purling wrap with
sts as you go. Slide needle tip into next st with
wrap and following st (second gusset st to be
nibbled up), and p these two sts together. Turn.
Row 1 9 : S I 1, k 2 2 , si 1, k l , psso.
Row 2 0 : S I 1, p 2 2 , 2 t o g .
sts in the space between the two needles, and

knit them twisted. You have just made a "Turned
Toe". Congratulations!
Foot: Transfer the last st on each needle to the
other needle so that the foot lies face-front. Knit
up the foot, using each needle to knit its own 2 4
sts, for a total of 4 8 sts circling your foot. S t o p
when you have 6 0 % of the foot's length ( 6 " for a
1 0 " foot).
W h e n you have just 2 4 sts on this needle again,

all gusset sts have been knibbled up. Knit one
round, abandoning heel stitch if you've been
working it, and pick up and knit a twisted st in
each intersection between needles, then knit it
together with the next stitch. This will eliminate
any little openings. Continue up the leg for 3 ' ,
then increase 1 st every 8th st, making your leg
5 4 sts. Continue knitting until the leg measures
6".
Gusset: You'll be increasing at either end of the

sole needle every other row to form the gusset
triangles on the sides of the heel. Your 2 4 sts on
the sole needle will double to 4 8 , while the instep
remains 2 4 .
Round 1 : K l , m l by knitting into the loop
beneath the st you just knit, k 2 2 , m l by knitting
into the loop beneath the next st, k l ; k 2 4 .
Round 2 and all even rounds: Knit.
Round 3 : just like round 1, except k 2 4 between
the 2 increases. For round 5 , k 2 6 , etc.
Repeat the alternating increase and plain knit
rounds until you have 4 8 sts on the sole needle.
Cable Top: Use a circular needle or a doublepointed needle to work two 6-row ropes of 3-st
free I-cord, alternately attaching them for 3 sts.
You'll also need a stitch holder (a U-shaped cable
needle works well) to hold the rope that waits in
back as you work the one in front. Consult a
knitting reference to learn about I-cord.
To start, use the backward loop method to cast
3 sts onto the needle you would knit from if you
were to continue doing rounds. Rows 1 , 2 , and 3 :
(attached I-cord) Knit the first two cast-on sts,
then ssk the third one with the next leg stitch.
Transfer the 3 I-cord sts to the left needle (or
slide a double-pointed needle or pull a circular
needle from one end to the other). Row 4 - 9 :
(free I-cord) K 3 , transfer the 3 sts you just knit
from the r needle tip to the 1 needle tip (or slide
a double-pointed needle or pull a circular needle
from one end to the other). Finishing row 9:
Push the free I-cord and its needle to the back of
the work. J o i n in a new strand of yarn and a new
needle at the junction of the last attached I-cord
st and the next leg st. Repeat Rows 1-9. Each
time you complete a set of attached I-cord and
free I-cord, push the cord, needle, and yarn to
the back and pull the other over it to the front so
you form a cable. Repeat rows 1-9 until you have
attached I-cord to all the leg stitches. Now you
may graft each rope end to its corresponding
base, or simply sew the ends together neatly.
Option to Increase Durability: On the

seventh increase round, begin heel stitch on the
middle 2 4 sts of the sole needle (odd rounds: *sl
1, k l , repeat from *; even rounds: k). Continue
heel stitch through heel turn and up heel flap.
Turn the Heel: You have 4 8 sts on the sole

needle and 2 4 on the instep needle. Work short
rows, wrapping as you go (see a knitting refer
ence for short-row wrapping if necessary), to
create a heel cup on the middle 2 4 sts of the sole
needle. If you've begun heel stitch, continue it
through the heel turn and on up the back of the
heel, even if you have to fudge a bit here and
there.
Row 1 : K 1 2 , S I 1, k 2 2 , si and wrap next st,
turn.
Row 2 : S I 1, p 2 1 , si and wrap next st, turn.
Odd rows: S I 1, k l fewer sts than the row
before, si and wrap next st, turn.
Even rows: S I 1, pi fewer sts than the row
before, si and wrap next st, turn.
Continue through row 1 6 . Then you'll begin . . .
Nibbling up the Gusset: Note: If you haven't

started heel stitch (see above) yet, this is the time
to do so; or you could simply skip it.
26
purl one round, repeating these two rounds 2

more times, and increasing 8 sts evenly spaced on
last purl round. Knit two rounds on 7 4 sts (rows
1 and 2 on chart).
Rounds 3 - 1 1 : Add in blue (color 3 9 ) yarn and
begin to knit color-stranded design. T h e first 3 7
sts of the design will be the back of the sock, and
the next 3 7 sts will be the front of the sock.
Round 1 2 - 1 3 : Drop the plum yarn and knit in
blue. On round 1 3 , decrease 2 sts evenly spaced,
to bring you down to 7 2 sts.
Rounds 1 6 - 2 8 : Continue working from color
chart. On round 1 9 you will drop the plum yarn
and take up the sand; then you will cut the sand,
leaving a weavable tail, and take up the plum
again on round 2 6 . Do try the sock on. If you can
get your foot through this lovely band of color,
then you are color-stranding loosely enough. If
not, now is the time to unravel and start again.
Round 2 9 and beyond: cut the plum, leaving a
weavable tail, and knit rounds of blue until you
have six inches of leg.
Heel Flap: Let the instep sts nap on their
needle while you work the heel flap. Prop the
color chart in front of you, and:
Row 1 : S I 1 as if to purl, k 3 5 .
Row 2 : ( S t a r t the plum yarn in the middle of this
row.) S I 1 as if to purl, p 3 4 , k l .
Rows 3 - 1 8 : repeat rows 1 and 2 . Follow the color
pattern and watch it emerge like a sweet dream
slowly remembered.
Rows 1 9 - 2 6 : You've cut a weavable tail of the
plum yarn, even before I reminded you, because
you are so smart. Now work heel stitch in blue
until the flap is fully flapped: Row 1 9 : si 1 as if
to purl, * k l , si 1, repeat from *, ending on k l .
Row 2 0 : S I 1 as if to purl, p 3 4 , k l . Repeat
these two rows until you have 1 8 rows of heel
stitch.
Alpine Meadow
These are the socks to wear when frolicking in
the Swiss Alps with Heidi, Peter, and the goats.
They are not at all difficult, because you will
work with only two colors at a time, and much of
the sock is pure blue, like an Alpine sky. When I
show my collection of socks to knitters, this one
and the Leaf and Tendril are the designs
they
sigh over most. Be sure to loosely strand the
colors or else your sock will be too tight to get
on. A small device that holds the colors
separate
on your finger is available; see your local yarn
store or the appendix for sources.
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 1 Om balls of Fortissima
Schoeller Esslinger, 7 5 % wool, 2 5 % nylon, in
color 3 9 (blue), plus one in color 7 7 (sand), and
one in color 7 (plum).
Gauge: 9 sts = 1", and 11 rows = 1"
the correct gauge (probably size 1 or 2 ) .
Size: women's medium (size 8 , or 1 0 " long)
Turn That Heel:

