1. hobbies and interests
2. arts and crafts
3. knitting

Presents:
Spin Your Socks
spinoffmagazine.com
c o n t e n t s
S
pinning for socks is one of my favorite things to do. I love that you can spin up the yarn for
socks in a couple of evenings after work, or better yet, on a quiet Saturday with a couple of Jane
Austen movies as company. And that the knitting can be carried around in your bag and worked
on during meetings, in the dentist’s waiting room, or at a softball game. I love the challenge
of socks—and for me that mostly means getting the second one done, but turning the heel is
pretty fun, too. I love that making socks means cozy feet on a cold winter morning, memories of
spinning that yarn every time I pull them on, and color progressions that you just don’t find in
store-bought socks. Seeing my friends and family wear the socks I’ve made them makes my heart
swell to bursting.
Everyone has different philosophies about how to spin the perfect sock yarn—there is no consensus. There are
several viewpoints presented in these articles pulled from back issues of Spin-Off magazine and many more presented
in the world of spinning. If you’re the type of spinner who needs to know EVERYTHING before you start, this e-book
doesn’t cover it—but it does present some basics about spinning yarn for socks that will be very helpful. If you’re a
new sock knitter, there are basic sock patterns in this e-collection to get you started, as well as patterns that will take
your knitting to the next level. But beware, spinning and knitting socks can form an obsession from which it is hard
to recover.
Happy spinning,
Amy Clarke Moore, Editor
aclarkemoore@interweave.com
Sock Yarns
2 Spinning
by Merike Saarniit
and Wristlettos
7Ankelettos
by Phreadde Davis
at Any Size and Any Gauge
9 Sbyocks
Ann Budd with Amanda Berka and Amy Clarke
Moore
Color Socks
13Carded
by Amy Clarke Moore
for Socks
16Dbyyeing
Paula Egbert
Stripe Sock
20TbyheJanelFractal
Laidman
Socks
23 Jbyourneyman
Kristi Schueler
Queen of Diamonds Socks
27 by Kristi Schueler
Green Lake Socks
32 by Kristi Schueler
for a Circular Sock Machine
36Hby andspun
Susan Forsyth
Fair Isle Christmas Stocking
41Aby Spindle-Spun
Kathleen Taylor
45 A bbreviations
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Spin Your Socks
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Spinning Sock Yarns
How do you make the perfect sock yarn? It depends . . .
b y
Mer ik e Sa a rn ii t
T
here are three primary factors to be considered when selecting, preparing, and spinning fibers for sock yarns: appearance, comfort,
and durability. The proportion of each of these
factors depends on the end use of the socks.
Though all three factors also come into play
during the knitting process (choosing a pattern,
knitting to fit, etc.), starting with the right kind
of yarn can really make the difference in whether the sock succeeds in its purpose.
For instance, if you’re knitting a pair of bed socks
for a bed- or wheelchair-bound friend, durability is
not much of an issue compared to comfort. Here you
can choose to prepare and spin a Merino/ angora
blend or almost any lower-twist woolen yarn that is
soft, warm, and comfy.
A hardworking farmer’s boot socks need to be durable and comfortable and just as hardworking as the
farmer. Worsted-weight woolen yarn will give more
cushioning in boots than a finer sportweight yarn.
I’ve learned that my husband’s favorite boot socks
are ones I knitted from woolen yarn and then fulled
slightly. The fulling provides additional durability.
Then there are those fancy show-off socks—the
The yarn for
these booties
was designed for
both comfort
and appearance.
Merike spun a
2-ply yarn (50%
cotton, and 50%
wool) using
a long-draw
technique.
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ones you’ll wear with sandals or clogs to demonstrate your creative patterning skills, or the dressier
ones of delicate lace, or the ones with the beaded silk
bouclé cuffs. Here, of course, appearance (consider
color, texture, weight of yarn, and quality of the spinning and knitting) is quite important. But the factors of comfort and at least some durability still need
to be taken into consideration, if only for heels, toes,
and soles of the socks. A dash of glitzy, sparkly nylon
blended into almost any other fiber provides both a
showy presentation and additional durability.
There are specialty socks, too—fulled slipper
socks, baby booties, leg warmers, and Christmas
stockings, to name a few.
And, of course, there are those socks that will be
worn on a regular basis—with your jeans, jumpers, out in the garden, or walking the dog. A seriously balanced set of factors of durability, comfort, and
appearance is important here. Always remember that
the three factors can be combined in varying proportions in different parts of the sock.
Appearance
The easiest factor to control is appearance. While
the appearance factor is, in large part, controlled by
the knitting pattern used, it is still something to consider in fiber selection, preparation, and spinning. In
selecting fibers, consider the color, luster, and texture. Color can be either the natural color of the fiber
or dyed. Blending different colors (or shades, tones,
or hues of the color) can dramatically enhance the
overall appearance of the color. Lustrous fibers spun
worsted can provide greater stitch definition in an intricate pattern and make colors glow more. Blending
some lustrous fibers with non-lustrous ones is an option here; for instance, consider a Merino/silk blend.
Slubby, nubbly, highly textured yarns often aren’t durable and certainly are not comfortable underfoot,
but they look fabulous in the cuff or as boot toppers
or leg warmers.
Comfort
The comfort factor of the sock certainly depends
on how well it fits, but the comfort factor of the yarn
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Merike Saarniit divides the qualities to look for in sock yarn into three categories: appearance, comfort, and durability. The yarn for these socks was spun with appearance in mind..
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Spin Your Socks
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3
itself contributes to how well it feels on the foot. No
matter how perfectly the sock fits, it will not be comfortable if the yarn has any degree of coarse guard
hairs, hard slubs, or excess twist to the point of wiriness. The comfort factor of the yarn also depends on
the combination of fiber selection, preparation, and
spinning technique.
Durability
Durability is the one factor that is of prime importance to some, a negligible factor for others, and
a mystery to many. Those who expect their handspun, handknit socks to be worn regularly and last
at least through several seasons either learn to darn,
learn to knit socks with heels, toes, and/or soles that
can be easily replaced, or learn to spin a durable yarn
1
3
2
with the comfort and appearance factors in appropriate proportions.
While fibers that have an inherent durability factor are usually either inelastic or coarse (or both),
careful selection and blending of these with fibers for
comfort can ensure a yarn suitable for the durable,
comfortable sock. Another option is spinning each
fiber separately into a fine singles and then plying
them together. If inelastic fibers are used by themselves (for instance, a cotton/Tencel blend or an alpaca/silk blend), choose to spin them into a fine very
high-twist singles, then ply into a balanced three- or
four-ply yarn. This will provide elasticity to the yarn
that contributes greatly to the overall comfort of the
sock.
To blend or to ply?
While the appearance of a blended fiber yarn is
different from that of a yarn of fibers spun separately,
then plied together, the difference is much less significant with finely spun yarn, especially when knitted
into socks and viewed from at least five feet away!
But the decision to either blend or ply needs to be
made. Of primary importance is the length of the selected fibers. When spinning a blend of short and
long fibers, great care must be taken to avoid having the short fibers left behind while the longer fibers are drafted with the short draw. An 8-inch staple
length of second clip mohair blended with a 4-inch
staple length of lamb’s wool can result in an uneven
mix of the two in the yarn. The different fiber diameters can also cause problems. However, a three-ply
yarn consisting of two of lamb’s wool and one of mo-
4
5
6
1) Angora/wool blend: spun by plying two strands of fine wool singles and introducing angora fiber into the plying triangle as it
is plied. 2) Estonian Island sheep wool carded and spun with a modified long draw for a 3-ply yarn. 3) Superwash Merino dyed
in the microwave.4) A variety of silks blended with dyed kid mohair (3-ply). 5) Alpaca blended with dyed mohair and silk noil
(2-ply). 6) Overdyed alpaca and silk (2-ply)
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
hair will be much more consistent. Blending silk with
fine wool provides a lovely, comfortable yarn that is
more durable than fine wool alone. There are many
very nice commercially prepared silk/wool blends
available. I have found the simplest way to blend my
own is to start with silk caps or hankies, stretch them
out, then cut the silk to the same length as the fiber
I’ll blend it with.
Since the durability factor signifies the potential
longevity of the sock, then the shrinkage potential
of the sock must also be considered. From what I’ve
witnessed when I sold yarn, superwash wools have
recently contributed to the resurgence in popularity of knitting socks. Many of us have experienced the
heartbreak of finding lovingly handspun, handknit
socks among machine-washed, tumble-dried laundry,
fulled to the point of total inelasticity so that even a
foot small enough to fit the shrunken sock can’t get
past the cuff. This isn’t an issue if you can have total control of the care of the socks. But, if spinning
and knitting them for others who might not be likely to provide the care they most certainly deserve (or
if your own “handwash only” pile starts collecting
dust), then fiber selection should include those fibers that can withstand the washing machine. While
superwash wool fibers and blends are available commercially, there are wool fibers that won’t felt. Many
of the down sheep breeds provide felting-resistant
wool that, carded and spun woolen, results in a soft,
cushy yarn that may full slightly but will not shrink.
Consider blending this wool with nylon, mohair, silk,
lyocell, Ecospun, or other fibers that contribute durability to the yarn.
When you consider that a woolen, low-twist yarn
is ideal for fulling, then the opposite holds true as
well. A non-superwash Merino fiber spun worsted
from a combed top preparation into a high-twist
yarn, then knitted tightly, will have a greater tolerance for machine washing. If you also blend wool
with silk, lyocell, or nylon, you’ll add greater durability and have even less likelihood of shrinking.
Preparation tips
To make a soft, lofty, warm woolen yarn, prepare
fibers by handcarding rolags or roll drumcarded batts
into rolags. If you carded a blend of fibers that aren’t
uniform in length, carefully predraft the rolags (or
batts) into a roving that retains a consistent proportion of the fibers used.
To make a strong, smooth, lustrous worsted yarn,
I prefer to first card the fibers together on my drumcarder to get a consistent blend. Then I pull the carded batt into lengthwise strips, lash the blend onto my
Louet Dutch comb that clamps to my table, and pull
my fibers into a top. If the blended fibers aren’t uni© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
form in length, combing or hackling is not an option since all of the longer fibers will be pulled out
first. In this case, I spin from the carefully predrafted
lengthwise strips of the drumcarded fibers.
Another benefit to preparing your own fibers for
sock yarns is that you can control the proportions
of blended fibers. For instance, you can use superwash Merino for the cuff and foot but prepare a blend
of this Merino with nylon, silk, mohair, or other durability-enhancing fiber for the heel and toe. Ideally,
you’ll use the heel yarn in a sock pattern that allows
for either an afterthought heel or any heel construction where this yarn will stay both behind and under the heel without being knitted over the top of the
foot.
Sampling and swatching
Spin sample yarns and then knit swatches using
the stitch pattern intended for the sock. Start by spinning at least 3 to 5 yards of yarn. Make several preparations (different proportions of blended fibers or
different fibers) and spin them, perhaps some as twoply, some as three- or four-ply. Remember to record
your preparation and spinning methods. Then knit
your samples in the round, using the size needles
and stitch pattern you would for the sock, separating each sample section by knitting a round of stockinette with a synthetic or nonshrinking cotton yarn.
Measure the swatch or mark off a 2-by-2-inch square
with waste yarn so that you can calculate the percentage of shrinkage. Wash your sampler tube as you
would the socks. Once it has dried, you’ll have an excellent indication of how your socks will look, feel,
and withstand your washing method. Their durability will become evident in time.
One way to test for durability is to prepare a sample skein and use that yarn to darn the worn areas of
your favorite handknit socks. While it may take some
time to get the results of this test, it is a good durability indicator in the long run.
So after all that, what makes the perfect sock yarn?
My favorite answer always starts with, “It depends. .
. .” This time, my answer is, “It depends on the purpose of the sock and your selection of fibers, processing, and spinning methods that result in your choice
of proportions of the factors of appearance, comfort,
and durability.” Sampling and record keeping will
soon reveal what factors provide your ideal socks. 
Merike Saarniit of Meadows of Dan, Virginia, teaches spinning,
weaving, knitting, and dyeing workshops across the country as
well as in Estonia. You’ll find her teaching schedule and other patterns she’s published on her website at www.liisu.com.
Spin Your Socks
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5
For her Spring Socks, Merike spun a 3-ply yarn for the toe and heel
made from 50% cotton, 25% tussah silk, 25% lyocell, then spun a 3-ply
yarn for the instep from 50% cotton, 50% gray fleece, and spun a 3-ply
yarn from 50% organic brown cotton and 50% wool for the cuff.
