The cabled cuff of these top-down socks is knit flat as a rectangular piece, then grafted into a ring for the cuff. Stitches are then picked up from the edge of the cuff for the rest of the sock, which features a garter stitch short-row heel and garter stitch toe.
Size:
W Sm (Med, Lrg)
Finished Foot Circumference: 7.5 (8, 9) inches
You can work cabled cuff band to any length to fit around your calf. Pick up sts around cuff in a multiple of 4 to work leg and foot.
Materials:
2 (2, 3) skeins Knit Picks Essential Tweed (65% superwash merino wool, 25% nylon, 10% Donegal, 231 yd./50g) in Inca Gold
US 1 (2.25mm) dpns or size needed to obtain gauge
Smooth waste yarn
Tapestry needle
Gauge:
8 sts and 12 rounds = 1 inch square in St st
Pattern stitches:
Garter stitch (knit flat)
Knit all rows.
Garter stitch (knit in the round)
Round 1: Knit.
Round 2: Purl.
Re rounds 1 and 2 for patt.
Work the cuff and leg.
Cabled band is knit flat on 2 dpns, then joined into a ring for the cuff.
Provisionally CO 20 sts with waste yarn.
Change to working yarn and knit 1 row on WS.
Next Row (RS): Knit, increasing 3 sts evenly across row. 23 sts.
Begin working Cabled Cuff chart (see chart at right). Repeat rows 1–16 of chart 5 (6, 7) times. Work should measure approximately 6.75 (8, 9.25) inches long.
Knit 1 row, decreasing 3 sts evenly across.
Work in Garter St on these 20 sts until cuff measures 7.5 (8.5, 9.5) inches long, ending with a WS row. Cut working yarn, leaving a 10-inch tail.
Unzip provisional CO and place these 20 sts onto a working needle.
Thread tapestry needle with working yarn tail. Graft together live sts, forming cuff piece into a ring.
Pick up stitches for the foot.
Place marker in work at midpoint of garter st section of cabled cuff.
This might not be the grafted row of the cuff.
Pick up sts along knitted edge of cuff (slipped-st edge is top of sock) as follows: Pick up and knit in each of 2 rows along edge, skip 1 row.
Pick up 60 (68, 76) sts in this manner along edge of cuff.
Set up to work in the round and pm for beg of round, which is at the back of the leg.
These two steps are for medium and large sizes only:
Next Round: Knit, decreasing 4 sts evenly around. (64, 72) sts.
If your row gauge is slightly different and you pick up more or fewer sts along the cuff edge, decrease or increase on following round as required to obtain 60 (64, 72) sts.
Work even in St st until sock measures 8 inches from top of cabled cuff, ending 18 (19, 21) sts before end of round marker.
Work the short-row heel.
Work the heel over approximately 60% of the sock's sts—36 (38, 42) sts— and knit it in garter st.
Row 1 (RS): K 35 (37, 41) sts onto one needle. Wrap the next st and turn.
Row 2 (WS): K 34 (36, 40) sts. Wrap the next st and turn.
Rows 3 and 4: K to 1 before previously wrapped st. Wrap the next st and turn.
Rep rows 3 and 4 until 14 (14, 14) sts rem unwrapped in the middle of the heel.
Pick up the wraps.
Row 1 (RS): K to wrapped st. Pick up wrap and work together with st. Wrap the next st and turn.
Row 2 (WS): K to wrapped st. Pick up wrap and work together with st. Wrap the next st and turn.
Rows 3 and 4: K to double-wrapped st. Pick up both wraps and work together with st. Wrap the next st and turn.
Rep rows 3 and 4 until you have worked all wrapped sts. On last pair of rows, pick up double wraps and work together with last heel st, then wrap the following st and turn.
Work 1 round even, picking up single wraps at edges of heel.
Work the foot.
Work even in St st until foot measures 6 (7, 8) inches from back of heel, or 2.5 inches less than desired total foot length.
Next Round: K 15 (16, 18), p 30 (32, 36), k 15 (16, 18).
Knit 1 round even.
Repeat last 2 rounds once more.
Shape the toe and finish.
Round 1
Needle 1: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
2: K1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Needle 3: K to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1.
4: K1, ssk, k to end of needle.
Round 2: Purl all sts.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until 28 (32, 36) sts rem.
Round 3: Work same as round 1.
Round 4
Needle 1: P to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1.
Needle 2: P1, p2tog tbl, p to end of needle.
Needle 3: P to last 3 sts, p2tog, p1.
Needle 4: P1, p2tog tbl, p to end of needle.
Repeat rounds 3 and 4 until 20 (20, 24) sts rem.
Sizes Med and Lrg only: Purl 1 round.
All sizes: P 5 (5, 6). Cut yarn, leaving a 12-inch tail.
Graft toe using Kitchener st.
Weave in ends and block.