Row2: S I 1, p5, ssp, p i , turn.
Row 4: S I 1, p7, ssp, p i , turn.
Row 5 -14: continue to decrease as above,
knitting or purling one extra st each time be
tween the slipped st and the decrease.
Row 15: S I 1, k l 8 , k2tog, turn.
Row 16: S I 1, p l 8 , ssp, turn.
Row 17: S I 1, k l 9 . You have 2 0 sts.
Leg: Rounds 1 - 8 : Using plum yarn (color 7 ) ,

cast on 6 6 sts, divide on two needles, and join by
switching the first and last sts. Knit one round,
27
profile, with 3 6 sts on each needle. This will put

the centered double decrease in the middle of
each needle, where it will be happy and so will
you.
Prop the toe chart in front of you, if it isn't
already there. Now I must tell you that I lied a
minute ago. T h e centered double decrease cannot
be in the middle of either set of 3 6 stitches
because that would require an odd number, which
you do not have. Instead, this is what you will
have on each needle: 17 stitches, center stitch,
1 8 stitches. Do not fret; there are 3 5 sts between
each centered double decrease. Count them if you
don't believe me. Your centered double decrease
is indeed centered. Now please work the color
chart, working the decreases on alternate rows as
the chart indicates. W h e n you reach the top of
the chart, stop! Breathe deeply. You are nearly
done, but not until you weave these blue and sand
stitches together with blue yarn, and go goggleeyed with delight at the visual feast that will
grace your toes. B e brave; check the appendix if
you have lingering graftophobia, and dive in. If
you are extremely limber, put the sock on and
wave your toe in front of your face so you can
admire its geometry; otherwise do the same with
the sock on your hand. W h e n you calm down,
make the other sock and buy a ticket to Switzer
land.
needle, pick up 1 8 sts in the loops along heel

flap. In the corner where the heel flap meets the
instep stitches, pick up a stitch and knit it
through the back loop. This will keep a hole from
appearing here later. Place a marker. Look at the
other end of your needle, where the heel turn
stitches are patiently waiting. Transfer the distant
1 0 sts to the other needle. K across 1 8 instep
sts. You now have 4 7 sts on this needle. Now pick
up the other needle and knit across the remaining
1 8 instep stitches, place a marker, and pick up a
st in the corner and k it through the back loop.
Pick up 1 8 sts in the loops along the heel flap,
then k the 1 0 heel turn sts. Each needle has 4 7
sts, and your sock is in profile.
K one round: k 1 0 , k 1 7 through back loops,
k2tog (marker is here), k 3 6 , (marker is here),
ssk, k l 7 through back loops through back loops,
k 1 0 . Knit another round ( 9 2 sts).
Gusset:
Round 1 : K 2 6 , k2tog, (marker is here), k 3 6 ,
Round 3: K 2 5 , k2tog, (marker is here), k 3 6 ,
rounds: keep
sts before the k2tog and after ssk. W h e n you
have 3 6 sts left on each needle, you have com
pleted the decreases and may just knit your way
down the foot for 1 3 / 4 " further.
Foot: You are now one and three quarter inches
from the last gusset decrease, right? Good. Look
at the band of plum, blue, and sand beneath the
plum and blue cuff of the leg. Repeat that same
design right here. W h e n done, try the lovely
sock on, if you haven't already. If you need
another 3 inches of length, then here's what you
do: Knit one more inch of blue (the toe will
provide the other 2 " ) . Adjust the length as
needed.
Toe: Don't worry, you will be using duplicate
stitch later to do the plum stitches, and no one
but you and I will ever know they weren't knit in
to begin with. Please knit them in blue for now.
Did you hear that? Please repeat it back to
yourself so you don't forget. Your sock is in
28
Center Front Motif
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Alpine Meadow Leg Chart

Rows 1 6 - 2 8 are repeated on the ball of the foot.
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Alpine Meadow Heel Motif
The motif is folowed by 18 rows of heel

stitch done in all blue yarn.
^
plum
blue
oatmeal
If] cdd (centered double decrease; work in blue)
Alpine Meadow Toe Chart

Columns on either side represent alternate
rounds of centered double decrease. Each
column represents the start of one
needle holding 3 6 stitches.
30
makes sts 1 0 and 1 1 . You are keeping to the

pattern, because both are purl sts (look at the
chart to see). W o r k sts 1 2 - 2 4 in pattern, and
then increase 1 st by purling in front and back of
a purl st. This makes sts 2 5 and 2 6 . Work the
other side of the sock exactly the same way, for a
total of 6 8 sts on both needles. Continue working
leg, following chart, but do not repeat rounds 1 3 2 0 ; instead repeat rounds 2 1 - 2 8 (row 1 3 and
row 2 1 are different). W h e n you have 5 pattern
repeats ( 4 0 rows), you will be ready to start the
heel.
Heel Flap: You will work the heel on sts 3 - 3 3 ,
keeping sts 1, 2 , and 3 4 for the instep. This
means the heel will be worked on 3 1 sts, with 3 7
instep sts waiting to be worked later. Transfer st
3 4 to the instep needle. K l b , p l b (sts 1 and 2 ) ,
and transfer to instep needle. Now begin Row 1 :
Slip 1 as if to purl, * ( k l , slip 1 as if to knit),
repeat from *until 2 sts from end, k 2 .
Row 2 : Slip 1 as if to purl, purl to 1 st from end,
k l . Repeat rows 1 and 2 fourteen more times,
then repeat row 2 once.
Turning Heel:
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Row
Bavarian Twisted Stitch

The twisted stitches used in this design rise
above the surface to create a sculpted,
carved
effect. Although the sock is rich with pattern, it
is not difficult to knit, because the designs are
symmetrical,
repetitive, and pleasing to work.
This would make a splendid knee sock. Just
increase the width of the panels of twisted
lxl
ribbing on the sides of the leg, and decrease
them
back to five stitches wide as the leg narrows.
Yarn: Three 5 0 g , 1 5 0 m balls of Libero
Sportgarn, 8 0 % wool, 2 0 % nylon, in color 5 0 .
1: K 1 7 sts, k2tog, k l , turn.

2 : S I 1, p5, ssp, p i , turn.
3 : S I 1, k 6 , k2tog, K l , turn.
4 : S I 1, p7, ssp, p i , turn.
5: S I 1, k 8 , k2tog, k l , turn.
6: S I 1, p 9 , ssp, p i , turn.
7: S I 1, k l O , k2tog, k l , turn.
8: S I 1, p i 1, ssp, p i , turn.
9 : S I 1, k l 2 , k2tog, k l , turn.
1 0 : S I 1, p l 3 , ssp, p i , turn.
1 1 : S I 1, k l 4 , k2tog, k l , turn.
1 2 : S I 1, p i 5 , ssp, p i , turn.
1 3 : S I 1, k l 6 , k2tog. You have 1 8 sts.
Pick up Gusset Stitches:
Gauge: 7 sts = 1
Pick up and knit 1 5 stitches in loops along side

of heel flap, plus one at the corner of the heel
flap and the instep, which you must twist by
knitting through the back loop so it does not
leave a hole (depending on how you pick this
stitch up, you may need to knit through the front
or back loop, but just make sure it is twisted),
place marker. Knit 1 8 instep sts (row 2 1 of
pattern). With the other needle, knit 1 9 instep
sts in pattern, place marker, pick up and k one
twisted st in the corner, pick up and knit 1 5 sts

the correct gauge (probably size 2 or 3 ) .
Size: Women's medium.
Leg: Cast on 6 4 sts, join by switching the two
end sts, and work 1 2 rounds of k l b , p l b ribbing.
To change to pattern after the ribbing rounds are
done, you will increase 4 sts as follows: work the
first 9 sts of the pattern chart, then increase 1 st
by purling in front and back of a purl st. This
31
on the other side of the heel flap, and knit across