Three-ply yarn created with 1 strand of superwash Merino, 1 strand
of silk, and 1 strand of a mohair/ Coopworth blend. The cuff was embellished with French knots in cochineal-dyed silk.
Durability is the most important factor in these rubber-boot liners.
Lincoln and Lincoln-cross wool carded, then spun semiwoolen with a
low twist for a 2-ply yarn.
Dane’s Fancy Foot Socks made from Bluefaced Leicester, kid mohair,
Shetland wool, alpaca, and Merino all spun semiworsted for 2-ply
yarns.
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
Project Notes
Anklettos
Anklettos and
Wristlettos
Fiber: About 1.4 ounces Elemental
Fringe Benefits
Preparation: Combed top.
b y
Drafting method: Semiworsted.
L
Affects 100% bombyx silk.
Spindle: Woodchuck featherweight
spindle.
Plied twists per inch: 11–14.
Plied wraps per inch: 21.
Yards per pound: About 1,800.
Yarn classification: 2-ply finger-
ing weight.
Yardage used: About 160.
Needles: U.S. size 1 dpn.
Gauge: 9 sts and 11 rows in ribbing = 1".
Finished size: To fit around ankle.
Ribbing is about 8" in circumference
when slightly stretched.
Wristlettos
Fiber: About 0.7 ounces of Elemental Affects Bunny Balls (75% Rambouillet/25% angora) in teal.
Phr ea dde Dav is
ooking for the perfect project
for a small amount of special fiber? How about these little treats
to make you feel like a girly-girl?
Bring a special yarn such as luxurious silk or a wonderful angora/
Rambouillet mix into focus by allowing it to peek out from a sleeve
or pant leg. Anklettos draped on
top of plain socks give you extra
options. I spun the bombyx silk
top on a Woodchuck featherweight
spindle, wound it into a centerpull ball, and plied from both ends.
I didn’t try to be too even; I wanted a yarn with handspun character. I put in a lot of twist as the
yarn would be used in an abrasive
contact area. The anklettos can do
double duty as wristlettos if you
knit your ribbings long enough and
Preparation: Roving.
firmly enough. For the wristlettos,
I used Bunny Balls from Elemental Affects for sumptuous softness
and drape. These were spun on
an Ashford Joy wheel and plied to
make a sock-weight two-ply yarn.
I washed the yarn and fulled it for
maximum softness and bloom using a technique recommended by
Judith MacKenzie McCuin that I
learned in her class at SOAR (SpinOff Autumn Retreat) and that she
wrote about in the Fall 2007 issue
of Spin-Off.
Lace Anklettos
Wear these wonderfully feminine
frills on top of your socks to dress up
for any occasion.
Cast on 72 stitches loosely over larger needle or two needles held together;
join, being careful not to twist cast-on
Drafting method: Traditional
woolen.
Wheel: Ashford Joy.
Plied twists per inch: 10.
Plied wraps per inch: 18.
Yards per pound: About 2,600.
Yarn classification: 2-ply sock
weight.
Yardage used: About 115.
Needles: U.S. size 1 dpn. Gauge: 9
sts and 12 rows = 1".
Finished size: To fit around wrist,
about 6" in circumference.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Wristlettos are made with less than 200
yards of a 2-ply sock-weight yarn.
With just a tiny bit of spinning and knitting,
Phreadde can dress up her cuffs and ankles
for a bit of feminine flare.
Spin Your Socks
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7
row, and work in k4, p4 ribbing for 21⁄2".
Lace edging: Cast 11 sts onto the left
working needle. Knit back on the 11
sts, but, when you get to the eleventh
stitch, knit it together with the first
stitch of the ribbing, thus joining the
lace to the ribbing for the best elasticity. Every time you work back toward
the ribbing, your final stitch will knit
two together, joining one ribbing stitch
with the last lace stitch.
Lace pattern
Loop Edging from Barbara G. Walker’s A Second Treasury of Knitting
Patterns, (Pittsville, Wisconsin: Schoolhouse Press, 1998). Permission to reprint granted by Schoolhouse Press.
Row 1: K3, (yo, ssk, k1) twice, (yo)
twice, k1, (yo) twice, k1.
Row 2: (K2, p1) 4 times, k3. (On this
row, each double yo is treated as 2
sts, the first being knitted, the second
purled—the end of this row is where
you k2tog with ribbing.)
Row 3: K3, yo, ssk, k1, yo, ssk, k7.
Row 4: Bind off 4 sts, k3, p1, k2, p1, k3
(the end of this row is where you k2tog
with ribbing).
Repeat these four rows. Graft or sew
the last and first lace rows together.
Lace Wristlettos
Allow these to peek out from under your sweater or blouses, just to let
everyone know you are a woman. It is
just a little spinning and a little knitting, but the impact is huge.
Work as for anklettos, but use k3,
p3 ribbing on 54 stitches. The lace section remains the same. 
Phreadde Davis has been an instructor since the
mid-1970s and teaches workshops in many crafts,
including spinning, knitting, weaving, beadwork, silk
painting, polymer clay, and paper arts. She has exhibited and demonstrated in many venues, has
been juried into the New Mexico Watercolor
Society, was past president of the New Mexico
Polymer Clay Guild, and is a member of the Las
Arañas Weavers and Spinners Guild.
With a little more than an ounce of handspun yarn, these anklettos are a great way to
sample luxury fibers and lace.
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
Project Notes
Amy’s Sock
Fiber: First singles = 2 oz Bonkers Handmade Originals 50%
Merino/ 50% Tencel in dragonfly colorway. Second singles = 2 oz Louet
80% Merino/20% silk, blue and black
(blended together).
Preparation: The Louet 80/20 Merino/silk blue and black were blended
by dividing the top lengthwise into 1⁄2inch strips, then predrafting the strips
together. The Bonkers 50/50 Merino/
Tencel was divided lengthwise into 1⁄2inch strips and predrafted.
Drafting method: Semiworsted
(modified short draw by untwisting
the yarn at the point of contact).
Wheel: Lendrum Double Treadle
Socks at Any Size
and Any Gauge
D e s i g n b y A n n B u dd , y a r n b y A m y
C l a r k e M o o r e a n d A m a n da B e r k a
M
ost handknitted socks follow a simple formula based on foot circumference
and gauge in stitches per inch. The number of stitches necessary to obtain the
desired foot circumference becomes the foundation for all other stitch counts in the
knitting directions. Once you understand these relationships, you can knit perfect
fitting socks at any size and with any yarn—just fill in the blanks in the sidebar on
page 11.
Project Notes
Amanda’s Sock
Fiber: Blue Moon Fiber Arts 100%
Superwash Merino Sheep 2 Shoe kit
(8.5 oz) in henpecked colorway.
(but one bobbin was spun on my
Louet S10).
Preparation: Roving stripped into
Ratio (singles/plying): 10:1.
Drafting method: Worsted
Singles twists per inch: Bonkers
three equal lengths.
(short-forward draw).
8; Louet 8.
Wheel: Majacraft Little Gem.
Singles wraps per inch: Bonkers
Ratio (singles/plying): 12.75:1.
32; Louet 34.
Singles twists per inch: 8.
Plied twists per inch: 7.
Singles wraps per inch: 40.
Plied wraps per inch: 20.
Plied twists per inch: 8.
Total yardage: 288.
Plied wraps per inch: 17.
Yards per pound: 1,150.
Total yardage: 388.
Yarn classification: Balanced 2-ply
Yards per pound: 775.
Yardage used: 234 (31⁄2 oz).
3-ply sportweight.
Needles: U.S. size 2 (2.75 mm).
Yardage used: 248 (51⁄8 oz).
Gauge: 8 sts/inch.
Needles: U.S. size 2 (2.75 mm).
Finished size: Foot circumfer-
Gauge: 6 sts/inch.
fingering weight.
ence 8"; total leg length 7"; total foot
length 9".
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Begin by knitting a gauge swatch,
adjusting the needle size as necessary until you find the fabric density
that you like. Socks knitted too loosely won’t wear well so aim for a fairly dense gauge. Because most knitters
get slightly different gauges when they
work back and forth in rows than when
they work circularly in rounds, be sure
to knit your swatch in rounds. Measure the number of stitches—including
partial stitches—in an inch of knitting.
For the most accurate results, take several measurements, each time measuring the number of stitches over 2" of
knitting and dividing by 2.
You’ll also need to measure your
foot in three places: the circumference
of your foot snugly at the widest part,
(figure 1) usually at the ball of the foot,
Yarn classification: Overplied
Figure 1
Finished size: Foot circumference 8"; total leg length 8"; total foot
length 9".
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9
Amy Clarke Moore and Amanda Berka spun two very different yarns to
showcase Ann Budd’s sock pattern.
the length of your leg from the floor to
the desired top of the sock leg (figure
3), and the length of your foot from the
back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe (figure 2).
Next, multiply your foot circumference by your stitch gauge and round
to the nearest number divisible by 4.
This is the “magic number”—it’s the
number of stitches to cast on and the
number used to derive all other stitch
counts during the knitting. Here’s how
it works: The leg is worked on 100 per-
cent of the magic number; the heel is
worked on 50 percent; the heel flap is
worked for the number of rows that
equals 50 percent; the first short-row
turn of the heel is worked after 25 percent plus 2 stitches; the number of
gusset stitches to pick up equals 25
percent; the gussets are decreased until
100 percent remains; the foot is worked
on 100 percent; the toe is decreased
gradually to 50 percent, and then rapidly to about 15 percent.
The magic number for Amy’s socks
is 64 (8 stitches/inch × 8 inches = 64
stitches). The magic number for Amanda’s socks is 48. Because 64 and 48 are
divisible by 4, there was no need to adjust these numbers. To give the socks a
snug fit, a ribbed pattern was worked
along the leg and top of the instep. The
detailed instructions are below.
Notions: Markers (m); tapestry needle.
Note: Directions are given for basic percentages (Amy’s sock, Amanda’s sock). For Amy’s sock, all slipped
stitches are slipped purlwise with yarn
100%
Figure 3
50% 50%
Figure 2
100%
15%
10
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50%
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
behind needle. Heel stitches were
slipped knitwise in Amanda’s sock, for
a denser fabric.
Cuff
CO 100% (64, 48) sts. Join for working
in the rnd, being careful not to twist
sts. *K3, p1; rep from *. Rep this rnd
until piece measures 1" from CO.
Leg
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; rep from *.
Rnd 2: *K3, p1; rep from *.
Rep rnds 1 and 2 until piece measures
about 21⁄2" less than total desired length
to bottom of foot.
Heel flap
K 25% (16, 12), turn work around, sl
1, p 50%—1 (31, 23)—50% (32, 24)
heel sts on one needle; rem 50% (32,
24) sts will be worked later for instep.
Work heel sts back and forth in rows
as foll:
Row 1: (RS) *Sl 1, k1; rep from *
Row 2: Sl 1, purl to end.
Rep rows 1 and 2 until a total of 50%
(32, 24) rows have been worked—there
will be 25% (16, 12) chain sts at each
selvedge edge.
Turn heel
Basic Sock Calculations
Foot circumference _____"; leg length _____"; foot length _____".
Cast on (100%) _____ stitches (foot circumference x stitch gauge).
Work leg to about 21⁄2" less than desired total length: _____".
Work heel on (50%) _____ stitches.
Work heel flap for (50%) _____ rows.
Work (25% + 2 stitches) _____ stitches before making the first short-row turn.
Pick up (25%) _____ stitches for each gusset.
Decrease gussets until (100%) _____ stitches remain.
Work foot to about 2" less than desired total length: _____".
Decrease toe every other round until (50%) _____ stitches remain.
Decrease toe every round until (15%) _____ stitches remain.
Use Kitchener stitch to graft remaining stitches.
Louet 80% Merino/20% silk black and
princess blue colorways.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Bonkers Handmade Originals 50% Merino/
50% Tencel in dragonfly colorway.
Work short-rows as foll:
Row 1: (RS) Knit across 25% + 2 (18,
14) sts, ssk, k1, turn work around.
Row 2: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work
around.
Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before gap
made on previous row, ssk (joining 1
st on each side of gap), k1, turn work
around.
Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before gap
made on previous row, p2tog (1 st
from each side of gap), p1, turn work
around.
Rep rows 3 and 4 until all heel sts
have been worked (depending on the
number of sts that began the heel, there
may not be enough sts left to work the
final k1 and p1 on the last rep)—(18,
14) sts rem.
