Hi all 😊Time for a pattern/how to post I think!
Before we get cracking I just wanted to say a few words about the yarn I've made the Quinn socks from.Sheepjes Metropolis is a fingering weight yarn that is a 75/25% blend of extra fine merino and nylon. The nylon is important as it will give your socks durability. Socks, on the whole, get a lot of wear and tear. We trample on them all the time they are on our feet. They move around in shoes and generally get a bit of a battering. The nylon gives them extra strength and should prolong longevity. The yarn comes in 50g balls and for that you get 200m of loveliness that you can throw in the washing machine at 40 degrees C (personally I would still hand wash but thats just me! - my hand knit socks are precious and I like to be gentle with them!)
Metropolis comes in a mind boggling array of colours!
Check out that shade card!!!! Sooooo many to choose from!
All are slightly heathered so each shade is made up of a combination of colours which gives lovely depth.
Now let's chat a little about the construction. These socks are toe-up. It's by far my preferred method of construction. Controversial I know!!! I like being able to try on throughout the making process and make little adjustments as I go along. I've made my socks using the magic loop method with my trusty Hiya hiya steels.
The patterns will cover the following techniques:
HINT: Click on each method to take you to a YouTube tutorial!
* I don't think there is a perfect jogless method. I found that each method left a visible marker of some sort.
Arne and Carlos have the best philosophy about this - don't bother trying to hide the jog! It's handmade!!! I do love their outlook!
The colours I chose for my socks are, from left to right, 022 Pasay, 024 Cota and 001 Bucharest.
YOU WILL NEED:
Scheepjes Metropolis in 3 contrasting colours, 1 ball of each
2.25mm circular needle (mine are 80cm)
Scissors
Needle for weaving in ends/kitchener stitch
Scrap yarn for lifelines and heel marker (ideally a smooth yarn of a similar weight and in colours you'll be able to see easily)
Row counter/pen a paper (to keep track of round counts)
Tape measure (to work out where to place your heel)
Sock blockers (optional)
SIZES
UK shoe sizes
Small (S) - shoe size 3-4
Medium (M) - shoe size 5-6
Large (L) - shoe size 7-8
ABBREVIATIONS
k - knit
k1tbl - knit 1 through back loop
p - purl
m1r - make 1 right: lift the strand between the stitches onto the left needle from the back, knit through the front loop
m1l - make 1 left: lift the strand between the stitches onto the left needle from the front, knit through the back loop
k2tog - knit 2 stitches together
ssk - slip, slip, knit: slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch purlwise and knit these 2 stitches together through the back loops
st(s) - stitch(es)
rpt - repeat
HOW TO!
The Toe
Using your chosen toe colour and Judys magic cast on method, cast on 32 stitches (16sts on each needle)
(The first needle will hold the stitches for the top of the foot and the second needle will hold the stitches that will form the sole of the foot and the back of the leg)
Knit across the stitches on the first needle. Knit through the back loop of the stitches on the second needle to untwist them.
Round 1. k1, m1r, knit to last 2 sts, m1l, k1
Rpt on 2nd needle
Round 2. knit
Repeat these to rounds until you have reached 56 (64, 72) sts in total. Half on each needle.
Knit a further 2 rounds or until you are happy with the size of your toe. Break yarn leaving a decent length tail to weave in afterwards.
The Foot
Join in your chosen colour for the first of your stripes. Knit 2 rounds. Join in the second colour and knit 2 rounds. The stripes are made by working 2 rounds in each colour.
Choose which method of jogless stripe you prefer (alternatively embrace the jog!)
Continue until you have a foot length that is approximately 2" (5cm) away from the end of your heel
Make a note of how many round you have completed so you'll know when you making your second sock!
Placing Your Afterthought Heel Marker
Knit across needle one
Drop the working yarn and with a length of scrap yarn, knit across needle 2
With another length of scrap, thread your needle and thread it through the stitches you have just worked (first life line placed).
Now slide the stitches back over to the left needle and with the working yarn knit across again. Place your second life line using the same method as before.
Your finished heel marker with lifelines should look something like this...
Leg
Continue working stripes until you are happy with the length of your sock
(I usually work 64 rounds)
Break yarn for both colours leaving a long tail to weave in later
(I usually fasten them together with a bow and tuck down the leg to keep them out of the way!)
Cuff
Using the yarn for your cuff, knit 1 round
Rib pattern: k1tbl,p1- repeat for the round
Work in rib pattern until your cuff is the desired length (I tend to work 13 rounds in rib)
Cast off using Jenny's surprisingly stretchy bind off or your favourite stretchy cast off method.
Fasten off yarn
Heel
Now we are going to open up the heel ready to slide those stitches that are held in place by the lifelines onto your needles!
Gently unpick the waste yarn. You will be left with the lifelines holding your stitches (half on each side)
Once you've unpicked the waste yarn it should look something like this....
Next slide the stitches onto you needles. This can be a bit fiddly! Once you're happy you have all the stitches on the needle you can pull out the life lines and start knitting the heels.
With your contrasting yarn for the heel knit across the first needle. To prevent holes, pick up a stitch from the gap between the needles. Twist the stitch and slide it onto the left needle. Knit the next 2 stitches together. Knit along the second needle and repeat picking up a stitch.
Knit 1 round.
Shape the heel as follows:
Round 1. k1, k2tog, knit to last 2 sts, ssk, k1, repeat on needle 2
Round 2. knit
Repeat the last 2 rounds until you have 16 stitches on each needle
Close the heel using Kitchener stitch.
Weave in your ends and block your sock!
Repeat to make your second sock.
Ta Daaaa!
Your socks are finished!
Now wear them with pride 😊
Now I have made mine with stripes. There is nothing to stop you from using this basic recipe with a single colour if you don't fancy fiddling about striping yarns!
Enjoy!
Til next time x