9 of the heel turn sts. You now have 4 4 sts on
this needle and 4 3 on the other. Your instep
pattern is divided along a natural line: the single
st column of k 1 b that runs from the cuff to the
toe. Your sock is in profile.
Gusset:
Round 1 : K 9 , k l 4 through back loops, k2tog,
marker, p l b , follow chart sts 1-34 (pattern row
2 2 ) , k l b , p l b , marker, ssk, k l 4 through back
loops, k 9 .
Round 2 and all even rounds: K to marker, p l b ,
work sts 1-34 of pattern, k l b , p l b , k from
marker to end.
Round 3 : K 2 2 , K 2 tog, marker, p l b , work sts 13 4 of pattern, k l b , p l b , marker, ssk, k 2 2 .
Rounds 5 , 7, 9 , 1 1 , 1 3 , 1 5 , 1 7 , 1 9 , 2 1 : K l
fewer than before, K 2 tog, p l b , work sts 1-34
of pattern, k l b , p l b , ssk, k l fewer than before.
You have 6 5 sts total.
Foot: Repeat rounds o f k l 3 , k l b , p l b , work sts
1-34 of pattern, k l b , p l b , k l b , k l 3 . Try the
sock on, and stop 2 " short of your toe tips. W o r k
one more round: k l 3 , k l b , p l b , k l b , p l b , ssk,
work sts 5-1 7 of pattern, ssk, work sts 2 0 - 3 1 of
pattern, k2tog, p l b , k l b , p l b , k l b , k l 3 . You
now have 6 2 sts total.
Shaping Toe: T h e middle stitch of each needle
is st 1 of the pattern, with 1 5 sts on either side.
Work a centered double decrease (cdd) in st 1 :
K 1 4 , slip 2 sts as if to k2tog, k l , and pass 2
slipped sts over k st. K to end of needle; repeat
on next needle. Knit all sts on alternate rounds.
Work a cdd in the same place every other row
until you have 1 7 sts left on each needle, and
then work a cdd every row until you have 9 sts
remaining on each needle. Now transfer the sts
so that each needle has one decrease st and 8
plain sts ( k 4 into one needle to do so).
Graft: Slip each decrease st over the adjacent st.
This will help give you smooth edges when you
graft the two sets of 8 sts together. Cut a tail
about 1 2 inches long and graft, weave in ends,
make the second one, and enjoy your handsome
socks.
32
X-x
XX
XX
XX
XX
/C
XX
Xx XX XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX XX XX
XX
XX
XX
x-xX X
XX
m
XX
/C
X^
X^
XX
jC
XX
XX
XX
XV
XX
xx x-xY'A
X^*
XX
XX
1
34 33 32 31 30 29 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13
-
Bavarian TWisted Stitch Chart

Rows 2-11 are shown as one
row on the shart, to save room.
Chart Symbols for Bavarian Twisted Stitch Sock
Knit
Purl
Knit 1 through the back loop (twisted)
Purl 1 through the back loop (twisted)
Increase 1 by purling through front and then back of this stitch
This stitch does not yet exist; soon it will
IZ3
Twisted Right Cross: a purl stitch becomes a knit stitch; end k l b , k l
Twisted Left Cross: a purl stitch becomes a knit stitch; end k l , k l b
E3
IZZI
IS3
Twisted Left Cross: a knit stitch becomes a purl stitch; end p i , k l b
Twisted Right Cross: a knit stitch becomes a purl stitch; end k l b , pi
Twisted Left Cross: A useful trick for working this is to slip your right needle tip
into back loop of second stitch on left needle, then slip first and second sts off.
Quickly catch first stitch on tip of left needle, and slip second stitch from right
needle to left needle. This switches their position with the first stitch in front.
End k l , k l b .
Twisted Right Cross: With your nimble fingers you can slide your right needle
from left to right through the first two stitches on left needle, as if to knit. Slip
the stitches off left needle and watch them magically switch positions. Replace
them on left needle; end k l b , k l .
34
a clover-like meadow of reverse

stockinette.
There s a new heel, too, knitted "upside down ".
An inch and a half from the top of the sock, as
the vine dwindles to a single leaf, the meadow
ends, and a ribbing of leaflets and fenceposts
reach from the back to encircle the leg. This
woodsy lace ribbing quietly transforms into a 3round tubular bind-off, which swoops over the
edge and dives back down the inside of the leg,
making it quite impossible to tell at which end
you began.
This sock is an education in itself. You will
learn how to knit a Turned Toe, how to close a
curxe (the tendril), how embossed
motifs (the
leaf) alternately spread and pull in adjacent
fabric, an "upside down " heel, and how to bind
off in tubular fashion, the tidiest and most
elastic
bind-off of all. I find knitting this sock
utterly
satisfying, from the flowing toe to the enchant
ment of the growing vine. I hope you will too.
Note: The photo shows a short-row heel, but I
have changed it to a more durable heel - see
photo on page five).
s \
Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 1 0 m balls of Trekking S p o r t ,

7 5 % wool, 2 5 % nylon, in color 1 4 7 6
Gauge: 9 sts = 1 "

Needles: You'll need two 2 4 " circular needles to
give you the correct gauge (probably size 1 or 2 ) .
Size: women's medium
Leaf and Tendril Sock
Turning the Toe Cast 5 3 sts onto one

circular needle using a provisional or invisible
cast-on (see appendix), using waste yarn of a
similar weight. You will only use 5 1 of these 5 3
sts; the 2 extras are for security until you "claim"
the 5 1 you actually need.
Purl 5 1 sts, using both ends of the needle.
Slide the sts to the needle's flexible cable. Pick
up the other needle and, starting at the end
where you began to purl, slide the needle point
through the first 5 1 of the sts waiting in the
waste yarn. W h e n you have 5 1 , slide them all to
the needle's flexible cable. Make certain there are
5 1 sts on each needle, not counting the extras.
Pull out the waste yarn and drop the extra caston sts. Take the cast-on yarn tail and pull it
through a nearby hole in the yarn between the
cables; this will secure the first st and later you
can pull the yarn end back out and weave it in
properly.
Do take a look at the curious sight on your
This is the most challenging of the socks in this

book, and will teach you the most new skills.
However, it may be knitted by anyone who can
follow directions. The sudden "aha!" of how to
knit what I have named the Turned Toe startled
me awake in the wee hours of the night, and I am
happy to pass it on to you.
To Turn a Toe, a modified "heel turn " is
worked twice, first on one side of an invisible
cast-on, then the other. The invisible
cast-on
unites the two "heel turns" at their curved
edge.
Knitting flows over the top of the toes and across
the sides in a most mysterious and fluid way. The
fit is entirely footish! I don t believe this tech
nique could have been invented before the use of
two circular needles. So, while you are turning
your toe, bless the lovely flexible cables that bend
to your desire.
From a Turned Toe you rise to follow the vine
of leaves and curling tendrils as it grows
through
35
doing so (the top of the sock will puff out), it is a

simple matter to remedy this minor disaster. Just
switch the top needle for the next smaller size
and voil! You are in balance once more.
Now go read the descriptions of trc (twisted
right cross) and tic (twisted left cross) in the
"Abbreviations and Explanations" section on the
last page of the book before going any farther.
You'll find specific references to this pattern.
Thank you!
needles: a narrow ribbon with a bumpy purl back

and a smooth plaited front. Intriguing, isn't it?
Let's Turn the Toe: Holding both needles in

your left hand, with the purl bumps touching your
palm, and pull the right hand needle so that its
stitches are in the middle of its cable. This needle
will rest while the other works:
Row 1: S I 1, k 2 7 , k2tog, k l , turn.
Row 2 : S I 1, P 8 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 3 : S I 1, K 9 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 4 : S I 1, P 1 0 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 5 : S I 1, K 1 1 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 6: S I 1, P 1 2 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 7: S I 1, K 1 3 , K2tog, K l . turn.
Row 8: S I 1, P 1 4 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 9: S I 1, K 1 5 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 1 0 : S I 1, P 1 6 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 11 : S I 1, K 1 7, K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 1 3 : S I 1, K 1 9 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 1 7: S I 1, K 2 3 , K2tog, K l , turn.
Row 2 0 . S I 1, P 2 6 , ssp, p l , turn.
Row 2 1 : S I 1, K 2 7 , K2tog, K l .
Do you have 3 0 sts on the needle? Good. T h a t ' s
it for this side.
Slide your knitting to the flexible cable of the
needle you've been working with, kiss it good
night (it will be napping for a while), and pick up
the other needle, where the other 5 1 sts have
been patiently waiting to be asked to dance.
Please notice that these 5 1 sts are alternately
mounted correctly and incorrectly. Slip them from
one needle point to the other, correcting mounts
as you go. Now knit the exact same shape on this
needle by dancing through rows 1-21 again.
You can probably guess what comes next:
knitting around and around from the toe on up
the foot, using each needle to knit its own 3 0 sts,
for a total of 6 0 sts circling your foot. Good job!
Foot: T h e beautiful meadow begins! Do not be