Shape gussets
Pick up sts along selvedge edges of heel
flap and rejoin for working in rnds as
foll:
Rnd 1: (RS) With needle 1, k(18, 14)
heel sts, then pick up 25% (16, 12) sts
through the back loops along edge of
heel flap (pick up 1 st in each chain
selvedge st), M1 at gap between heel
flap and instep; with needle 2, work
50% (32, 24) instep sts in patt as established; with needle 3, M1 at gap between instep and heel flap, then pick
up 25% (16, 12) sts through the back
loops along other edge of heel flap,
then knit the first (9, 7) heel sts from
needle 1 again—(84, 64) sts total; (26,
Blue Moon Fiber Arts 100% Superwash
Merino Sheep 2 Shoe kit in henpecked
colorway.
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11
20) heel and gusset sts on needle 1,
50% (32, 24) instep sts on needle 2,
(26, 20) heel and gusset sts on needle 3.
Rnd 2: Needle 1: knit to last 2 sts,
k2tog; Needle 2: k3, pm, work next
(25, 17) sts in patt as established, pm,
k4; Needle 3: ssk, knit to end—2 sts
decreased.
Rnd 3: Needle 1: knit; needle 2: k3,
work (25, 17) sts in patt as established,
k4; needle 3: knit. Rep rnds 2 and 3
until 100% (64, 48) sts rem—25% (16,
12) sts on needle 1, 50% (32, 24) sts on
needle 2, 25% (16, 12) sts on needle 3.
Foot
Amy’s sock and yarn.
Cont even in patt as established until
piece measures (7", 7") from back of
heel or about 2" less than desired total
length.
Toe
Amanda’s sock was spun from an overplied 3-ply yarn shown here with her reference card of
singles as well as balanced 2-ply and balanced 3-ply samples.
Rnd 1: Needle 1: knit to last 3 sts,
k2tog, k1; needle 2: k1, ssk, knit to last
3 sts, k2tog, k1; needle 3: k1, ssk, knit
to end—4 sts decreased.
Rnd 2: Knit. Rep rnds 1 and 2 (dec every other rnd) until 50% (32, 24) sts
rem, then rep rnd 1 (dec every rnd) until about 15% (8, 8) sts rem.
Note: 15% must be rounded to the
nearest number divisible by 4. Knit the
sts from needle 1 onto needle 3—4 sts
each on 2 needles.
Finishing
Break yarn, leaving an 8" tail. Thread
tail on a tapestry needle and use Kitchener st to graft rem sts tog. Weave in
loose ends. Block lightly. 
Amanda plied her singles using a tensioned lazy kate. By separating each singles with the forward hand, it is easy to maintain consistent and equal tension while plying.
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spinoffmagazine.com
Ann Budd is the former senior editor of Interweave Knits and author of the Knitter’s Handy
Book series. She learned to knit in 1969 but waited about twenty years to knit her first pair of
socks. Socks are her most favorite knitting project, and she boasts that she hasn’t worn commercial socks in three years. Ann’s newest book,
Getting Started Knitting Socks is now available. Ann
is also coauthor of Wrap Style, Lace Style, and
Bag Style. Ann lives in Boulder, Colorado, with
her husband and three sons, who have learned
to preface any request with “When you get to
the end of that row. . . .”
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
Carded Color
Socks
By Amy Cl a rk e Moo re
The color striping matched up in the plies—
so the yarn transitioned nicely, from green to
purple to blue.
Project Notes
Fiber: 7 ⁄2 ounces of wool and mo1
hair.
Preparation: Carded rolags in this
color sequence: gray, blue, pink, lime,
brown, green, purple, brown, green,
blue, pink, lime, and brown. Predrafted.
Drafting method: Semiworsted
(modified short draw by untwisting
the yarn at the point of contact).
Spindle: 1⁄4-ounce square Steve
Paulsen spindle, 101⁄2 inches long.
Singles wraps per inch: 36.
Plied twists per inch: 11in the
3-ply yarn.
Plied wraps per inch: 14.
Total yardage: 480.
Yards per pound: 1,025.
I
bought a selection of carded color rolags at SOAR 2006 (Spin-Off
Autumn Retreat) from Diane Cutler. Diane blends 50% mohair with
50% Cormo/Lincoln on a drumcarder, dyes the blended fiber, then
runs the colored blend through the
drumcarder again in color stripes.
She rolls a tight rolag off the drumcarder to create striped yarns.
Spinning
I predrafted the rolags by gently
elongating the rolag starting from each
end. I made sure to spin from the same
end of each rolag and spun three singles with a Z-twist (clockwise) on my
square Steve Paulsen spindle. I plied the
three balls together S-twist (counterclockwise) on my spindle and wound
off the skein on my niddy-noddy, tied
it off, and then washed it in warm water with a splash of Fiberworks Fiber
Wash. I rinsed the skein, squeezed out
the excess water with a towel, and laid
it on a towel to dry.
The amazing thing about working
from these rolags is that the color transitions matched up in the three-ply
yarn so that the colors remained pure.
Ribbing
Cast on 44 sts divided evenly over 4
U.S. size 3 dpns; join, being careful not
to twist cast-on row. Work in k2, p2
ribbing for 13⁄4". Change to U.S. size 2
needles and St st, increasing 2 sts evenly spaced on the next round. Continue
in St st for 2" (18 rounds).
Heel
Divide sts into heel (24 sts) and foot
(22 sts) and work heel flap back and
forth on two needles in St st until it
measures 2" (18 rows). Slip the first st
of each row purlwise with yarn behind.
Now start short-row shaping on a purl
side. Purl across 17 sts, p2tog, turn,
knit across 11 sts, k2tog, turn. *Next
row, purl across 11 sts, p2tog, turn.
Next row, knit across 11 sts, k2tog,
turn.* Repeat from * to * until 12 sts
Yarn classification: Sportweight.
Yardage used: 200.
Needles: Set of 5 U.S. size 3
(3.25 mm) double-pointed needles;
U.S. size 2 (2.5 mm) double-pointed needles.
Gauge: 13 sts and 18 rows = 2
inches.
Finished size: Foot circumference
8"; total leg length 33⁄4"; total foot
length 9".
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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13
Each time she sits down to spin, Amy learns valuable lessons. This time it was that the color
striping should have matched up in the socks if she had had the sense to spin all the yarn at
the same time instead of waiting months between socks.
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14
remain. Pick up 9 sts along each side
of heel flap and continue to knit in the
round (52 sts).
Gusset
On the foot, I used more stitches for
the foot than the leg to accommodate
my short feet. You may want a more
traditionally shaped sock; if so, make a
gusset by decreasing just before (k2tog)
and after (ssk) the instep sts on alternate rounds until 44 sts remain.
Toe
Work in St st until you reach a point
that is 2" from tip of longest toe and
then begin decreases for the toe. Place
markers on each side of the foot (by the
big toe and the littlest toe) and on every other round, k2tog on either side of
the markers until 14 sts remain. Place
the sts evenly on two needles and graft
together with Kitchener stitch. Sew in
the ends. Repeat for second sock.
rinse in warm water, and lay flat to dry
on a towel. 
Amy Clarke Moore is the editor of Spin . Off
magazine.
Finishing
Above, top: Amy spun a 3-ply yarn that
measures 14 wraps per inch from Diane
Cutler’s carded color rolags.
Above, bottom: Draft out the rolag to see
the color progression.
Wash both socks in warm water
with a splash of wool-safe detergent,
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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15
Dyeing for Socks
Creating space-dyed mock Fair Isle designs
B y P a u l a E g be r t
Project Notes
Yarn: Dorset wool makes excellent sock yarn—it is
durable and has a nice elasticity. For a pair of socks,
spin 250–300 yards of a 2- or 3-ply yarn that measures 14–16 wraps per inch.
Dyes: I use Jacquard Acid Dyes for dyeing on silk,
wool, nylon, and other protein fibers. They come in
powder form, so take all the safety precautions provided with the dyes as you mix your solutions. Dyes
are available from many sources, but my favorites are:
Weaving Works, 4717 Brooklyn Ave. NE, Seattle, WA
98105. (206) 524-0250; http://weavingworks.com.
Dharma Trading Co. (800) 542-5227; http://dharma
trading.com.
Materials: Foam paintbrushes, 1" wide (they are inexpensive and easy to rinse out and reuse). Plastic
wrap. Gloves.
Tools used: Warping board with adjustable pegs.
(I made my own warping board from a 1 x 8" pine
board from which I cut 2 pieces, each 61⁄2" long.
About 5⁄8" from one end of each board, I drilled three
1
⁄2" deep holes—about 1" in from the sides and 21⁄2"
apart. I put glue in each hole and inserted a piece of
dowel 4" long. It is important to match your drill bit
to the dowel size—I used 3⁄8" for mine.
I made the warping board adjustable so that the
yarn would fit back on after dyeing. The easiest way
to make the board adjustable is to clamp these two
boards to the edge of a table. In the beginning, set
them so that the pegs are 15" apart. After you’ve
dyed the wool, move the pegs as close as they need
to be and then reclamp the boards to the table.)
Finishing the yarn: Many people wash their socks
and dry them on sock shapers, but I prefer to steampress mine. I place them on the ironing board, put a
very damp kitchen towel on top, and use a hot iron
to steam the socks through the towel. They look
nicely pressed and ready for gift giving.
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spinoffmagazine.com
A
fter keeping sheep for several years, I was
bitten by the spinning bug, and the bite rekindled my love of knitting. Driven by the need
for instant gratification, I now make lots of
socks, both by hand and on an antique sockknitting machine.
While I love the look that the self-striping commercial yarns give handmade socks, I’m a do-it-myself sort of person, and I wanted to figure out how to
create the self-striped look with hand-dyed yarns. I
read everything ever published about the ikat dyeing
technique in which one stretches out the yarns on a
warping board or other tensioning device, ties and
binds the yarn securely, removes it from the warping
board, and then applies dyes to selected areas.
Spinning
For this project, I spun a two-ply yarn using a
short-draw drafting technique from a Dorset wool
roving on my Schacht wheel; it measured 14 to 16
wraps per inch. I know that I typically need 250 to
300 yards to make a pair of socks and that, on my
wheel, if I fill two bobbins with two-ply yarn, I’ll
have enough.
Setting up the warping board
In order to get the striping to repeat in one ball of
yarn, I could either lay out all 300 yards of the yarn
on a football field and dye each 30-inch section individually, or I could use a warping board to organize
the yarn into three sections before I dyed it. I decided
to go with the three-sections method. The first section would be the main color and the second would
be the neutral that makes up two rows between the
main color and the mock Fair Isle design. On the
third section, I would handpaint small bands of color to mimic individual stitches once knitted (mock
Fair Isle).
Set up your warping board with three sets of two
pegs 15 inches apart—each set should be about 21⁄2
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
After seeing commercial
self-striping yarns,
Paula—a do-it-yourself
kind of spinner—decided
that she could create her
own self-striping yarns.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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17
Paula created an adjustable warping board to wind off a 300yard skein into three sections that could be dyed separately
without cutting the yarn.
inches away from the neighboring set. Wrapping the
yarn to create the dyeing sections is a very meditative
experience—you must give your counting full attention, or you will be forever starting over. For my typical sock, I need 30 inches of yarn to make one row. I
set the pegs on my warping board 15 inches apart so
that wrapping it back and forth will give me 30 inches. After a bit of sampling, I have discovered that a
nice pattern is *9 rows of main color, 2 rows of neutral, 5 rows of mock Fair Isle, 2 rows of neutral, and
then a repeat from *. For my first section of dyeing,
I wrap the yarn 18 times around the first set of pegs.
In my socks, these 18 rows are the ribbing; I dye it
in a solid dark color so that when the color changes I know to switch to stockinette stitch. After wrapping those 18 rows, I guide the yarn to the second
set of pegs and make 2 rows, then go to the third set
and wrap 5 rows, then go back to the second set and
wrap 2 rows. Then I go back to the first pegs to wrap
9 rows. I repeat these wraps until I’m out of yarn. If
you are using one skein of yarn for both socks, you’ll
want the yarn to end with 18 wraps of the main color. When you make a center-pull ball, one sock will
start at the end of the ball, and the second will start
from the middle of the ball.
Dyeing
Dyeing Safely
Follow the safety precautions on labels for handling
dye powder and dye solutions. Always wear a dust
mask and gloves to handle dye powder and work
in a well-ventilated area. Protect your skin and eyes
from dye solutions. Never use dye equipment for
food preparation.
