Fearless Fibers Yarn

Holy Potatohead, Batman!

Wow! Bam! Zap! I just LOVE my new socks!

Yes, I know, I’m rather ridiculously excited and exuberant about a simple pair of socks, but for whatever mysterious reason I just love these socks with my whole knitter’s heart. I probably should have blocked them, as the yarnovers look a bit sloppy in the photos. I've never bothered to block socks before, but I may just do that for these.



I’ve named them Lapping Water Socks. They are knit with Fearless Fibers Merino Wool Sock Yarn in the Hudson colorway. I wanted a stitch pattern that would be reminiscent of lapping water, which seemed so appropriate for this colorway. I think this stitch pattern worked perfectly for that purpose.

I can’t put my finger on why I love these socks so much. As mentioned in a previous post, perhaps it is because they turned out just the way I imagined they would before I cast on the first stitch. Perhaps it’s because they seem to strike a good balance with just the right quantity of yarnovers to create a bit of openwork without so much lace that there isn’t enough “sock” left in the sock. Perhaps it’s the small details, such as the way the ribbing flows so nicely into the pattern stitch of the body of the sock.



Whatever the reason, I just love these socks! They are pair number three in what I hope will be a set of six pair for my mother for Christmas. Now, of course, I want a pair for myself too, so I may just knit another pair after the holidays.

For anyone who’s interested, below is the pattern. I make no promises that the pattern is perfect, but I’ve done my best to write it in plain English to make it easy to follow. If you would like to share this pattern with anyone, please feel free to do so but I ask that you provide the pattern as a link to this site. This pattern may not be reproduced or used to produce items for commercial purposes.

Okay, here comes the pattern … but I can’t resist just one more picture first.



PATTERN:

Fearless Fibers – Lapping Water Socks
Size: Women’s – One Size Fits Most

Materials:
One 4-ounce skein of Fearless Fibers Merino
Wool Sock Yarn
One set of four US #2 double-pointed needles

Gauge: Approx. 32 stitches to 4 inches

Abbreviations:
K = Knit
P = Purl
YO = Yarn Over
SL1 = Slip 1 stitch knitwise
K2TOG = Knit 2 stitches together
P2TOG = Purl 2 stitches together
PSSO = Pass Slipped Stitched Over

Lapping Water Pattern Stitch:
Row 1: *YO, SL1, K1, PSSO, K4* repeat
Row 2 and all even rows: Knit around
Row 3: *YO, K1, SL1, K1, PSSO, K3* repeat
Row 5: *YO, K2, SL1, K1, PSSO, K2* repeat
Row 7: *YO, K3, SL1, K1, PSSO, K1* repeat
Row 9: *YO, K4, SL1, K1, PSSO* repeat
Row 10: Knit

Instructions:

Cast on: On U.S. #2 needles, cast on a total of 60 stitches, with 24 stitches on the first needle, and 18 stitches on each of the second and third needles. (NOTE: Dividing the stitches in this uneven manner will help to make following the 6-stitch pattern repeat easier.)

Ribbing: Using the fourth needle, join the yarn to begin working in the round, taking care to avoid twisting stitches. Begin ribbing. Work in P2, K4 rib for 14 rows. (Ribbing may be made longer or shorter depending on your preference.)

Begin Lapping Water Pattern Stitch (see above): Work 6 repeats of 10-row pattern stitch. On the final round of the 6th repeat of the pattern stitch, divide the stitches so that you have 30 stitches on the first needle, 15 stitches on each of the second and third needles.

Begin the Heel:
Work 20 rows on the FIRST NEEDLE ONLY in stockinet stitch. You will now be working back and forth on the first needle, rather than in the round. Stockinet = knit first row, purl second row, repeat.
After completing 20 rows on the first needle only, on the next row - still working the first needle only - begin short row shaping for heel as follows:

- K 16 stitches, slip 1, K1, PSSO
- Turn work and continue next row: Slip1 , P3, P2TOG
- Turn work and continue next row: Slip 1, K4, Slip 1, K1, PSSO
- Turn work and continue next row: Slip 1, P5, P2TOG
- Continue in this manner, decreasing by one stitch and bringing one more stitch into the work on each row, until all stitches on the first needle are being worked except one. On this final row, SL1, purl across to final two stitches and purl these two stitches together. 16 stitches now remain on the first needle.

Continue the heel:
- On next row, knit across the first needle. Pick up and knit 15 stitches along the side of the heel. You now have 31 stitches on the first needle.
- Follow Lapping Water Pattern stitch (beginning a new 10-row repeat to pick up where you left off previously) and work pattern across the 15 stitches on the second needle and – using the same second needle – across the 15 stitches on the third needle. You now have 30 stitches on the second needle and none remaining on the third needle.
-With your third needle and fourth working needle, pick up and knit 15 stitches along the other side of the heel. Continue on the third needle by knitting another 8 stitches off of the first needle.
You now have 23 stitches remaining on the first needle, 30 stitches on the second needle, and 23 stitches on the third needle.

Finish the heel:
ROUND ONE:
- You are now back in position to begin with the first needle. This starting point is the center division of your sock heel.
- Knit one complete round. This will be pattern row 2 on the Lapping Water Pattern you are working on the second needle only. From this point forward, you will work the Lapping Water Pattern only on the second needle (which is the top of the foot of the sock) and will continue in stockinet (knit every round) for the first and third needles (which form the bottom of the sock).
- Begin heel decreases by knitting across the first needle until you get to the last 3 stitches on the first needle. K2TOG and then knit the remaining stitch.
- Work straight across the second needle, keeping to the Lapping Water Pattern.
- On the third needle, K1, Slip 1, K1, PSSO, and then knit the remaining stitches on the needle

ROUND TWO:
- On the next round, work across all needles without any decreases.

Repeat rounds one and two described above, while keeping to the Lapping Water Pattern on needle two, until you have only 15 stitches remaining on the first needle and 15 stitches remaining on the third needle. The number of stitches on your second needle remains unchanged, with 30 stitches.

Work the foot:
Continue in pattern (stockinet on needles 1 and 3, Lapping Water Pattern on needle 2) until the foot measures approximately 7 inches from the back of the heel. (You may wish to make the body of the foot shorter or longer for particularly small or large feet. Keep in mind that the remaining toe to be knit will add a about an inch and a half more to the length of the foot.)

Complete the toe:

ROUND ONE:
- Knit across the first needle until you get to the last 3 stitches on the first needle. K2TOG and then knit the remaining stitch.
- Begin the second needle by K1, Slip 1, K1, PSSO. The knit straight across the second needle until you get to the final three stitches. K2TOG and K1. (NOTE: You are no longer working in the Lapping Water Pattern on the second needle. The toe is knit in stockinet.)
- On the third needle, K1, Slip 1, K1, PSSO, and then knit the remaining stitches on the needle.

ROUND TWO:
- Knit around without any decreases.

Repeat rounds one and two until 14 stitches remain in total. Knit across the seven stitches remaining on needle three, shifting them to needle two so that you have only two needles remaining, each with 7 stitches.

Cut your yarn leaving an ample tail of yarn to weave in your stitches. Use a tapestry needle and the tail of the yarn to weave the final stitches together. Kitchener Stitch is recommended for a smooth, seamless toe.

Weave in yarn ends and start all over again for the second sock.

Enjoy!