dismayed by the 4 7 rounds which follow. As the
pattern emerges it will make sense. You repeat
only rounds 2 4 - 4 7 , and will fall under the spell of
the meandering leaves and tendrils.
Round 1.KX2,
6 , k42.
Round2:
MO, plO, k 4 0 .
Round 3 . K 8 , p l 4 , k 3 8 .
Round 4: K 6 , p6, K l b , pl 1, k 3 6 .
Round 5: K 4 , 8 , tic, p l 2 , k 3 4 .
Round 6. K 2 , p l 1, k l b , 1 4 , k 3 2 .
Round 7: P 1 3 , tic, 1 5 , k 3 0 .
Round 8: P 1 4 , k l b , m l k , p2tog, p l 3 , k 3 0 .
Round 9: P 1 4 , k2b, p l 4 , k 3 0 .
Round 10: P 1 4 , k l b , m l k , k l b , p2tog, p7, k l b ,
p4, k 3 0 .
Round 11: P 1 4 , k2b, tic, p7, tic, p3, k 3 0 .
Round 12: P 1 4 , k2b, p l , k l b , p8, k l b , p3, k 3 0 .
Round 13: P 1 4 , K 2 b , p l , tic, 7 , tic, 2 , k 3 0 .
Round 14: P 1 4 , k 2 b , 2 , k l b , p8, k l b , 2 , k 3 0 .
Round 15: P 1 4 , k 2 b , p2, tic, p6, trc, p2, k 3 0 .
Round 16: P 1 4 , k2b, 3 , k l b , p6, k l b , 3 , k 3 0 .
Round 17: P 1 4 , k2b, p3, tic, m l k , p2tog, p2,
trc, p3, k 3 0 .
Round 18: P 1 4 , k 2 b , p4, k l b , tic, p2, k l b , p4,
k30.
Round 19: P 1 4 , k2b, p4, tic, tic, trc; slip the last
3 sts to the 1 needle and ignoring the third one
(farthest from the 1 needle tip), pass the first st
over the second, making one out of two. Pass the
sts back to the r needle. I admit this maneuver
will cause you a moment of stress, but it will be
over soon and by the time you get halfway up the
sock you may actually be looking forward to the
thrill of stalwart needling. Now, you're not
through with this round yet, so: m l p , p4, k 3 0 .
Round 20: This one is a breeze: P 1 4 , k2b, p5,
k l b , p8, k 3 0 .
Round21:
P 1 4 , k2b, p5, yo, k l b , yo, p8, k 3 0 .
Round 22: P 4 , k l b , p7, p2tog, k l b , m l k , k l b ,
p5, k l , k l b , k l , 8 , k 3 0 .
P
Important Considerations: T h e sole of the

foot is worked in plain stockinette (knit all
stitches) and the top will have a purl (reverse
stockinette) background with knitted leaves and
tendrils. Many people (like myself) purl more
loosely than they knit. If you notice that you are
36
Round 45: P 8 , ssk, k l b , k2tog, p 5 , k 2 b , p5, yo,

k l b , yo, p8, k 3 0 .
Round 46: P 4 , k l b , p3, k l , k l b , k l , 3 , 2 t o g ,
klb, mlk, klb, 5 , k l , klb, k l , 8 , k30.
Round 47: P 3 , trc, p3, edd, p3, trc, k 2 b , p5, k l ,
yo, k l b , yo, k l , p8, k 3 0 .
Repeat rounds 2 4 - 4 7 over and over again, but
first, you M U S T read the next section.
Round 23: P 3 , trc, p7, trc, k2b, p5, k l , yo, k l b ,

yo, k l , p8, k 3 0 .
Round24:
P 3 , k l b , p8, k l b , p l , k2b, p5, k 2 ,
klb, k2, 8 , k 3 0 .
Round25:
P 2 , trc, p7, trc, p l , k2b, p5, k 2 , yo,
k l b , yo, k 2 , p8, k 3 0 .
Round26:
P 2 , k l b , 8 , k l b , p2, k 2 b , 5 , k 3 ,
klb, k3, 8 , k30.
Round 27: P 2 , tic, p6, trc, p2, K 2 b , p5, k 3 , yo,
k l b , yo, k 3 , p8, k 3 0 .
Round28:
P 3 , k l b , 6 , k l b , p3, k 2 b , p5, k 4 ,
klb, k4, 8 , k 3 0 .
Round29:
P 3 , tic, p2, p2tog, m l k , trc, p3,
k2b, 5 , ssk, k 2 , k l b , k 2 , k2tog, 8 , k 3 0 .
Round 30: P 4 , k l b , p2, trc, k l b , p4, k 2 b , p5,
k3, k l b , k3, 8 , k 3 0 .
Round 31: P 4 , m l p , tic, trc; slip the last 3 sts to
the 1 needle and ignoring the third one (farthest
the 1 needle tip), pass the second st over the first,
making one out of two, si sts back to r needle,
trc, p4, k2b, p5, ssk, k l , k l b , k l , k2tog, p8,
k30.
P 8 , k l b , p5, k2b, p5, k 2 , k l b , k 2 ,
Round32:
8 , k30.
Round 33: P 8 , yo, k l b , yo, p5, k2b, p5, ssk,
k l b , k2tog, 8 , k 3 0 .
Round J 4 . P 8 , k l , k l b , k l , 5 , k l b , m l k , k l b ,
2tog, 3 , k l , klb, k l , 3 , klb, 4 , k30.
Round 35: P 8 , k l , yo, k l b , yo, k l , p5, K 2 b , tic,
p3, edd, p3, tic, p3, k 3 0 .
Round36:
P 8 , k 2 , k l b , k 2 , p5, k 2 b , p l , k l b ,
8 , klb, 3 , k30.
Round 37: P 8 , k 2 , yo, k l b , yo, k 2 , p5, k 2 b , p l ,
tic, 7 , tic, 2 , k 3 0 .
Round 38: P 8 , k 3 , k l b , k 3 , 5 , k 2 b , 2 , k l b ,
p8, k l b , 2 , k 3 0 .
Round 39: P 8 , k 3 , yo, k l b , yo, k 3 , p5, k 2 b , p2,
tic, 6 , trc, p2, k 3 0 .
Round 40: P 8 , k 4 , k l b , k 4 , 5 , k 2 b , p3, k l b ,
6 , klb, 3 , k30.
Round 41: P 8 , ssk, k 2 , k l b , k 2 , k2tog, p5, k 2 b ,
p3, tic, m l k , p2tog, p2, trc, p3, k 3 0 .
tic, 2 , k l b , 4 , k 3 0 .
Round 43: P 8 , ssk, k l , k l b , k l , k2tog, p5, k 2 b ,
p4, tic, tic, trc; slip the last 3 sts to the 1 needle
and ignoring the third one (farthest from the 1
needle tip), pass the first st over the second,
making one out of two. Pass the sts back to the r
needle; m l p , p4, k 3 0 .
8 , k30.
The Heel: Are we there yet? Put your sock