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Tying the skeins is one of the most important parts
of this technique. Save yourself frustration later on
by putting in plenty of ties before you remove the
yarn from the pegs. Tag each section so you’ll know
which is which when you’re dyeing. Number the sections: 1 for the first section, 2 for the middle, and 3
for the last. I call the little strips of yarn between the
pegs the necks. Secure the necks by tightly wrapping
about 1 inch of acrylic yarn around each. The acrylics help prevent one section from bleeding into the
next. Notice I have never said “cut the yarn”—that is
because you want to keep the yarn as one continuous
strand arranged for dyeing.
Now comes the fun part—dyeing! This is your
chance to be creative. Daring. These are socks after
all, they’re meant to be wild!
Remove the skeins from the pegs, wet them out
in warm water until they are soaked all the way
through, and then squeeze out a good amount of the
water. Find the middle section, the one tagged number 2, and wrap it securely with plastic wrap. You
don’t want any dye on this little bundle.
Separate out section 1 and paint it with the main
color. I use disposable foam paintbrushes. Make sure
you dab the dye onto the yarn on the inside and bottom of the skein as well. Resist the urge to pour dye
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
onto the skein—you’ll end up with a drippy mess
that runs everywhere. Wrap this section securely
with plastic wrap and set aside.
Finally it is time for section 3, where you paint
your color design! Use your paintbrush to dab small
stripes across the skein. If you leave very little white
between the colors, you’ll end up with a variegated
yarn. If you leave an inch or more between stripes,
you’ll have what looks like individual stitches. I like
both effects. I have used as many as six colors or as
few as three. I make sure to dye at least one stripe of
the main color in this bundle. That way, if the main
color happens to bleed into this section, it will look
like I meant it to happen. Wrap this bundle with
plastic wrap, too, making sure that one side of the
skein doesn’t touch the other side or the colors will
run into each other.
I use acid dyes for consistent, repeatable results,
and they’re easy to heat set. Both steaming and microwaving work with this technique. For microwaving, I use a microwave dedicated for dyeing (and
never use it for food), and I set the bundles in a glass
pan, being careful to put the white bundle on top of
the other two to help prevent bleeding. I micro¬wave
the bundle for 5 to 7 minutes until the plastic wrap
poofs up and the bottom center of the pan is hot.
You’ll know you’ve given the dye enough time if the
water that drips off the bundle is clear. Let the yarn
cool before handling, remove the plastic wrap, rinse
well, and either roll the yarn in a towel to remove excess water or give it a spin in the spin cycle of the
After poring over ikat dyeing books, Paula devised this
technique for making her own self-striping handspun yarns.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
washer. After rinsing, I lay my yarn on a screen to dry
overnight.
Putting the skeins back on the warping board can
be a little challenging. The dyed skeins have shrunk
a little and they’re twisted every which way. It takes
a little patience to get them untwisted. Make your
warping board a few inches smaller (if it is adjustable
that way) and twist or untwist the skeins so they lie
out right. Cut all the ties and start winding the three
sections back into one big skein. You’ll be amazed!
You have produced beautifully dyed yarn just waiting
to be knitted into gorgeous socks!
In my experimentations, I have made lots of mistakes with this technique, but they all made beautiful socks. Your feet will be the talk of the town. And
the possibilities are endless. Besides socks I’ve dyed
yarn for hats, and my next project will be sleeves for
a sweater. 
Paula Egber t and her family raise Dorset and Targhee sheep
on their small farm in Kent, Washington. She graduated from
the University of Washington in 2008 with a BFA in Fiber.
R esources
The wool dyed for this project can be used with any sock or hat
pattern. For a basic sock pattern, try the classic one from Nancy Bush’s book, Folk Socks (Loveland, Colorado: Interweave,1994).
Knit the ribbing until you reach the first color change, then switch
to stockinette for another 5 inches, then follow the pattern as described for the heel, foot, and toe.
Paula likes Dorset roving for making a durable, yet springy
handspun sock yarn.
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19
P r o j e c t
The Fractal Stripe Sock
Mathematical Symmetry in an Organic Form
B y Jan el Lai dma n
Opposite page:
1. Extra-fine Merino roving dyed in
palindrome sequence and used in the sock.
2. Splitting off the finger-width strip.
3. The roving split into finger-width strips.
4. Fractal singles on the bobbins.
Project Notes
Finished size: Women’s medium;
sock foot measures 81⁄2" around.
Fiber: 4 ounces of extra-fine
Merino roving dyed in a palindrome
sequence.
Yarn: 2-ply, 16–17 wraps per inch.
Gauge: 7 1⁄2 sts and 12 rows in
stockinette = 1".
Needles: Two circular needles, U.S.
size 2. One spare dpn for picking up
sts.
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T
he fractal stripe is a fun method for making your painted
roving sizzle. To create the fractal
stripe, first divide your roving into
two halves and spin the first half as
is. Take the second half and split it
into thinner strips. I like to use finger-width strips to get a nice size
difference between the two halves.
Spin the split roving half and then
ply the two halves together. You
will get large color repeats split into
smaller stripes.
These socks are spun from extra-fine
Merino that was space dyed in a palindrome sequence. The fiber makes a
super soft and cushiony sock; however, it must be handwashed and is not
as durable as other wools or blends because it is a fine wool. I spun the yarn
semiwoolen using a modified longdraw on my Schacht Matchless wheel
with a 13:1 ratio and then plied to
make a two-ply yarn that measures 16
to 17 wraps per inch. After spinning, I
skeined the yarn, washed it with a mild
detergent, and hung it to dry.
CO 60 sts. Distribute the sts evenly over two circular needles (the sts on
needle 1 are for the instep; the sts on
needle 2 are for the heel). Join, being
careful not to twist cast-on row; mark
beginning of Rnd.
Rnds 1–10: *K1, p1; repeat from *
around.
Rnds 11–44: Work modified basket
weave following Chart 1.
k on RS; p on WS
p on RS; k on WS
Rounds 7-8
Rounds 5-6
Rounds 3-4
Rounds 1-2
Chart 1
Rounds 7-8
Rounds
Rows 7-85-6
3-4
Rows 1–20: Work back andRounds
forth over
Rows
5-6
the 30 sts for the heel following
Chart
Rounds
Rows 3-41-2
Heel flap
2 until heel flap measures the proper
depth for your foot (about Rows
21⁄4"). 1-2
Rows 7-8
Rows 5-6
Rows 3-4
Rows 1-2
Chart 2
Turn heel
Row 1: Sl 1, k19, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl 1, knit to 1 st before the gap
made by turning, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, purl to 1 st before the gap
made by turning, p2tog, p1, turn.
Rows 5–12: Repeat rows 3 and 4, ending on WS; 20 sts remain on needle.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Starting with a space-dyed roving, Janel split
it lengthwise into continually smaller pieces
of roving to create fractal stripes in the
colorwork of her socks.
1
3
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
2
4
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21
Gusset
Break yarn.
Rnd 1: With spare needle, pick up and
knit 14 stitches on right side of heel
flap and transfer to right side of heel
needle. Knit across heel needle. Using left side of heel needle, pick up and
knit 14 sts on left side of heel flap. Knit
across instep needle.
Rnd 2: Instep needle: Knit. Heel needle: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts on needle;
k2 tog, k1.
Rnd 3: Knit entire rnd.
Repeat rnds 2 and 3 until 30 sts remain on each needle.
Foot
Rnds 1–26+: Knit until foot section is
the correct length for your foot. End
when foot section reaches base of big
toe.
Toe
Rnd 1: Knit.
Rnd 2: Instep needle: K1, ssk, k to last 3
stitches; k2tog, k1. Repeat for heel needle.
Rnds 3–20: Repeat rnds 1 and 2. End
with 5 stitches per needle.
Graft toe closed. 
Janel Laidman is the author of The Eclectic Sole;
Socks for Adventurous Knitters and The Painted Skein: A Colorwork Notebook for Spinners and
Knitters. She has been spinning for the last seventeen years and has participated in various fiber arts for most of her life. Janel has previously
taught at SOAR, Madrona Fiber Arts Festival, The
Northeast Handspinners Gathering, and the Oregon Flock and Fiber festival, among others. Janel is also the owner and editor of Spindlicity, an
online magazine about handspinning.
R esources
Bordhi, Cat. Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles:
A Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and
Patterns. Friday Harbor, Washington: Passing
Paws Press, 2001.
Above, left: The finished yarn and the roving.
Left: In the finished yarn wound into a ball,
you can see the large color changes.
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
Journeyman
Socks
By Kri st i Sch ue ler
Project Notes
Finished size: 8 1⁄4" foot circumference, 9 1⁄2" foot length, to fit men’s
U.S. shoe size 8 or women’s U.S.
shoe size 10.
Fiber: 7 oz Blue Moon Fiber Arts,
60/40 Merino/bamboo, Atomic 6.
Preparation: 1⁄3 predrafted, 1⁄3 split
in half lengthwise and predrafted, 1⁄3
split in thirds lengthwise and predrafted.
Drafting method: Worsted shortforward draw.
Wheel: Majacraft Suzie Pro.
Wheel system: Double drive.
Ratio (singles/plying): 15:1
(both).
Singles direction spun: Z.
Singles twists per inch: 18.
Singles wraps per inch: 45.
Plied direction spun: S.
Plied twists per inch: 7.
Plied wraps per inch: 27.
Yarn classification: 3-ply, fingering weight.
Total yardage: 1,015.
Yards per pound: 2,500.
Yardage used: 684.
Needles: U.S. size 0 (2.00 mm),
two 16" circular needles.
Notions: Markers (m); tapestry
needle; cable needle if desired for
cabling.
Gauge: 10 stitches = 1" in stockinette stitch worked in rounds.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
S
oft color undulations, syncopated ribs, and a sprinkling of fun
twisted stitches make great socks
you’ll love to knit, and he’ll love to
wear. This pattern was named for
its manly appeal and the prevalence
of traveling stitches used to create a
cabled look without bulk.
Spinning
To begin, I split the 7-ounce length
of Blue Moon Fiber Arts’ Merino/bamboo roving into manageable pieces before spinning. I was aiming for subtle
color variation and durable yarn appropriate for men’s socks. I made a threeply yarn with color changes at different
rates for each ply to ensure less defined
color patterning in the final sock.
I began by splitting the roving into
three roughly equal lengths, one for
each ply of the final yarn. Inspired by
Janel Laidman’s article on fractal striping in the Summer 2007 issue of SpinOff, I further split the roving for two of
the three bobbins of singles to break up
the striping. Because of the three plies
I was planning and the analogous colors of the fiber, I knew I would arrive
at the subtle striping perfect for those
males who eschew too much pattern or
color variation. For the first bobbin of
singles, I left the roving as is and simply predrafted. For the second bobbin,
I split the roving lengthwise into two
roughly equal parts before predrafting
and spinning. For the third bobbin, I
split the roving lengthwise into thirds.
All singles were spun Z-twist with a
worsted short-forward draw at a 15:1
ratio on my Maja-craft Suzie Pro spinning wheel. To help keep my singles
consistent across several spinning sessions and the three bobbins, I used a
reference card with singles and loops
of two- and three-strand plyback test
lengths so I could periodically check
my singles and make any necessary adjustments. I plied the three singles together from bobbins on a tensioned
lazy kate. The plied yarn was finished
with a warm bath in wool wash, rolled
in a towel, and pressed gently to remove excess water. To dry, I laid the
skein out horizontally on a sweaterdrying rack. The finished yarn weighed
6.5 ounces with 1,015 total yards at 27
wraps per inch (fingering weight) and
had wonderful elasticity and sheen.
Knitting
To take advantage of the dimensionality and sheen of the yarn, these
socks use a combination of syncopated ribs and traveling stitches to create
mock cables. A modified heel stitch
on the heel flap continues the lines of
the syncopated ribs without sacrificing
durability.
Note: All slipped stitches are slipped
purlwise with the yarn held to the
wrong side of the fabric.
Cuff
Using the long-tail cast-on, cast on
84 sts. Distribute sts evenly across two
circular needles. Being careful not to
twist the stitches, join and knit syncopated twisted rib.
Syncopated Twisted Rib
Rnd 1: *(K1tbl, p1) 3 times, p1; rep
from * to end of rnd.
Repeat rnd 1 for 11⁄2".
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Kristi spun 7 ounces of Merino/bamboo roving into a 3-ply yarn using a worsted short-forward draw technique. The yarn measures 27 wraps
per inch and 2,500 yards per pound.
Leg
Heel flap
Slip the start of the rnd 2 stitches to
the right by slipping the first 2 stitches
of each needle to the end of the preceding needle.
