Cabled Quasi Crews

Socks, that is....

For some strange reason, everything I end up knitting is a “quasi” something ~ it isn’t quite this or that. So when I set off to knit up some simple cabled socks, out came this pair: not quite crew length but more than anklets.

Size

Foot circumference: 9 inches (23cm)

Cuff length: 3 inches (7.5cm)

Will fit an average woman’s foot (US shoe sizes 7-9)

Yarn

Premiere Yarn Serenity (50% Merino, 25% Bamboo, 25% Nylon); 230 yds (210 m) per 50g skein

Needles

US Size 1 (2.25mm): 2 circular needles, preferably one 16 inch and one 24 inch OR set of US Size 1 (2.25mm) DPNs

Gauge

7 sts and 11 rows = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

9 sts and 14 rows = 1 inch cable pattern

Notions

Tapestry needle

Cable needle

Abbreviations

C2B- slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold in the back, knit 2 sts, then knit 2 sts from cable needle

Cable Pattern

Rounds 1-4: *P4, K4; rep from * to end

Round 5: *P4, C2B, P4, K4

Rounds 6-9: *P4, K4

Round 10: rep round 5

Round 11-14: *P4, K4

Round 15: *P4, K4, P4, C2B

Cuff on Circs

Cast on 64 sts and divide evenly across 2 circular needles, making needle 1 the 16 inch needle & needle 2 the 24 inch needle. Join in the round without twisting.

Cuff on DPNs

Cast on 64 sts and divide evenly among 4 needles. Join in the round without twisting.

Begin with 6 rounds of K2P2 ribbing.

Begin Cable Pattern for a total of 3 repeats, with the 3^rd repeat ending on round 14

Heel Flap on Circs

On needle 1

Row 1: Sl 1, K1, repeat across

Row 2: Sl 1, P to end

Repeat these two rows 15 times, or 30 total rows

Heel Flap on DPNs

Row 1: Sl 1, K1, repeat across needle 1 & 2, so that sts from both needles are now on 1 needle (32 sts total)

Row 2: Sl 1, P to end

Repeat these two rows 15 times, or 30 total rows

Turn Heel

Row 1: Sl 1, K to last 8 sts, K2tog, K1, turn

Row 2: Sl 1, P to last 8 sts, P2tog, P1, turn

Row 3: Sl 1, K to 1 st before gap, K2tog, K1, turn

Row 4: Sl 1, P to 1 st before gap, P2tog, P1, turn

Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all sts worked, 24 sts remain

Heel Gusset* on Circs

With needle 1, pick up 16 sts going towards instep (towards needle 2)

Work in established cable pattern across instep sts on needle 2

With needle 2, pick up 16 sts going towards heel (towards needle 1)

Now transfer sts evenly so there are 32 sts on needle 1, and 56 sts on needle 2 (12 sts transferred on both sides of needle 2)

For decreasing, begin with needle 2.

Round 1: K to 2 sts before pattern, K2tog, cont in pattern to last 16 sts, K4, SSK, K10; needle 1 knit across

Round 2: work across needle 2 in pattern being careful to knit the leading and trailing sts without decreasing; knit across needle 1

Repeat these 2 rounds until needle 2 has 32 sts total

Heel Gusset* on DPNs
Knit across heel
Pick up 16 sts going toward instep
Work in established cable pattern (row 15) across instep stitches ending at last 4 sts, K4
Pick up 16 sts towards heel
Now transfer 12 sts evenly onto needle 1 + 3 so that you now have:
Needle 1- 28 sts
Needle 2- 32 sts (this is the instep)
Needle 3- 28 sts

For decreasing, Round 1:
Needle 1- knit to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1
Needle 2- knit in pattern to last 4 sts, K4
Needle 3- K1, SSK, K to end

Round 2- no decreases
Continue round 1 and 2 until there are 16 sts on needle 1 & 3

*A note about picking up gusset stitches:
In order to pick up the first 16 sts going towards the instep, you have to knit across the turned heel to get yourself to the correct side. You could just pick up 16 sts towards the instep, but the you would need to purl across the instep, which would create an extra row in the pattern repeat. No big deal if this is how you approached it, as it won’t add any significant length.

Foot on Circs

Cont working sts on needle 1 in St st and in pattern for needle 2.

Work until foot measures approximately 1 ½ inches from the desired finished length.

Foot on DPNs

Cont working sts so that needle 2 is in pattern and needle 1 & 3 are in St st. Work until foot measures approximately 1 ½ inches from the desired length.

Toe on Circs

Round 1: Needle 1- K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1; Needle 2- K1, SSK, K to last 3 sts, K2tog, K1

Round 2: K all sts

Repeat these 2 rounds until 24 sts remain (12 sts each needle)

Toe on DPNs

Round 1: Needle 1- K to the last 3 sts, K2tog, K1

Needle 2- K1, SSK, K to last 2 sts, K2tog, K1

Needle 3- K1, SSK, K to end

Round 2: K all sts

Repeat these 2 rounds until 24 sts remain.

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving about 12 inch tail. Graft toes using kitchener stitch. Weave in ends.

Viola!