on and wave your foot around, admiring the leafy
tendrilly vine, especially the way it meanders
from side to side as it grows greenly up your foot,
Once you need just 4" (or 4 0 % of your foot
length) more to reach the right length, it's time
to begin the gusset increases. I will trust you to
keep the leaf and tendril pattern moving up the
foot without my telling you how.
Round 1 : On sole needle, k 1, inc by k l b in loop
of st beneath that first st, k 2 8 , inc 1 by k l b in
loop of st beneath last st on needle, k l . Leaf and
tendril pattern continues on instep needle.
Round 2: Knit across sole needle. Leaf and
tendril pattern continues on instep needle.
Repeat these two rounds 14 more times (the sts
in between the increases will go up by 2 each inc
round). You should have 6 0 sts on the sole
needle. T h e increased sts have built up a triangle
(gusset) on each side of the sole, while your
leaves and tendrils have been growing on up your
foot.
Turning the Heel: T h e sole needle now holds,

in this order: 1 5 gusset sts, 3 0 sole sts, and 1 5
gusset sts. You will be moving the gusset sts to
the ends of the instep needle, 1 5 to either end,
so just 3 0 sts remain on the sole needle. These
sts will become the turned heel, and then the heel
flap (remember, we're working upside down).
While the instep needle waits, you will work
short rows back and forth, wrapping as you go, to
create a rounded heel turn:
Row 1 : K the first 1 5 gusset sts and transfer
them to the instep needle. An easy way to accom
plish this is to use some of the instep needle's
extra cable by pulling the needle towards you,
letting about 1 0 " of the cable loop out of the way,
and knit the 1 5 sts. Then pull the loose cable
back into the line of 4 5 sts. T h e other 1 5 gusset
sts may be transferred without knitting. On your
remaining 3 0 sole sts, si 1, k 2 8 , slip and wrap
next st, turn.
37
pattern on front needle.

Round 3: * P 1 , k l , yo, k l , yo, k l , p2, k 2 , p i ,
repeat from * twice, end p i , k l , yo, k l , yo, k l ,
p i , work leaf and tendril pattern on front needle.
Rounds 4 and 5: * P 1 , k 5 , p2, k 2 , p i , repeat
from * twice, end p i , k 5 , p i , work leaf and
tendril pattern on front needle.
Round 6: * P 1 , ssk, k l , k2tog, p2, k 2 , p i ,
repeat from * twice, end p i , ssk, k l , k2tog, p i ,
work leaf and tendril pattern on front needle.
Round 7: same as Round 2.
Round 8: P i , yo, cdd, yo, p2, k 2 , p i , repeat
from * twice, end p i , yo, cdd, yo, p i , work leaf
and tendril pattern on front needle.
Repeat rounds 2 - 8 until you finish the leaf and
tendril pattern.
Row 2: S I 1, p 2 7 , slip and wrap next st, turn.

Rows 3 - 16: Repeat rows 1 and 2 , knitting or
purling one fewer st than the row before, until
row 1 6 , when you si 1, p i 3 , slip and wrap next
st, turn. Do you have 3 0 sts? Good.
Heel Flap and Gusset Gobbling: At this

point it is wise to work in heel stitch for durabil
ity (you may actually begin the heel stitch on the
3 0 sole sts as much as 1 " before the heel turn),
and this stitch is simple: on knit side, ( k l , s l l ) ,
repeat until end. On p side, p all sts. T h e only
catch is that the edges may get a little dicey as
you try to decide whether to follow the heel stitch
pattern religiously or to gobble the gusset reli
giously. There is only one answer: gobble the
gusset religiously.
Row 1 : S I 1, k 1 4 , k all but last st on needle,
knitting wraps with sts carefully as you go. K last
st from left to right with wrap and with first st
from other needle (nibbling your way up the
gusset). Turn, (you have begun to build the "heel
flap")
Row 2: S I 1, p across all sts on needle, up until
last one, purling wrap with sts as you go. S I last
st with wrap and first st on other needle, revers
ing mount of that st. Turn.
Row 3: K 2 t o g from right to left. K until 1 st
short of end of row, staying in heel st and correct
ing any wraps that still need to be k with their
sts. K 2 t o g (last st of this needle and first of
other) from left to right.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until all gusset sts have
been knitted up. You are now released from
the purgatory of rows back into the heaven of
rounds. You should have a total of 6 0 sts on
both needles.
Finishing the Leaf and Tendril Pattern:

W h e n you have 4 whole leaves growing up the
left side of the sock, pause. You will now con
tinue through round 4 5 of the repeat you are on,
and then switch to the following final 2 0 rounds.
W h e r e you would go to round 4 6 , instead go to
round 1 here:
Round 1: P 8 , k l , k l b , k l , 5 , k2tog, m l p , 5 ,
k l , k l b , k l , p8.
Round 2 : P 8 , cdd, p5, k l b , p6, k l , yo, k l b , yo,
kl, 8 .
Round 3 : P 1 4 , k l b , 6 , k 2 , k l b , k 2 , p8.
Round 4 : P 1 3 , trc, p6, k 2 , yo, k l b , yo, k 2 , p8.
Round 5 : P 1 3 , k l b , p7, k 3 , k l b , k 3 , p8.
Round 6 : P 1 2 , trc, p7, k 3 , yo, k l b , yo, k 3 , p8.
Round 7: P 1 2 , k l b , p8, k 4 , k l b , k 4 , 8 .
Round 8: P I 1, trc, p8, ssk, k 2 , k l b , k 2 , k2tog,
p8.
Round 9 : P I 1, k l b , p9, k 3 , k l b , k 3 , p8.
Round 1 0 : P I 1, yo, k l b , yo, p9, ssk, k l , k l b ,
k l , k2tog, p8.
Round 1 1 . P I 1, k l , k l b , k l , p9, k 2 , k l b , k 2 ,
p8.
Round 1 2 : P I 1, k l , yo, k l b , yo, k l , p9, ssk,
k l b , k2tog, p8.
Round 1 3 : P l l , k 2 , k l b , k 2 , 9 , k l , k l b , k l ,
p8.
Round 1 4 : P l l , k 2 , yo, k l b , yo, k 2 , p9, cdd,
p8.
Round 1 5 : P l l , k 3 , k l b , k 3 , m l p , pi 7.
Round 1 6 : P l l , ssk, k l , k l b , k l , k2tog, 1 9 .
Round 17: P l l , k 2 , k l b , k 2 , 1 9 .
Round 1 8 : P l l , ssk, k l b , k2tog, p i 9 .
Round 1 9 : P l l , k l , k l b , k l , p l 9 .
Round 2 0 : P l l , cdd, p i 9 .
P
Leg: Abandon the heel stitch for straight

knitting on back of the leg and continue with
the Leaf and Tendril pattern on the front of
the leg. Continue knitting across all back leg
stitches until you are 1 " above the heel
stitches.
Leafy Ribbing starts on back leg needle:

Round 1 : * K 9 , k into the front and back of the
next st; repeat from *; k l O , T h e s e 2 increases
give you 3 2 sts on this needle. Begin Leaflet Lace
pattern:
Round 2: * P 1 , k 3 , p2, k 2 , p i , repeat from *
twice, end p i , k 3 , p i , work leaf and tendril
38
Round 2 : * k l , s l l with yarn in front, repeat from