Work in the 14-stitch mock cable
pattern (= 6 pattern repeats around)
until you have completed 2 repeats of
the 14-row mock cable pattern down
the leg of the sock (see chart). Now
work the mock cable pattern only on
the sts of needle 1 (front of leg) and
the syncopated rib over sts of needle 2
(back of leg), maintaining the regular
and twisted sts of the mock cable pattern on needle 2 until total length measures 8". Finish at the end of needle 2
(*k1tbl, p1, k1, p2, k1, p1; rep from *
to end of needle).
Slip the last purl st of needle 2 to
needle 1 (43 sts on Needle 1; 41 sts
on needle 2).
Knit the heel flap back and forth on
needle 2 only.
Row 1 (WS): Sl1, p to end of needle.
Row 2: *Sl1, k1, sl1, k2, sl1, k1; rep
from * to last 6 sts, end with sl1, k1,
sl1, k3.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 twenty-four
more times for a total of 25 chain sts on
each side of heel flap. Work row 1 once
more.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Turn heel
Row 1 (RS): Sl1, k25, ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2 (WS): Sl1, p12, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl1, k to gap, ssk across gap, k1,
turn.
Row 4: Sl1, p to gap, p2tog across gap,
p1, turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all heel
flap stitches have been worked, leaving
27 heel stitches.
Gusset
Knit across all 27 heel sts, and then,
continuing with needle 2, pick up and
knit into the 25 chain sts along the heel
flap, picking up and knitting an extra st
at the end to avoid holes, for a total of
26 sts along side of heel flap.
Continue mock cable pattern across
needle 1.
With needle 2 again, pick up and
knit 26 sts along the other side of the
heel flap for a total of 122 sts around.
Continue across needle 2. Slip 19 sts
from each end of needle 2 to needle
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25
1, placing markers on each side of the
original instep stitches (19 sts, m, 43
instep sts, m, 19 sts). Slip sts as necessary to access working yarn without
further swapping sts to other needles.
Slip first marker, ssk, continue mock
cable pattern as established to 2 sts before second marker, k2tog, slip second
marker, and k to end of rnd.
Rnd 1: K to marker, continue mock cable as established between markers; k
to end of rnd.
Rnd 2: K to marker, sm (= slip marker),
ssk, continue mock cable as established
to 2 sts before marker, k2tog, sm, k to
end of rnd.
Repeat rnds 1 and 2 until only 3 sts
remain between markers at the end of
rnd 1.
Rnd 3: K to marker, remove marker, sl2tog as if to knit, k1, pass slipped
stitches together over, remove marker,
k to end of rnd (39 sts on needle 1, 41
sts on needle 2).
13
11
9
7
5
3
1
• 13
• 11• •9 B •7 •5 • 3 • B1
•• 13 •• 11•• ••9 BB ••7 ••5 •• 3 •• BB1 13
•• 13 •• 11•• ••9 BB ••7 ••5 •• 3 •• BB1 13
13
•• • • • • •• BB •• •• •• •• BB 11
•• •• • • •• •• BB •• •• •• •• BB 11
9
11
• •• • • •• • BB • •• •• •• BB 13
•• •
• •• BB •• •• •• •• BB 119
•• •• • • •• •• B •• • • • B 79
•• 13• • 11• • ••9 BB ••7 ••5 •• 3 •• BB1
•• • •• •• • •• BB •• •• •• •• BB 7975
•• •• •• •• BB •• • •• •• • •• BB 13
•• •• •• •• BB •• • •• •• • •• BB 7535
•• • •• •• • •• BB •• •• •• •• •• •• BB 11
3
•• • ••yarn
• • •• •• BB sock.
•• • •• BB •• this
5
1
3
Kristi spun a durable and subtly striped Merino/bamboo
B • •• •distinctive
B
•• • •• •• • to•• knit
B • • • • •• •• B 9
B
B
•• •• •• •• B •• • • • • •• B 311
•• •• •• •• BB •• • • • • •• BB 7
B
B••
B Knit
•• Knit
•• ••tbl:
•• stitch
• • through
•• BB 1back
13 11
9
7
5
3
1
B
loop.
• • • • •
• B 5
B
B•
• • • B • •
• • B
• • • • B • • • • B
B • •
B
• • Purl:
• •Purl
stitch. • • B 3
• • • • B • • • • B 13
B•
B • •
•
•
•
•
•
•
B
B
•
• • • • •
• • • • B •
• B 1
• •
• • B • • • • B 11
•
Left twist: Sl1, ktbl of 2nd st, k 1st
• •
• •
• •
• •
•
•
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
•
•
•
•
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•
• •
• •
• •
•
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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• •
• •
•
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
9
7
5
3
1
st, slide both off needle.
B
•
Right twist: Skip the first st, k into
2nd st, then k skipped st. Slip both
sts from needle together OR k2tog
leaving sts on LH needle, then k first
st again and slip both sts off needle.
Instep
Knit all stitches until total foot
length measures 73⁄4".
Toe
Rnd 1: Knit all stitches on needle 1.
Needle 2: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog,
k1.
Rnds 2 and 4: Knit.
Rnd 3, on each needle: K1, ssk, k to last
3 sts of needle, k2tog, k1.
Needles 1 and 2 should each have
37 sts (74 sts total). Repeat rnds 3 and
4 until 38 total sts remain, then repeat
rnd 3 only until 14 sts remain.
Finishing
Using the Kitchener stitch, graft the
two sets of stitches together. Weave
in ends; gently handwash socks and
block. 
Kristi Schueler is a freelance artist and designer living in the foothills of the Colorado Rocky
Mountains with her husband, Drew, and rescue
dog, Emma. You can follow her creative endeavors at http://blog.designedlykristi.com.
Knit: Knit stitch.
Pattern repeat.
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
Queen of Diamonds Socks
Dyeing to Knit From the Toe Up
By Kri st i Sch ue ler
O
Kristi Schueler
Kristi Schueler
Above, top: A close look at the predrafted Bluefaced Leicester top that was spun to
make these special socks.
Above, bottom: You can see the long
lengths of colors in the singles as they relax
on a Majacraft bobbin.
Project Notes
Size: U.S. women’s shoe size 6–7
(71⁄2–8).
Fiber: 31⁄2–4 ounces Bluefaced
Leicester top.
Yarn: 350 yards balanced 2-ply yarn
averaging 20 wraps per inch and 4–5
twists per inch.
Gauge: 71⁄2 sts and 11 rows = 1
inch in stockinette st.
Needles: 2 U.S. size 1 16-inch circular needles.
Notions: Cable needle and tapestry needle.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
nly a month after purchasing my first spinning wheel
at the 2005 Estes Park Wool Market, I made a trip home to visit family and friends. Much of the visit
was spent checking out all the fiber
and yarn sources within a two-hour
radius of my parents’ dairy farm
in west-central Minnesota. I came
back with a variety of souvenir fibers for spinning. It took some time
to work up to using my good fiber
but, by early spring 2006, I had experienced some success dyeing my
own yarn, and I finally pulled out
the plastic wrap, Kool-aid, and Wilton’s food coloring to try my hand
at dyeing some of my souvenir fiber.
Dyeing fiber
First, I divided 3.1 ounces of Bluefaced Leicester top from Detta’s Spindle in Maple Plain, Minnesota, into two
sections. I carefully folded each section into a small bundle and gently
wrapped one end of the strip horizontally around the middle and tucked the
end in. I then soaked the bundles in
lukewarm water with a touch of clear
dish soap for several hours.
To mix my dyes, I filled condiment
squeeze bottles two-thirds full with
one part white vinegar and one part
warm water. Then I mixed my dyes using various food colorings and Kool-aid
packets. My method was unscientific
although I used a color wheel to guide
my decision about the colors needed
to achieve the look I was aiming for.
I started with gel food colorings and
placed a small pea-sized amount into
each of the squeeze bottles. I tested the
colors on white paper towels and continued to tweak them with small dabs
of food coloring about the size of a seed
bead or 1⁄4 package of Kool-aid until I
was satisfied with the resulting red-vio-
Dyeing safely
Follow the safety precautions on the
labels for handling dye powder and dye
solutions. Always wear a dust mask and
gloves when handling dye powder and
work in a well-ventilated area. Protect
your skin and eyes from dye solutions.
Never use your dye equipment for food
preparation.
let, turquoise, orange, and fuchsia dyes.
Once my colors were mixed, I
drained the water from the bundles and
lightly squeezed out excess moisture.
I unwound each bundle of fiber onto
a piece of plastic wrap laid out on my
dyeing table. Using the squeeze bottles,
I dyed horizontal stripes across the two
lengths of top simultaneously so they
would match. I found the pointed tips
of the condiment bottles useful for getting the dye into the center of the fiber.
I used mostly the red-violet and fuchsia with accents of the orange and turquoise dyes. After the top was saturated
in color, I wrapped each length in the
plastic wrap while applying some pressure to help the dye saturate the fiber.
I sealed it closed by twisting and folding the ends under the roll to contain
the dye.
I placed the wrapped bundles in a
wire strainer set over boiling water in
a large canner devoted to dyeing. I put
the lid on and steamed the packets for
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Not long after Kristi Schueler bought her first wheel, she was
experimenting with Kool-aid dyeing for socks.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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28
15 minutes. Using tongs, I redistributed the bundles to ensure even heating
and steamed for an additional 15 minutes before I shut off the heat and let
the top cool to room temperature over
several hours. After the top cooled,
I removed the plastic wrap, rinsed
the wool gently, and hung the pieces across my fireplace mantel on hangers to dry.
To celebrate my very first pair of
handspun socks, I made an extraspecial design. I adapted a pattern
from Leslie Stanfield’s The New Knitting
Stitch Library (Lark Books, 1999). I
Spinning
To ensure I had not felted
the fibers, I predrafted the fibers by gently and evenly
pulling on small sections of
the top to help them open
up. I spun the singles with
a Z-twist using a semiworsted short forward draw on
my Majacraft Suzie Pro at a
ratio of 10:1. I spun each
section of top on a single bobbin and then
plied the two together to retain the color
shifts created in the dyeing process. I lost track of
which end I started with, so
they didn’t ever really match up. The
singles were plied in the S direction using the 12.5:1 ratio for 4.75 twists per
inch. This yielded about 350 yards of
20 wraps-per-inch two-ply yarn with
long gradual color shifts.
pair in the works, but I’m not sure I’m
ready to commit to a whole deck of
socks. I was a little nervous that 350
yards of yarn might not be enough for
my standard sock formula, so I decided to dust off my toe-up sock-knitting
skills. I used a scale to split the yarn in
half by weight as equally as possible
and then selected what appeared
to be the slightly smaller ball to
knit the first sock.
Knitting
played
with a bunch of
options that were plays on diamonds.
My husband loved the diamond ribs
on the back of the socks, so consequently, there is a King of Diamonds
I enjoy working the toeup sock-knitting method
with two circular needles
because I prefer the Turkish cast-on that requires
two circular needles. I also
find the circular needles
to be more purse-friendly for taking best advantage
of those unexpected knitting
moments. I learned the technique from a friend, who I believe learned from Cat Bordhi’s
book, Socks Soar on Two Circular
Needles (Passing Paws, 2001).
Using two circular needles and the
Turkish cast-on, CO 16 sts or 8 loops.
Note: With the Turkish cast-on method,
you wrap both circular needles at once
as many times as you want sts on each
needle. For 16 total sts, you have 8 sts
on each needle, so you wrap the neeKey
Chart A
Chart B
begin
here
begin
here
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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The dyed and dried
top looks quite
different in its
original state than it
does after one pass
of predrafting.
Kristi Schueler
dles with 8 loops. The wraps are then
knittted twice, once on each needle,
giving you 8 loops on each needle and
16 sts total.
Rnd 1: K1, M1R (with left needle tip,
lift strand between needles from back
to front; knit lifted loop through the
front), knit to last st on needle, M1L
(with left needle tip, lift strand between
needles from front to back; knit lifted
loop through the back), k1; repeat for
second needle. Two sts are increased
per needle.
Repeat rnd 1 until there are 32 (36)
sts.
Now repeat rnd 1 on every other
row (alternate rounds are knitted without increases) until there are 60 (68)
sts.
For needle 1 (instep sts), k15 (17),
M1R, k to end of needle. For needle 2
(sole/heel sts), follow rnd 1 above (63,
[71] sts total).