* until you have completed the round.
Round 3 : *sll with yarn in back, p l , repeat from
* until you have completed one round.
Repeat these two rounds twice more. You now
have an inner layer and an outer layer, joined at
the bottom by the last of the leafy ribbing, and at
the top by the needles. Now you will graft the top
edges of the two layers together. If you slide a
half dozen sts off a needle, you'll see them
automatically separate into two layers and realize
how natural it will be to join them by grafting. Do
so with joy! This means you are done with this
elegant sock, and are ready for the second one.
And then . . . you can wear them.
On the next several rounds, purl across the front

needle and knit in Leafy Ribbing across the back
leg needle until you complete a Round 8 of Leafy
Ribbing. Now you may start Leafy Ribbing
around the whole leg. You have 3 1 sts on the
front leg needle, and 3 2 on the back leg needle.
Starting with the front leg needle:
Round 1 : P l , *k2, p2, k 3 , p2, repeat from *
five times, end k 2 , p2, k 3 , p l .
Round 2: P l , *k2, p2, kl , yo, kl , yo , kl , p2, repeat
from *five times, end k2, p2, k l , yo , kl , yo , kl , p 1.
Rounds 3 and 4 : P l , *k2, p2, k 5 , p2, repeat
from * five times, end k 2 , p2, k 5 , p l .
Round 5: P l , *k2, 2 , ssk, k l , k2tog, p2,
repeat from * five times, end k 2 , p2, ssk, k l ,
k2tog, p l .
P
Round 6: S a m e as Round 1.
Round 7: P l , *k2, p2, yo, edd, yo, p2, repeat
from * five times, end k 2 , p2, yo, edd, yo, p l .
Repeat rounds 1-7 once.
Tubular Bind-off:
Next to the invisible cast-
on, this knitting technique brings me the most

pure joy. T h e tubular bind-off, which can be
described as an invisible bind-off, is a combina
tion of double-knitting, grafting, and pure genius.
I suspect it has been invented and unvented
numerous times. I assume you have overcome
your graftophobia if you were previously afflicted;
you will need this skill at the very end.
Here's how tubular bind-off works: you will
increase every second stitch using whatever
method you prefer; this will increase the stitches
from 6 3 to 9 5 . Then you will double knit for
three rows. Double knitting gives you two layers
of knitting, one inside the other, growing out of
the single layer of the leg, and connected at the
top only by the needles. Never double knit be
fore? Relax, for it is a bit like the heel stitch, and
I know you can do that. After double-knitting
three rows, you'll graft the two layers together at
the top, and abracadabra! No one will know if
you started this sock at the top or toe, because
the top has no apparent cast-on at all, or bindoff. Ready? Using the same size needle front and
back, let's start.
Round 1 : Increase 1 k st every second st, for a
total of 9 4 after one round. If you are off by a
few, that's quite all right, but you do need an
even number. If you have a larger leg than aver
age, you might want to increase more than this.
39
three needle sizes simultaneously: Cast on 6 3 sts,

and knit 2 1 sts on the size 1 , 2 1 on the size 2 ,
and 2 1 on the size 3 . Purl the 2 1 sts to mark
the boundaries. Knit a few inches, then take the
2 0 - s t gauge for each size. It's worthwhile to keep
a notebook for recording such things; so if you
use that yarn again you'll know your gauge.
Appendix
s t
Special Tips and Techniques:

the How, Why and Wherefore
Avoiding Gaping Gusset Corners: When
Graftophobia and how to cure it: Eor
you cross the space between gusset stitches and

instep stitches, sometimes a hole will appear in
the intersection. To avoid this unwanted
ventilation, pick up a stitch in this corner and
knit it twisted (through the back loop, or possibly
the front, depending on how you picked it up).
Then eliminate it by knitting it together with the
adjacent gusset stitch on the next round.
decades, I too suffered from the heartbreak of

graftophobia, also known as the fear of grafting
(Kitchener stitch). Suddenly last year, enough
kinesthetic dendrites had sprouted in my brain
from the mental stimulation of puzzling out
knitting maneuvers, that I could graft perfectly
without even thinking. S u c h a miracle may not
befall you, but Lucy Neatby (a startlingly
innovative fiber artist) has a trick you may use
now: instead of grafting when you are done, join
in waste yarn in a contrasting color and knit an
inch or so. Then pull this extension inside the toe
so that the stitches that still need grafting are not
quite pulled in. You can see the path the yarn
takes, and graft by following it. Then unravel the
waste yarn, snug up your grafting, and know you
are one step closer to a miracle happening in
your brain like it did in mine. Check out Lucy's
website (www.tradewindknits.com) for more
details, illustrations, and much more.
Donkey ears are for donkeys, not sock

toes: To avoid those little boxy corners on your
grafted toes, slip the outermost stitch on each
end of each needle over its nearest neighbor,
eliminating four stitches which might have gone
boxy on you. Now graft.
Financial Knitting Advice: Eat rice and beans

for a week if you have to, but invest in enough
pairs of Addi Turbo circular needles that you can
pick just the right size for your feet and yarn. I
recommend a pair of 2 4 " Addi Turbo circulars in
sizes 1 , 2 , and 3 . If you buy six needles (two in
each size), it will cost you about $ 5 5 , and you will
be happy forevermore. Look upon them as a very
portable and inexpensive loom, and just think:
you are buying the best (knitting) loom on this
planet! W h a t a bargain.
Intarsia-in-the-round: I wish I could say this

is easy and everyone should try it. It does work,
and the two methods I describe are ingenious.
However, I do not find it much fun, and I
personally think duplicate stitch is fun. To work
either intarsia method, you need to have some
flat intarsia experience already.
The first method is a clever way of knitting
back and forth in rows, yet forming a tube. Not
exactly a seamless tube, as at the rear center you
will have a seam of sorts. You join in a second
main color strand of yarn at the center back, and
each time you knit or purl to the center back, you
pick up the other strand after twisting it around
the one you just dropped. This allows you to knit
in rows while making a tube, and because you are
working in rows you can work intarsia just as you
would on a flat piece. T h e back seam will be
visible, but acceptable.
The second method is mind-boggling. On the
first round, you knit around without a care in the
world, doing all the usual intarsia moves. On the
If you're like me, you'll soon need more than

two of each size, because you'll have several socks
in progress at any given time. I like to keep a pair
or two in mid foot for staff meetings, and others
at an architecturally challenging stage, to work
on in the stillness of my home. You'll probably
settle on a favorite weight of yarn and needle
size, so when you do, eat some more rice and
beans and buy a few more of those needles.
Gauge-checking trick: Let's say you have

collected circular needles in sizes 1 , 2 , and 3 .
You're about to embark on a new sock pattern,
and want to be sure your gauge is correct. Many
people knit a bit tighter in rounds than in rows,
so you are best off taking your gauge in rounds.
You can determine your gauge for one yarn on
40
Perfectly matched slip stitch edges on heel
second round, you knit around with the main

color, but slip all the other colors while stranding
the main color past the slipped stitches. Then you
slip the main color stitches and either turn the
work around and purl the other colors or knit
them back backwards. You must twist colors at
all intersections, of course. Repeating these two
"rounds" will place the yarns where you need
them, although you may go batty.
If you want to try either of these methods, I
recommend you read more about them in one of
the following books: the first technique on page
6 0 in Elaine Rowley's Socks Socks Socks; the
second technique on page 8 4 in Priscilla GibsonRoberts' Ethnic Socks and Stockings: a
Compendium of Eastern Design and Technique,
flaps: Always knit the final stitch of a row, and

always slip the first stitch as if to purl. Think
about it: you are treating the ends of the rows
identically! And guess what? You will get identical
chained edges, just right for precise gusset stitch
picking-up.
washing your socks: Are you really going to

walk all over your knitting by wearing i t ? O f
course you are. W h e n your beautiful socks need
washing, you have several options. You can throw
them in the washer and dryer (most socks in this
book are knit of machine-washable wool), or you
can make them last a little longer by avoiding all
that excessive agitation and washing them by
hand. J u s t soak the socks for ten minutes in
warm water and a little detergent, then swish
them around until they look clean, and rinse
them in several changes of water with a little bit
of vinegar. You may press the water out of them
with a dry towel, or spin them nearly dry in the
washing machine. Then lay the socks out in a
footish shape and soon they will be ready for
another wearing.
Invisible or Provisional Cast-on: Mastering

this utterly simple technique allows you to start
your knitting anywhere. You can knit from both
sides of the cast-on. Barbara Walker, whom I
think of as the Einstein of knitting, describes it
beautifully in Knitting from the Top, while Meg
Swanson calls it "twisty-wrap" and makes it clear
in Meg Swanson's Knitting. It is described in any
comprehensive knitting reference. One morning I
awoke at 1:30, invited by my knitting mind to
meet the child of a marriage between invisible
cast-on and heel-turning. This child's name is
Turned Toe , and she can be found in the Leaf
and Tendril sock pattern, or the Cable-Top
pattern. Turned Toe is a dear.
S o m e small but important tips on invisible caston: Use a waste yarn of the same size, in a clearly
contrasting color. Use smooth, not textured, yarn,
for ease of removal. T h e first side you knit will
seem normal, with all stitches correctly mounted.
The other side, however, will have stitches
mounted alternately correctly and incorrectly.
With a circular needle, simply correct them one
by one, and when you are done the needle will
have rotated nicely back into position as if the
stitches had been mounted properly all along.
Which row am I on? T h e latest brain research

(done while I am knitting) reveals that the brain
stores numbers in one dinky drawer with holes in
the bottom, while sensory images get a spacious
guest room with sauna. Try this: Replace the
numbers one through ten with images saturated
with as many the senses as possible. For instance,
imagine one slice of green-skinned, juicedripping, tangy Pippin apple and two newborn
robins peeping and tottering in a nest littered
with broken blue eggshells, the smell of raw eggs
perfuming the air. Use these if you like, but then
come up with your own ideas, for you will
remember them best if they arise from you. Once
you have vivid sensory images for the numbers
from one to ten, rehearse them until they are
second nature. Then, when you are knitting eight
rows or rounds and want to remember which one
you are on, conjure up the sensory image for one
while knitting the first one. Conjure up the image
for two for the second round, and so on. T h e
sensory images will root temporarily in your
consciousness, for they are rich with meaning,
unlike numbers which vanish because of being so
generic. If you need to go beyond ten, combine an
additional sensory image with the others to mark
Keeping Track of Instructions: Make

photocopies of pattern instructions or charts,
enlarging them if helpful. Then use five colors of
highlighters to color lines so you can easily glance
at the page and focus on a blue, green, yellow,
purple, or pink line. Put the colored page on a
metal copyholder and mark the edge of the
current line with a magnet.
41
the decade: hot sun for teens, full moon for 2 0 ' s ,
rain for 3 0 s , etc. T h e r e is no limit to this kind of
sensory place-holding!
All this intense mental imagination means that
you are generating thousands of new dendrite
fingers in your brain, which means that more and
more connections are being made and you are
becoming smarter while you knit. I'm not making
this up, it's true.
My Favorite Knitting
Technique References:
Buss, Katharina. Big Book of Knitting. New
York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 1 9 9 9 .
Translated
from the original
German.
Hiatt, J u n e Hemmons. The Principles of
Knitting: Methods and techniques of Hand
Knitting. New York: Simon and Schuster,
1 9 8 8 . / hear June is working on a new
edition; the original is out of print. I would
love to have a copy of this book. If you have
an extra, let me know!
Sources for Yarns, Needles,

and Other Goodies:
Your Local Yarn Store - Start here!
They
need your business, have knowledge

to share, and
because of their presence, new knitters are born.
Many knit shops are happy for you to sit down
and knit for a while - a good respite from a busy
day. Ask them to order what you need, if they
don't have it. For most of the yarns in this book,
see the next entry.
Stanley, Montse. Knitter's Handbook: A

comprehensive
guide to the principles and
techniques of handknitting.
New York:
Readers Digest, 1 9 9 3 . Very visual.
Swanson, Meg. Meg Swanson's
Knitting: 30
Designs for Handknitting.
Loveland,
Colorado: Interweave Press, 1 9 9 9 . In
addition to sweater and vest patterns that will
fill your daydreams, Meg includes
several
elegantly fitted, fancy sock patterns and a
gourmet buffet of a chapter on
techniques.
Skacel Collection, Inc. - P.O. Box 8 8 1 1 0 ,

Seattle, WA, 9 8 1 3 8 - 2 1 1 0 . ( 2 5 3 ) 8 5 4 - 2 7 1 0 .
Skacel offers both yarns and Addi Turbo
needles,
which are not only my favorite but seem to be the
unquestionable
favorite of nearly every
serious
knitter I know. They can tell you where the
nearest shop is that carries this book, the yarns
for the socks, and their
needles.
The Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine. Vogue

Knitting. New York: Pantheon Books. 1 9 8 9 .
A knitting bible, with photos or drawings of
almost every move you might ever want to
make with a needle and yarn.
Schoolhouse Press - 6 8 9 9 Cary Bluff,

Pittsville, Wisconsin, 5 4 4 6 6 ,
www.schoolhousepress.com, 1 -800-YOU-KNIT.
Meg Swanson carries a plethora of knitting
books, including just about every sock book in
print, plus a magnetic row finder holder and a
"knitting thimble ", a small device that tames
multiple yarns for
color-stranding.
Walker, Barbara G. Knitting from the Top.

Pittsville, Wisconsin: Schoolhouse Press,
1 9 9 6 . One of the most brilliant and practical
knitting books ever written, long out of print,
reprinted by Schoolhouse
Press. Also see her
three Knitting Treasuries for a trove of
stitches for designing your own socks. A
Fourth Treasury is on its way to the printer,
published by Schoolhouse
Press.
Showers of Flowers Yarn Shop - 6 9 0 0 W.

Colfax Avenue, Lakewood, CO, 8 0 2 1 5 . 1-8008 2 5 - 2 5 6 9 , sos@interfold.com, or
www.showersofflowers.com One of the world's
largest and friendliest yarn stores. They carry
everything you need to make any sock in this
book (and have a whole section of the store
devoted to sock knitting!).
Sharon Sturm, the
owner, shares her story and vision on the store's
large
website.
Williams, Joyce. Latvian Dreams: Knitting

from
Weaving Charts. Pittsville, Wisconsin:
Schoolhouse Press, 2 0 0 0 . Joyce
Williams
also reveals two-circular needle
knitting,
shares her own ingenious sock
techniques,
and charts enough designs to keep you
knitting for eons.
42
Zimmerman, Elizabeth. Knitter's Almanac. New

York: Dover, 1 9 7 4 . Buy all of
Elizabeth's
books before you buy mine! She led the way
for me and many others. You will swear
she's
sitting at your kitchen table, her needles
clicking, her down-to-earth
advice
flowing
like music, for her books are so
immediate,
personal, and brilliant.
Interested in additional
patterns and techniques?
ou may contact Cat to arrange a workshop,

or to purchase additional single patterns
designed for the two-circular needle method.
Contact her by email at cat@rockisland.com,
or write her at: R O . B o x 2 4 6 3 , Friday Harbor,
WA, 9 8 2 5 0 .
Treasured Traditional
Sock Collections
About the author
Buchanan, Rita, and Robson, Deborah. Socks: A