Begin patterning
Follow chart A for all sts on nee30
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dle 1 and knit all sts on needle 2 until
sock reaches beginning of the heel. The
heel flap begins directly below the ankle bone or about 21⁄2 inches from the
back of the heel. Be sure to note which
row on chart A you knit before beginning heel. I recommend ending after a
lace row.
Heel flap
Begin a heel flap under the heel by
working the following on needle 2 only.
Row 1: Sl1 purlwise with yarn behind,
knit to end of needle.
Row 2: Sl1 purlwise with yarn in front,
purl to end of needle.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until heel flap
reaches the back of your heel, ending
after row 2.
Turn heel.
Row 1: Sl1, k17 (19), ssk, k1, turn.
Row 2: Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn.
Row 3: Sl1, k to 1 st before gap, ssk
across gap, k1, turn.
Row 4: Sl1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog
across gap, p1, turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all sts on
needle 2 have been worked, ending after row 4.
Begin gusset
Slip the first stitch, knit across all
remaining sts on needle 2. Still using
needle 2, pick up and knit one stitch
for each chain stitch along the heel
flap. To reduce gaps, pick up one extra stitch at the corners, between instep
and gusset.
Knit in pattern across needle 1,
starting with the next row in sequence
from chart A.
Again using needle 2, pick up and
knit one stitch for each chain stitch
along the other side of the heel flap,
picking up an extra stitch at the corners if you did so on the previous side.
Your rounds will now begin with needle 2.
Rnd 1: Knit all sts on needle 2. Knit in
pattern on needle 1.
Rnd 2: K1, ssk, knit to center 32 (36)
sts, work the center 32 (36) sts in dia© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Finishing
Cut yarn, leaving a tail of 24 to 36
inches. Turn the sock inside out and
fold the picot hem down against the
wrong side. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and tack down the live
stitches through the corresponding
wrong-side purl bump it lays against.
Every few sts, stretch the top of the
sock to retain enough elasticity to allow the sock to stretch over the heel of
a foot when putting the sock on. When
all the live sts have been tacked down,
weave in the ends and block. Make another sock to match.
I love my first pair of handspun
socks! I love the colors and the ombre striping (which attracted a lot of
attention when I was knitting in public). Next time, I will try for a finer
yarn with three plies so that I can get
the tighter gauge that I prefer on socks;
then they wear longer, and the design
pops more. 
When not visiting friends and family in Minnesota, artist and designer Kristi Schueler enjoys
knitting, spinning, binding books, and more at the
home she shares with her husband, Drew, in Fort
Collins, Colorado.You can follow her fiber adventures a http://blog.designedlykristi.com.
Kristi made her first pair of
handspun socks from about 31⁄2
ounces of Bluefaced Leicester
spun into 350 yards of plied
yarn that measures 20 wraps
per inch.
mond rib pattern following chart B, knit
to last three sts on needle 2, k2tog, k1.
Knit in pattern on needle 1.
Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until you have
a total of 63 (71) sts on the needles.
Note: So that the diamond rib aligns
with the larger diamonds on the front
of the sock and a diamond rib pattern
repeat is completed when a large diamond is, be sure to start on the row of
chart B corresponding to the row on
chart A you will be knitting next. Row
one of chart B corresponds to rows 1
and 13 of chart A.
Leg
Continue knitting in the round following charts A and B until the leg is
desired length and you have complet© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
R esources
ed a large diamond. The advantage of
knitting from the toe up is that you can
have the full pattern repeats no matter
the length of the foot. It also allows you
to make the most of the yarn you have,
and you can make the leg any length
you desire as long as you have enough
yarn. Simply complete a large diamond
before you start the picot cuff.
Picot cuff
Rnd 1: Knit needle 2 sts. On needle 1,
k15 (17), m1, knit to end (+1 st) = 64
(72) sts total.
Rnds 2–6: Knit.
Rnd 7: *K2tog, yo; rep from * to end of
round.
Rnds 8–13: Knit.
Do not bind off.
Fiber
Detta’s Spindle, 2592 Geggen-Tina Rd., Maple Plain, MN 55359. (763) 479-1612; (877)
640-1612; dettasspindle@yahoo.com; www
.dettasspindle.com
Dyeing
Gleason’s Fine Woolies. http://gfwsheep
.com/rov.inst/rov.inst.html
Porter, Kristi. http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall02/FEAT
dyedwool.html
Turkish cast-on
Fluffy Knitter Deb. http://fluffyknitterdeb
.blogspot.com/2005/10/knitting-made-easierturkish-cast-on.html
Stitch patterns
Stanfield, Leslie. The New Knitting Stitch Library: Over 300 Traditional and Innovative
Stitch Patterns Illustrated in Color and Explained with Easy-to-Follow Charts. Asheville,
North Carolina: Lark Books, 1999, page 116.
Picot edge on toe-up socks
Schueler, Kristi. http://blog.designedlykristi
.com/?p=269
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P r o j e c t
Green Lake
Socks
By Kri st i Sch ue ler
R
Project Notes
Fiber: 4 ounces Bonkers Handmade
Originals superwash Merino top in
Emerald Forrest.
Preparation: Split top lengthwise
and predraft each section.
Drafting method: Short-forward
draw.
Wheel: Majacraft Suzie Pro.
Ratio: 12:1.
Singles wraps per inch: 30.
Singles twist per inch: 16.
Plied wraps per inch: 14.
Plied twist per inch: 5.
Total yardage: 260.
Yards per pound: 1,040.
Yarn classification: Balanced 3-ply
sportweight.
Yardage used: 211.
Gauge: 6 sts and 9 rows = 1" in St
st.
Needles: Two U.S. size 2 (3 mm)
16-inch circular needles.
Notions: Two stitch markers (m);
tapestry needle.
Size: Women’s shoe size U.S. 9–10
(81⁄2" from tip of toe to back of heel).
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ecently some beautifully shaded
blue-green superwash Merino
top called out to me from my stash.
I decided to spin my first threeply sock yarn to design some cozy
house socks. The color reminded
me of color on a lake when a late
summer storm just starts to blow
in, so I adapted a stitch pattern that,
when knitted with three-ply yarn,
is reminiscent of the choppy waters
on a stormy lake.
Spinning
I split my 4-ounce top crosswise
into three roughly equal lengths seeking to spin a three-ply yarn with
smooth undulations in the color’s value that would result in subtle striping.
For each of the three singles, I took
one-third of the top and split that piece
lengthwise into fourths, predrafted
each section, and then chose a piece at
random to spin. The singles (30 wraps
and 16 twists per inch) were spun with
a Z-twist using a short-forward worsted draw at a 12:1 ratio on my Majacraft Suzie Pro. Once one-third of the
fiber was spun, I moved on to the next
bobbin and the next third of fiber. I
made a reference card that contained
samples of the singles and the two- and
three-ply yarns to keep my spinning
more consistent across the three bobbins. I used the two-ply sample only
to check my spinning by allowing my
singles to ply back rather than always
checking the three-ply. I plied the singles from the three bobbins with an Stwist at 5 twists per inch. The final yarn
was washed in warm water with a small
amount of woolwash, rolled in a towel and gently pressed to remove excess
water, and hung to dry unweighted. I
rotated the skein several times while
drying. The result was 260 yards of 14
wraps per inch sportweight yarn with
nice elasticity and a semisolid color.
Knitting
To make the most of the modest
yardage, these socks are knitted from
the toe up. The heels are reinforced
with Eye of Partridge stitch on the bottoms and back. All slipped stitches are
slipped purlwise with the yarn held on
the fabric’s wrong side. If you aren’t familiar with knitting socks on two circular needles, see Resources.
Using the Eastern cast-on, cast on
10 sts.
Increase rnd: K1, M1 left (with left needle tip, lift strand between needles
from the front to back; knit lifted loop
through the back), k to last st on needle, M1 right (with left needle tip,
lift strand between needles from back
to front; knit lifted loop through the
front), k1; rep for second needle. Two
sts are increased on each needle. Repeat increase round until there are 26
sts total.
Now work increase round on every
other round (alternate rounds are knitted without increases) until there are
50 sts total (25 sts on each needle).
Begin patterning
Follow chart A for all sts on needle
1, and knit all sts on needle 2. Work
chart A on needle 1 six times, then
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Kristi Schueler spun a 3-ply yarn for these
stormy-lake-inspired socks.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
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Green Lake Socks with Bonkers
Handmade Originals superwash
Merino top in emerald forest
and leftover yarn.
work rows 1–3 once more or until the
sole of the sock reaches just below the
ankle bone (about 61⁄2" from tip of toe).
Heel flap
Begin heel flap under the heel by
working Eye of Partridge stitch on needle 2 only. All slipped sts are slipped
purlwise with yarn held on wrong side.
Row 1: *Sl 1, k1; rep from * to end of
needle ending with k1; turn.
Rows 2 and 4: Sl 1, purl to end of needle; turn.
Row 3: Sl 2, *k1, sl 1; rep from * to end
of needle ending with k1; turn.
Work rows 1–4 four times or until heel flap measures 21⁄2", ending on
row 4.
Turn heel
Row 1: (Sl 1, k1) 7 times, ssk, k1; turn.
Row 2: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1; turn.
Row 3: *Sl 1, k1; rep from * to 2 sts before gap, sl 1, ssk across gap, k1; turn.
Row 4: Sl 1, p to 1 st before gap, p2tog
across gap, p1; turn.
Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all sts on
needle have been worked, ending on
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row 4. There should be 15 sts on needle 2.
Gusset
Sl 1, (sl 1, k1) 7 times. Still using
needle 2, pick up and knit 17 sts, one
st for each chain (slipped) st along the
heel flap. Place a marker after picking
up the first 5 sts along the heel flap. To
reduce gaps, pick up and knit the last
stitch at the corner between the instep
and gusset. Knit in pattern across needle 1 starting with the next row (row
4) in sequence from chart A.
Again using needle 2, pick up and
knit 17 sts along the other side of the
heel flap, plus a stitch at the corner if
you did so on the previous side. Place
a marker before picking up the last 5
sts on this side of heel flap. Continue knitting across the remaining sts on
needle 2. There should be 25 sts between the two markers on needle 2
and 12 sts at each side of the markers
= 49 sts total on needle 2. The round
now begins at the first stitch of needle 1.
Continue working in the round on
all stitches.
Rnd 1: Continue in pattern following
chart A on needle 1. On needle 2, k1,
ssk, k to marker, sl marker, *sl 1, k1;
rep from * until 1 st before marker, sl
1, sl marker, k to last 3 sts on needle 2,
k2tog, k1.
Rnds 2 and 4: Work in pattern following chart A on needle 1. Knit all sts on
needle 2.
Rnd 3: Work in pattern following chart
A on needle 1. On needle 2, k1, ssk,
knit to marker, sl marker, *k1, sl 1;
rep from * until 1 st before marker, k1,
sl marker, knit to last 3 sts on needle,
k2tog, k1. Repeat Rnds 1–4 until 29 sts
remain on needle 2.
Rnd 5: Work in pattern following chart
A on needle 1. On needle 2, k1, ssk removing marker, work in Eye of Partridge pattern as set until 3 sts remain
on needle; k2tog removing marker, k1.
Rnd 6: Work in pattern from chart A on
needle 1. Knit all sts on needle 2.
Repeat Rnds 5 and 6 once more—
25 sts remain on eedle 2, for a total of
50 sts.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Key
k
p
Key
Chart A
6
5
4
3
2
1
k
6
5
4
3
2
1
y
p
yo
k
k2tog
ssk
s
Chart B
6
5
4
3
2
1
Leg
R esources
Follow chart A for needle 1 and
chart B for needle 2, aligning the patterns (that is, work row 1 of chart B
when also working row 1 of chart A).
Once final gusset decreases have been
worked, you should have completed
row 2 on chart A, so continue with row
3 of both charts A and B. After completing rows 3–6, work 4 full repeats of
charted patterns, ending on row 6.
Fiber
Bonkers Handmade Originals PO Box 442099,
Lawrence, KS 66044 (785) 843-5875
bonkers@bonkersfiber.com www.bonkers
fiber.com
Eastern cast-on
Budd, Ann. “Beyond the Basics: Working Socks
from the Toe Up.” Interweave Knits, 12, 2
(Summer 2007), pages 24–26.
Sewn cast-off
Zimmermann, Elizabeth. Knitting Without Tears.
New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1971,
page 23.
Knitting with two circular needles
Bordhi, Cat. Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles:
A Manual of Elegant Knitting Techniques and
Patterns. Friday Harbor, Washington: Passing
Paws Press, 2001.
Stitch patterns
Stanfield, Leslie. The New Knitting Stitch Library:
Over 300 Traditional and Innovative Stitch Patterns Illustrated in Color and Explained with
Easy-to-Follow Charts. Asheville, North Carolina: Lark Books, 1999, page 156. (The pattern used here is a downsized adaptation.)
Cuff
When leg is completed as above or
to desired length, work 10 rounds of
cuff ribbing: *K1 tbl, p1; rep from * to
end of rnd.
Finishing
Turn sock inside out (this reduces the ruffled-looking edge) and bind
off using the sewn or tubular cast-off
(see Resources). Weave in ends, wash,
block, and wear with pride. 
Green Lake is near ar tist and designer Kristi
Schueler’s childhood home in Minnesota. Kristi
enjoys knitting, spinning, binding books, and more
at the home she shares with her husband, Drew,
in Fort Collins, Colorado. You can follow her fiber adventures at http://blog.designedlykristi.com.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Top left: Kristi’s 3-ply yarn.
Bottom left: Kristi’s spinning reference card
with singles, 2-ply, and 3-ply versions of her
fiber. Kristi’s 3-ply yarn.
Spin Your Socks
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35
Handspun for a Circular
Sock Knitting Machine
By Su s an For syt h
W
hen I saw my first circular knitting machine (CSM) in 1992, I knew I had to
have one, but it wasn’t until my friend Gretchen Hoff purchased one on eBay in 2002 that my
journey into the world of sock making on CSMs
began.
Above: Ruby with
ribber attachment
in place. There is a
31⁄2-pound weight
in the background,
ribber needles and
weight buckle in History
the foreground.
There was not too much about these old machines
Photos by Susan Forsyth
36
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spinoffmagazine.com
on the Internet when I started looking, but now there
is much more. Visiting www.knittingtogether.org.uk/,
I learned that Mr. Jonas B. Aiken patented the first
working sock machine in America in 1859. The needles were handmade by his father, and the heels and
toes had to be done by hand. For an excellent overview of sock knitting machinery in the nineteenth
century, see Richard M. Candee, “Domestic Industry in the Factory Age: Anglo-American Development
of the ‘Family’ Knitting Machine,” Textile History 29,
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
1 (Spring 1998), 62–92. In the following years, improvements were made, and many manufacturers
produced their own machines. When the First World
War erupted in Europe, the Salvation Army distributed used circular sock machines among civilians to
make socks for the soldiers who were suffering from
trench foot, a disease caused by having wet feet in
the trenches. Machines were made by many manufacturers in Europe and North America until usage
gradually faded with the introduction of industrial
knitting machines and store-bought socks; mass production of the CSMs finally stopped in the 1970s. For
many years, the patent for one brand, the Auto Knitter (AK), was purchased back and forth across the
United States/Canada border. In the 1980s, the green
Bogan AK Harmony Knitter was made in the United States for about nine years, but now the patent resides in Canada, for the time being. Many items can
be made using these little machines, such as mittens,
hats, gloves, scarves, I-cord, and even underwear.
How it works
A sock knitting machine works on the same principle as a flat-bed knitting machine, except that it is
completely round. The carriage moves multiple latch
hook needles up and down or in and out. As they go
up or out, the yarn is caught under the hooks, which
then move down or back, and the existing stitch is
dropped over the closing latch, thereby making another stitch. Each complete turn of the crank is one
round, just as each sweep of a flat-bed carriage is
one row. A short time after Gretchen purchased her
CSM, my husband, Andrew, intrigued by these old
A bird’s-eye view of
Ruby, showing how the
yarn feeds through the
yarn stand topper.
Online Auctions
While many things on online auctions are a good buy, there is always
the risk of receiving a lemon. When
you’re shopping for a CSM, ask a lot
of questions (see the list below). I
have always found the Yahoo! sock
list to be of great help, and there are
many such lists on the Internet for
anyone to find more information before making that first or final bid.
*On eBay, CSMs can be purchased
from $350 to $3,500 depending on
the condition of the machine and
how many cylinders and other components come with it.
*Expect to pay $1,000 and more for
a proven working machine that has
been cleaned and oiled and has all
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
the required pieces to make socks.
The cost will vary depending on how
many extra cylinders and/or ribbers
are with it.
*On a proven machine, there should
be a sock connected to the machine,
thereby proving that it is in working order.
Recently a manufacturer in New
Zealand (NZAK) has started to produce a machine based on the Auto
Knitter design. These machines come
complete with a stand and are made
with aluminum rather than cast iron,
making them considerably lighter but
also more susceptible to damage if
dropped or knocked. I have heard reports, though, that purchasers are
very satisfied with them as long as
they are careful to protect them
from damage.
Questions to ask
*Are there any chips or cracks in the
cylinder/ribber?
*Does the cylinder come out and go
in easily?
*Does the cylinder match the ribber
in a 2 to 1 relationship (for example,
60:30)?
*Does the crank turn?
*Is there a booklet?
*Are all the parts needed to make a
sock included?
*Will it be packed well for shipping?
*Will I receive all the items pictured?
Spin Your Socks
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37
2
3
2
1
4
6
5
1) One bobbin of undyed Shetland singles; 2) two bobbins of
dyed Shetland singles; 3) spot-dyed Shetland fiber; 4) 3-ply
yarn, 5) knitted swatch; 6) finished sock.
machines, found an AK that had been made in 1924
but had been lurking in a rat-infested box owned by
a farmer. I refused to go near the machine as it was
extremely pungent and full of rust. Andrew, however, was not to be done out of a challenge, and over
the next three days he took it apart and cleaned it until it shone. It looked much better, but how were we
to put it back together correctly? The booklet had
been half chewed up to make the rat a nice comfy nest. The Internet did not have as much information then as now, but I managed to glean enough here
and there via e-mails from some very helpful people
to get it working again, and there it was, all fixed up,
with a new paint job, too. It took me a while to figure
out how to make it work. As long as I was just using
stockinette stitch, I was able to churn out socks. But
I could not get the ribbing attachment to work without dropping stitches. Months went by. Andrew made
helpful suggestions but to no avail. The machine was
clean and oiled; it had new needles but refused to
make k1, p1 ribbing. I tried adjusting the small screw
that changes the timing on the ribber needles going
in and out of action, but nothing worked. Not quite
ready to give up, I checked the old needles against
the new and found that they were different—a bit
shorter. A day later, after cleaning off the rust, I oiled
the old needles and, making sure the latches worked,
popped them in. I had just enough needles. I turned
the crank and watched in amazement as the machine
knitted a perfect round of ribbing stitches without
any further adjustments. I named my newly painted
machine Ruby. It has a 60-slot cylinder that holds 60
needles. I mounted it on a standard Black and Decker workbench that holds the machine (all 35 pounds)
very securely. As the handle is turned, the cam shell
of the machine moves around the base, and the nee38
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dles go up and down through the cam system, which
knits the stitches. At the same time, the ribber stitches are knitted by needles in the ribber dial. This has
30 slots and 30 needles. By way of a driver arm, it is
attached to the cam shell through two holes on the
side. The cam shell and the ribber move in unison.
The yarn tensioning device is called a yarn stand topper and is held in place by a rod attached at the back
of the machine. The yarn is positioned on the work
Susan’s sock knitting machine, named Ruby, mounted on a
portable barstool table.
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Shetland roving spot-dyed
with Mother
MacKenzie’s
Acid dyes.
found that to force the machine to work with these
needles and yarns that are much larger than the machine was designed for causes wear and tear of the
machine at a much faster rate. I’m always worried
about being able to find parts for my machine should
something wear out—though as they become more
popular, it is getting easier to find parts.
Spinning and dyeing retreat
Now that I had the mechanics of the machine
worked out, I was eager to try handspun yarn on my
CSM. During a great four-day retreat on Guemes Island in the San Juan Islands off the coast of Washington State with instructor Judith Mackenzie McCuin,
I saw the Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook (Interweave,
2002). I was inspired by the instructions for spotdyed roving. With Judith’s help, I managed to get a
similar effect on the Shetland fiber we were using in
class.
bench directly under one of the topper’s holes. The
yarn is threaded through a series of holes to the front
and down to the yarn carrier on the cam shell, which
in turn feeds the needles. The cylinders come in a variety of slot sizes: 54, 60, 72, 80, 84, 96, and 100,
to name a few. The circumference is always about
15 inches; the more slots there are, the more needles they hold, making the resulting stitches closer
together. As the slot number increases, the finished
sock will increase in size. The most used sizes for
socks today are 60 and 72 slots. The finished knitted
piece varies depending on the size of stitch used and
whether or not the ribbing attachment is used. When
I want to make a woman’s sock, I use a 60-slot cylinder; for a man’s sock, I change to an 80-slot cylinder
as it makes a wider sock.
Yarns to use
There is a limit to the size of yarn one can use in
sock knitting machines. The machines were designed
to use the fingering-weight yarn that was supplied by
the company who sold the machines. The company
would buy back socks in multiples of twelve. These
socks had to be made to a high standard and following the patterns provided, otherwise they were rejected. The socks were then sold in stores. There are
records of ladies earning a good wage, but the records don’t indicate how long they were at the machines; since they were paid only pennies a pair, I
suspect they were cranking out socks for hours every
day. Generally fingering-weight to light sportweight
is the range of yarn weights that the machines can
handle, though I’ve found exceptions to the rule by
experimenting with many different yarns. With the
manufacture of larger hook needles, the hope was to
use worsted and double knitting (DK) yarns, but I’ve
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Dyeing process
I wetted the roving and placed it in an aluminum turkey pan with just enough water to cover
the bottom of the pan. The roving was only one layer thick and lay snakelike, with each loop just touching the next. Using a bottle with a nozzle, I randomly
dropped several colors of liquid dye on the wet fiber, leaving plenty of white showing because the dye
tends to spread as the pan is heated. I brought the
heat up to a low simmer (not a bubble boil) and left
it to cook for 15 to 20 minutes (until the water was
clear). I tried not to move the fiber too much as this
can agitate the roving and felt it or spread the dye too
far. After simmering for the allotted time, it was allowed to cool. I then rinsed the roving, towel-dried
it, and placed it on a clothesline to air-dry.
Spinning
Once home again, I went to work spinning a worsted yarn (no twist enters the drafting zone) using a
short, pull-forward action with my right hand while
gently holding the loose fibers in my left hand. With
the wheel turning to the right (clockwise), I made
three fine singles (28 wraps per inch) yarns, and with
the wheel turning to the left, I plied the three singles
together—two singles of the dyed Shetland fiber and
one singles of the natural white Shetland. The resulting yarn was 15 wraps per inch, perfect for the sock
machine on the 60-slot cylinder. I wound the yarn on
a 60-inch niddy-noddy, using a cross tie (figure eight)
to secure the skein in four places. I gently washed the
yarn in warm soapy water, rinsed it in the same temperature the yarn came out of so as not to shock it,
towel-dried it, and left it to air-dry flat. I didn’t block
the wet yarn because I didn’t want to lose the elasticSpin Your Socks
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Spin.Off
39
ity of the yarn that is required for knitting it on the
sock machine. The yarn can be slightly slubby or irregular, but not hairy. Fluffy mohair yarn, for example, catches on the needles and can pull the stitches
out of the hooks.
Knitting the sock
As each sock machine has its own setting for tension and you need to adjust the machine for each
yarn that you use on it, sampling is just as important in machine knitting as in handknitting. I used a
60-slot cylinder and a 30-slot ribber. (To get a rolltop hem, use a 2 to 1 relationship between the cylinder and ribber—a finished edge can be achieved with
sew from the right side.) When knitting a sock on
the machine, I hang a weight (3 pounds, 10 ounces average) on the sock as it is knitted to create even
tension. I move the weight up as the knitting grows
downward. I place a hand under the cylinder and
around the knitting, not to add any more weight, but
to feel the machine working. I find that a dropped
stitch or the yarn not feeding correctly can be felt
more quickly than it can be seen.
Turning a short-row heel
A short-row heel uses half the stitches of the rest
of the sock. (For my sock, I had 60 sts on the needles, so I used 30 sts for the heel.) Just as you would
if you were making a handknitted sock, knit back-and-forth
rows instead of working in the
round, alternating knit and purl
rounds to maintain the stockinette stitch. Each row is decreased by one stitch until only
a third of the sts remain (10 sts).
Then one st is picked up from
each row until all the sts are in
the working area (30 sts), and
knitting in the round on all 60
sts can continue.
Finishing
I full my socks to create a
tighter fabric by washing them
in the washing machine with
warm water on a delicate setting. I then pop them into the
dryer until they are dry and
iron them flat to set the shape.