Spin-Off Special Publication for Knitters and
Spinners. Loveland, Colorado: Interweave
Press, 1 9 9 4 . Unusual and intriguing
designs.
at vividly remembers the moment she

learned to tie a knot in the end of sewing
thread at age six. S h e was flooded with joy and
the glorious realization: "Now I can make
something!" A few summers later, while the
family was camping on a sunny river bank, she
took a break from chasing bluebelly lizards long
enough for her mother to teach her to knit.
Being a contrary child, Cat insisted on knitting
differently than either her mother or her
grandmother, who later helped with the lessons.
You may have noticed in the photos that Cat
holds the yarn in her left hand, Continental style.
Even if you knit Continental style, you may hold
the yarn differently, since Cat's method is the
result of her rascal nature. Regardless of how you
hold your yarn, with the right or left hand, pick
or wrap, your socks will come out just fine.
Bush, Nancy. Folk Socks: The History and

Techniques of Handknitted
Footwear.
Loveland, Colorado: Interweave Press, 1 9 9 4 .
Nancy has a new sock book coming out. Her
books are masterpieces
of
scholarship,
historical stewardship,
and creativity.
Bush, Nancy. Folk Knitting in Estonia. Loveland,
Colorado: Interweave Press, 1 9 9 9 .
Gibson-Roberts, Priscilla A. Ethnic Socks and
Stockings: a Compendium
of Eastern
Design
and Technique. S i o u x Falls, South Dakota:
X R X , Inc., 1 9 9 5 . Priscilla, a wise curator of
ethnic socks and techniques,
also has a new
sock book coming out. Lucky us.
Cat has earned a living as a textile artist off and

on since high school, was one of the world's most
sought after bear artists in the 1 9 8 0 s (her
bears, known as Catherine Bordi Bears, are in
museums and private collections all over the
world), and has written several books. S h e
currently teaches humanities, creative writing,
knitting, and Math Olympiad to students at
Friday Harbor Middle School on S a n Juan
Island, Washington. S h e is also an active member
of the archipelago's textile guild.
Ligon, Linda. Homespun Handknit: Caps,

Socks,
Mittens, and Gloves. Loveland, Colorado:
Interweave Press, 1 9 8 7 . / / this goes out of
print, you'll probably wish you had it.
Pence, Katherine. ...And a
Stockings.
Fort Wayne,
Design Works, 1 9 9 7 . A
of art, exquisite to hold
Time to Knit
Indiana: Pence
uniquely bound
piece
and work
from.
Cat's cat, Polly S . Dactylus, has extra toes on

each paw, and may become the first cat ever to
learn to knit (socks, of course). S h e offers her
beautiful powder gray hair for spinning strands
of yarn. Polly's canine sister, Persimmon
Peaches, bites her own tail, spins around like a
circular needle, and sheds her golden hairs beside
Cat's spinning wheel.
Rowley, Elaine. Socks Socks Socks. S i o u x Falls,

South Dakota: X R X , Inc, 1 9 9 9 . Whew!
Socks to knit, socks to inspire, and even a
sock to eat (knit of licorice
ropes).
Vogue Knitting Socks.
New York: Butterick
Publishing Co., 1 9 9 9 . Little and
good.
43
Abbreviations and Explanations

c d d : centered double decrease Slip two stitches as if to knit together (from left to right), knit one stitch,
then pass the two slipped stitches over the knit stitch. T h e middle stitch will lie neatly on top.
k l b : knit one stitch through the back loop (twisted)
k2tog: knit two stitches together from left to right
k : knit
1: left
m l k : (make one knit) Pick up loop beneath the stitch you just knit, place loop on your left needle,
and knit it.
m l p : (make one purl) Pick up loop beneath the next stitch, place loop on your left needle, and purl it.
p2tog: purl two stitches together from right to left
p : purl
p l b : purl one stitch through the back loop (twisted)
r : right
S S k : With yarn in back, slip two stitches separately as if to knit. Insert left needle from left to right
through front loops of both stitches and knit them together.
S S p : With yarn in front, slip two stitches separately to right needle as if to knit. Replace stitches on left
needle. Insert right needle from left to right through back loops of both stitches and purl them together.
t i c : (twisted left cross) Use a cable needle or your own dexterity to switch the first stitch with the second,
which crosses behind the first stitch. T h e first stitch is knit through the back loop (twisted). In the Bavarian
Twisted S t i t c h design, sometimes the second stitch will present as a purl and you will knit it. Sometimes it
will present as a knit and you will purl it. Study the chart and key to see how this goes. In the Leaf and
Tendril design, the twisted stitch is always traveling across a purl background, so you always purl the second
stitch. S e e the bottom of page 3 4 for a trick for working a twisted left cross.
t r c : (twisted right cross) Use a cable needle or your own dexterity to switch the first stitch with the second,
which crosses in front of the first stitch. T h e second stitch is knit through the back loop (twisted). In the
Bavarian Twisted S t i t c h design, sometimes the first stitch will present as a purl and you will knit it.
Sometimes it will present as a knit and you will purl it. Study the chart and key to see how this goes. In the
Leaf and Tendril design, the twisted stitch is always traveling across a purl background, so you always purl
the first stitch. S e e the bottom of page 3 4 for a trick for working a twisted right cross.
s i 1 : slip one stitch
yo: yarn over
44

Socks Soar On Two Circular Needles: A Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and Patterns

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The frst sock book ever to teach

knitting with two circular noodles

S o c k s S o a r on Two Circular Needles

Passing Paws Press

Photography and Cover Design: Anne Sheridan Photography

Passing Paws Press

Library of Congress Data:

K n i t t i n g with two c i r c u l a r s : getting s t a r t e d

Around and around

T r a n s l a t i n g a traditional p a t t e r n to the two c i r c u l a r m e t h o d

Indoor Felted B o o t s (easy)

Cable-Top: with t h e Turned T o e ( i n t e r m e d i a t e )

L e a f and Tendril: with the Turned T o e (advanced)

S o u r c e s for Y a r n s , Needles, and O t h e r G o o d i e s

Treasured Traditional S o c k Collections

It takes a village to write a book

y beloved daughter J e n n y has always been an inspiration to me. In her infancy,

Kmlttng a sock, with two circula needles:

In addition to efficiency and speed, there are

I did not wake up in the middle of the night

I immediately thought of the hundredth monkey

correct number for your pattern, and then slide

Knitting with two circulars:

One circular needle works

You will be happiest knitting socks with a needle

Around and around

Casting on and joining

Stitches have been cast on and divided between

The top stitch from the rightneedie has

This sock is bcma knit in profile. The leg,

This is the Leaf and Tendril sock being knit

This is the same Leaf and Tendril sock

stitches. T h e traditional pattern will read

Translating a traditional pattern

Time to zoom down the foot. Those traditional

Let's start at the top of a traditional sock, and

the correct gauge (most likely size 2 or 3 ) .

Picking up Gusset Stitches: With the same

How to tell? Try the sock on! T h e flexible cables

needle, knit up ( 1 1 , 1 5 , 1 8 ) sts in the loops

Knitting the sole of the sock with a

Foot: Knit along as instructed above until you

You'll need an additional 2 4 " circular needle

ake yourself a peanut butter and jelly

Leg: Using larger needles, follow regular direc

Heel and Turning Heel: Use smaller needle

You must be a genius! You've learned how to

Picking up Heel Stitches: With the smaller

Don't throw away your double-pointed knitting

Gusset: Round I: On the larger needle, work

Oh, and you can use double-pointed needles for

Foot: Continue knitting the sole with the smaller

Yarn: About 2 2 0 yards of bulky 1 0 0 % wool

Gauge: 3 sts = 1 "

Felted Indoor Boots

Turn the Heel: (still garter stitch)

Pick up Gusset Stitches: Knit across the 12

up now. Knit right across the first 1 0 sts on the

Time for the washing machine! You need

Work the Gusset:

Leg: Cast on 6 0 sts and work k l . p l ribbing on

Picking up Gusset Stitches: With the same

Yarn: Two 5 0 g , 2 3 1 yd balls Trekking Color,