Use the Kitchener stitch to close the toe after taking the sock off the machine.
From that point on, I handwash
and
air-dry
them.
Of
course I can handknit the same
some manipulation of the needles, but the main thing
yarn,
but
the
machine
allows me to make a sock in
is to have a finished edge that requires no finishabout
an
hour
(plus
a
little
extra time for the Kitching by hand.) I determined the gauge on the stockener-stitch
finishing),
whereas
handknitting would
inette portion of the sock (the underfoot has to be
take
me
considerably
longer.
Using
handspun on a
stockinette). I wanted the rows on the underfoot to
circular
knitting
machine,
I
do
get
a
nice sock. I enbe close enough together so that when you walk on
joy
the
process
of
sock
making
from
start to finish,
it, you can’t feel the ridges on the heel or ball of your
and
while
these
nifty
antique
machines
speed up the
foot. If the stitches are too loose, it feels like you’re
knitting
process,
all
the
creativity
is
still
there. 
walking on pebbles. Once the gauge was right, I knitted the sock using 40 rounds in 1×1 rib (this means
Susan and Andrew Forsyth live in Mission, British Columbia, Canthat one needle is in the cylinder and one needle is in
ada, and have an energetic business making wool combs of many
the ribber—making a k1, p1 rib) for the ribbed cuff,
designs and other products for spinners all over the world. Susan has a working sock machine on video on her website as
25 rounds for the 3×1 leg (or three needles in the cylwell as a video showing how to close the toe on two needles,
inder and one needle in the ribber for a k3, p1 stitch
www.woolcombs.com. Susan teaches wool combing, spinning, dyepattern), a short-row heel (see Turning a Short-Row
ing, handknitting, and circular sock machining in Canada as well as
Heel below), and then 45 rounds for the foot. The
in the United States. Learn more about using sock knitting mashort-row toe was closed using Kitchener stitch. (I
chines by joining the Yahoo! group, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/
sockknittingmachines/join.
hold the stitches on two double-pointed needles and
40
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© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
P r o j e c t
A Spindle-Spun Fair Isle
Christmas Stocking
By kath lee n Taylo r
Project Notes
Finished size: 41⁄2" wide, 123⁄4"
from top to beginning of heel, 101⁄2"
from back of heel to toe.
Fiber: About 2 ounces each of 5
colors. Romney: white, variegated silver and gray, and dark chocolate;
Border Leicester lamb: fawn.
Yarn: About 1 ounce of each color,
2-ply, 52 yards per ounce, 14 wraps
per inch in the following natural colors: white, dark gray, silver gray, chocolate brown, fawn.
Gauge: 28 sts and 26 rounds in
two-color stockinette st = 4".
Needles: Four U.S. size 4 (3.5 mm)
double-pointed needles or size
needed to obtain gauge.
Notions: Tapestry needle.
I
started spinning in the late
1970s. I tried, I really tried, to get
the hang of spinning on a spindle.
But my spindle was one of those
legendary “boat anchors,” and no
matter how many hours I spent
practicing (and saying many bad
words), I didn’t become a spinner
until my Ashford Traditional wheel
arrived.
Even after I mastered wheel spinning, I still couldn’t manage to spin on
my spindle. Over and over, I heard that
the spindle itself makes all the difference, and that, if I had a good spindle,
I would learn quickly. Though I doubted the advice, I finally ordered a beautiful Bosworth Midi Spindle and gave it
another shot.
Lo and behold, they were right.
Twenty years after learning to spin on
a wheel, I finally understood why so
many are addicted to spindling. I was
quickly making lovely even yarns. I
decided to use my first spindle-spun
yarns to knit something special.
Spinning the yarns
In my stash, I had three glorious Romney fleeces from Iron Water
Ranch in Albany, Oregon. I had already
washed the pure white prizewinner, the
variegated silver and gray, and the fantastic dark chocolate. I also had a few
ounces of washed and carded wool
from a fawn Border Leicester lamb’s
fleece that I’d gotten in a trade. I separated the dark and light grays and then
used a dog comb to flick the ends of
the Romney locks, which I spun without further preparation using either my
11⁄8-ounce Bosworth Midi or one of the
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
11⁄4-ounce and 13⁄4-ounce spindles I’ve
made. I spun the singles Z and plied S.
Once I had two spindles full, I used a
slightly heavier handmade spindle to
ply the singles directly from the two
lighter spindles, ending up with about
1 ounce of each color. I made sure each
length of plied yarn was balanced before winding on the spindle.
The five natural-colored two-ply
yarns used in this Christmas stocking were all spun to about 14 wraps
per inch, though that was a happy accident. I was still new to spindle spinning, and although I was worried about
getting consistent yarn, I didn’t really think about the wraps per inch until
I had spun several small skeins. I was
delighted to discover that they were
all basically the same size and could,
therefore, be used in a single project.
Using Dawn dish soap, I washed the
skeins in hot soapy water and anxiously waited for them to dry. I looped the
wet skeins, unweighted, over a rack
and let them dry overnight.
Casting on
With white yarn, CO 60 stitches;
divide stitches evenly onto 3 doublepointed needles and join, being careful
not to twist cast-on row. Mark the beginning of the round.
Rnd 1: K1, p1 around.
Rnds 2–9: With white and dark gray
yarns, work ribbing in k1 white, p1
dark gray, following the cuff chart.
Rnds 10–82: Work remainder of leg in
stockinette stitch, knitting every round.
Follow the leg chart, changing colors as
indicated. If a color will not be used for
3 to 5 rounds, carry it loosely up center
back on WS. A color unused for more
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41
After years of wheel spinning and avoiding spindles, Kathleen finally found one that
worked for her and became a spindler. She
wanted her first spindle-spun project to be a
memorable one and made this stocking.
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spinoffmagazine.com
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
Kathleen used about 2 ounces of fiber (Romney: white, variegated silver and gray,
and dark chocolate; Border Leicester lamb: fawn) to make 5 colors (white, dark
gray, silver gray, chocolate brown, fawn) for her stocking. She plied the yarn that
measured 14 wraps per inch.
than 5 rounds may be cut and rejoined
as necessary.
Heel
Divide stitches onto two needles
with the front center 30 stitches for the
instep and the remaining 30 stitches for
the heel. The center back of the stocking is the center of the heel. Cut yarns.
Turn work so that the wrong side is facing, reattach the silver and dark gray
yarns, and begin heel.
Heel flap row 1 (WS): Slip the first
stitch purlwise. Purl across, alternating between dark gray and silver yarns
each stitch; turn.
Heel flap row 2 (RS): Working the silver
stitches with silver yarn, and the gray
stitches with gray yarn, slip 1 purlwise
and knit across; turn.
Repeat these two rows 5 times for a
total of ten heel rows. Work heel flap
row 1 once more.
Heel turning row 1 (RS): On the right
side of the heel, slip the first stitch
purlwise, work in striped pattern, al© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
ternating silver and gray, until 12 sts
remain on the left needle, k2tog, k1;
turn.
Heel turning row 2 (WS): Slip the first st
purlwise, purl across in gray and silver
striped pattern until 12 sts remain on
the left needle, p2tog, p1; turn.
Heel turning row 3: Slip the first st purlwise, knit in striped pattern until there
is 1 st left before the gap (it’ll be quite
visible), k2tog (with the sts on either
side of the gap), k1; turn.
Heel turning row 4: Slip the first st purlwise, purl across in striped pattern until there is 1 st left before the gap, p2tog
(the sts on either side of the gap), p1;
turn.
Repeat heel turning rows 3 and 4
until you have worked across all of the
stitches on the needle, ending with a
purl row. 16 stitches remain.
Gusset round 1: Knit the first 8 heel
stitches in silver and gray striped pattern. Using another double-pointed
needle (this will become needle 1) and
the fawn yarn, knit the remaining half
of the heel stitches. Pick up and knit
11 stitches along the heel flap edge (insert the right needle under both loops
of each slip stitch along the heel flap
edge and bring yarn through to RS).
Pick up and knit 1 stitch in the gap between heel flap and instep. With needle
2, knit the reserved stitches for the instep. Using needle 3, pick up and knit
1 stitch in the gap between instep and
heel flap and 11 stitches along the heel
flap edge, then knit the 8 stitches on
the heel turning that were in silver and
gray, for a total of 70 stitches.
Gusset round 2: Add chocolate yarn and
work pattern following row 2 of gusset chart. At the same time, shape gussets: knit to last 2 stitches of needle
1, k2tog. Knit across needle 2, following row 2 of gusset chart. On needle 3,
ssk, k to end of needle 3 (2 stitches decreased).
Gusset round 3: Following gusset chart
row 3, k around.
Repeat gusset rounds 2 and 3, following the chart for color pattern.
Spin Your Socks
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43
Maintain the patterning on the instep
stitches (refer to gusset chart) and don’t
worry about the small pattern changes
on the gusset decreases themselves. Repeat the gusset rounds until there are
15 stitches each left on needles 1 and 3.
There are 30 instep stitches on needle
2. Complete the gusset chart pattern.
Following the foot chart pattern rows 1 to 32, knit the foot of the
stocking.
or your preferred woolwash, and warm
water; rinse in same-temperature water,
and dry flat. 
Gra
y
Kathleen Taylor, author of Knit One, Felt Too (StoSilver
rey, 2003), Yarns to Dye For (Interweave,
2005),
and Generation F: New Directions in Knitted Felt
(Taunton, 2008). She spins, knits, writes,
and plays
Chocolate
with her grandchildren in Redfield, South Dakota.
Fawn
Gray
Gra
y
Toe shaping
There should be 15 stitches on needle 1, 30 stitches on needle 2, and 15
stitches on needle 3. The toe is worked
with alternate stitches of gray and silver—work decreases into striped pattern as neatly as possible.
Toe rnd 1: Alternating gray and silver
stitches as indicated on chart, k until 2 sts remain on needle 1, k2tog. On
needle 2, ssk, k to last 2 sts on needle
Gra
y
2, k2tog. On needle 3, ssk, k to end of
Gra
y needle.
Silver
Toe rnd 2: Working in striped pattern,
knit around.
Silver
Chocolate
Repeat toe rounds 1 and 2 until a total
of 30 stitches remain.
Fawn Chocolate
Place the stitches on needles 1 and
Fawn 3 onto one needle. Using gray yarn,
White
join the two sets of stitches (15 instep
White
stitches and 15 foot bottom stitches)
with a three-needle bind-off.
Use a tapestry needle to weave in
any loose ends on the inside of the
work.
White
Silver
Silver
Chocolate
Chocolate
Fawn
Fawn
White
White
begin here
Gussett
Hanging loop
Cut two 24" lengths each of chocolate, white, and fawn yarns. Using a tapestry needle, thread the yarns
through the ribbed cuff at center back
of the stocking. Pull the strands so that
an even amount hangs on either side
and divide them by color. Braid the
yarns for 4". Tie the braid off with an
overhand knot and trim the ends to 1".
Using any color of yarn threaded in a
tapestry needle, sew the lower edge of
the loop in place at the bottom of the
cuff ribbing section on the right side of
the stocking.
Wash stocking gently using Dawn,
44
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Foot
begin here
Leg
© Interweave Press LLC. Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
A b b r e v i A t i o n s
Knitting Abbreviations
* *—repeat all instructions between *
beg—begin(ning)
BO—bind off
cn—cable needle
CO—cast on
dec—decrease
dpn—double-pointed needles
inc—increase
k—knit
k1f&b—knit 1 into front and back of st
k2tog—knit 2 together
M1—make 1 by picking up loop between 2 sts, place on left
needle and k into back of loop
M1L—work same as M1
M1R—make 1 by picking up loop between 2 sts, place on left
needle and k into front of loop
p—purl
psso—pass slipped stitch over
p2tog—purl 2 together
rem—remain(ing)
rep—repeat
7
use
favorite body parts to
for handspinning
Summer 2009
rns
Z and S ya
why?
How and
p. 22
bpi—bumps per inch
tpi—twists per inch
wpi—wraps per inch
ypp—yards per pound
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Spinning Abbreviations
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rnd(s)—round(s)
RS—right side
sl—slip
Sl1, k2tog, psso—slip 1 stitch, knit 2 together, pass slipped
stitch over the knitted decrease still on right-hand needle
ssk—slip 1 knitwise (twice), place on left needle and knit
together through back loops
st(s)—stitch(es)
tbl—through the back loop
WS—wrong side
wyb—with yarn in back
yo—yarnover
spi nof fma gaz ine.co
m
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