the Dunegrass socks pattern

Edit, 2 March 2009: This pattern is now available as a free Ravelry download! Probably. I followed the instructions, anyway, and it looks like it worked...

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I took copious notes as I developed this pattern, but apparently I missed a few things. There is a distressing number of "ditto"s and "etc"s in my little notebook.

Anyway.

Yarn: Wollmeise Sockenwolle 100% Superwash, in the Farn colorway.
Needles: Knitpicks 2.25mm
Techniques: Magic Loop, short-row or magic cast-on toe, short-row heel.

I strongly recommend swatching the Dunegrass pattern to get the fit just right, because there is no ribbing, so it's not as stretchy-forgiving as it could be. The stitch pattern as shown requires a multiple of 7 +1. (Nota bene: the 7 is completely arbitrary - you can do a multiple of 10 +1, or 4 +1, or whatever number gives you the look you want and fits your foot. This is another very good reason to swatch.)

That +1 is there because the pattern travels by 1 stitch. Because of this, knitting two socks at once works until you get the heel done, but is not recommended for the leg-bit. I tried. I gained several new gray hairs. Don't say I didn't warn you. (Edited later to add: But actually, if you wear drop earrings, they make dandy temporary stitch holders! Wish I'd figured that out while I was working on these socks.)

Stitch Pattern

• Chart notes: That +1 stitch is marked in boldface, and is not part of the pattern repeat. The pattern repeat is in the blue boxes.
• Also, please note that only the odd-numbered rows are shown. On the even rows, just knit.
  
• Twist the yarnovers as you knit them, so you don't get big lacy holes.
• click on the chart to go to its Flickr page, if you need a bigger version.
  

If you don't like charts, here it is in knitterese:
r1: [k2tg, yo, k5] 5 times, k1.
r2 and all even rows: knit, twisting the yarnovers as you knit into them.
r3: k1, [k1, yo, k4, k2tg] 5 times.
r5: k1, [k2, yo, k3, k2tg] 5 times.
r7: k1, [k3, yo, k2, k2tg] 5 times.
r9: k1, [k4, yo, k1, k2tg] 5 times.
r11: k1, [k5, yo, k2tg] 5 times.
r13: [k2tg, k4, yo, k1] 5 times, k1.
r15: [k2tg, k3, yo, k2] 5 times, k1.
r17: [k2tg, k2, yo, k3] 5 times, k1.
r19: [k2tg, k1, yo, k4] 5 times, k1.

Toe

Cast-on and toe of your choice: here's Judy's Magic Cast-On, which is what I used this time, but the short-row toe with provisional crochet cast-on is also good, as is the Sherman short-row toe, if you don't like the whole double-wrap thing. In any case, I ended up with 30 sole-stitches, and 36 (5 pattern repeats, +1) stitches for the top of the foot. Your mileage may vary, see above re swatching.

Foot
Once that's done, start row 1 of the chart. Work the chart for the top of the foot, and work the sole in plain stockinette.

Continue until the desired length minus 1/2 inch, or 1 cm, ending with a row 11.

Heel
Short row heel over the 30 sole stitches. You'll need to decide for yourself how deep and how wide you want the heel to be: I did 7 wraps each side, and 16 center stitches. If you're unfamiliar with the short-row heel, Misocrafty has an excellent photo-tutorial.

Once the heel is done, knit row 12 across the instep. The pattern isn't started immediately on the back of the leg, but grows over the plain stockinette gradually. Because of this, it's a good idea to place a marker at the center-back of the leg, and let that mark the start of each new row.

Also note that the +1 from the foot is no more.

Extending the pattern gradually over the back of the leg

Across the back of the leg, [k6, m1] 4 times, k5, yo, k1. There are now 70 stitches in all. Work row 13 across the front of the leg, and pull the left needle through the last stitch, to move that stitch from the front to the back (if you're doing one sock at a time. If you're doing two, then put the last stitch on an earring, and move it to the back when the opportunity arises).

as before, work all even-numbered rows... well, even. Just knit them, I mean.

• row 13, back: k2tg. K to marker.
• row 15: k until 2 stitches before the end of the back needle. yo, k2. Work row 15 across the front, according to the chart/knitterese instructions. On the back needle, k2tg, k to marker.
• row 17: k until 3 stitches before the end of the back needle. yo, k3. Work row 17 across the front, according to the chart/instructions. On the back needle, k2tg, k to marker.
• r19: k to end -4. yo, k4. Work row 19 across front. On the back, k2tg, k to marker.
• r1: k to end -7. k2tg, yo, k5. Work row 1 across the front. On the back, k2tg, yo, k to marker.
• r2: work even. Move one stitch from the front to the back.
• r3: k to end -9. k2tg, k1, yo, k4, k2tg. Work row 3 across the front. On the back, k1, yo, k to marker.
• r5: k to end -9. k2tg, k2, yo, k3, k2tg. Work row 5 across the front. On the back, k2, yo, k to marker.
• r7: k to end -9. k2tg, k3, yo, k2, k2tg. Work row 7 across the front. On the back, k3, yo, k to marker.
• r9: k to end -9. k2tg, k4, yo, k1, k2tg. Work row 9 across the front. On the back, k4, yo, k to marker.
• r11: k to end -9. k2tg, k5, yo, k2tg. Work row 11 across the front. On the back, k5, yo, k2tg, k to marker. You have decreased by one stitch, so there are now 69 in all.
• r13: k to end -8. k2tg, k4, yo, k1. Move the last stitch to the front needle. Work row 13 across the front, moving the last stitch to the back needle. On the back, k2tg, k4, yo, k1, k2tg, k to marker. 68 stitches.
• r 15: k to end -7. k2tg, k3, yo, k2. Work row 15 across the front. On the back, k2tg, k3, yo, k2, k2tg, k to marker. 67 stitches.
• r 17: k to end -7. k2tg, k2, yo, k3. Work row 17 across the front. On the back, k2tg, k2, yo, k3, k2tg, k to marker. 66 stitches.
• r 19: k to end -7. k2tg, k1, yo, k4. Work row 19 across the front. On the back, k2tg, k1, yo, k4, k2tg, k to marker. 65 stitches.
• r 1: k to end -7. k2tg, yo, k5. Work row 1 across the front. On the back, k2tg, yo, k5, k2tg, k to marker. 64 stitches.
• r 3: k to end -10. k2tg, k1, yo, k4, k2tg. Move the last stitch to the front needle. Work row 3 across the front, moving the last stitch to the back needle. On the back, k1, yo, k4, k2tg, k1, yo, k to marker.

...um. I may have gotten tired of writing here, because my little book says "r 7, r 9: ditto." Heh. Well, you should be able to figure it out [insert sheepish grin here].

• r 11: k to end -9. yo, k2tg, k5, yo, k2tg. Work row 11 across the front. On the back, [k5, yo, k2tg] twice.
• r 13: k to end -9. yo, k1, k2tg, k4, yo, k1. Move last stitch to the front. Work row 13 across the front, moving the last stitch to the back needle. On the back, [k2tg, k4, yo, k1] twice, k2tg.
• r 15: k to end -9. yo, k2, k2tg, k3, yo, k2. Work row 15 across the front. On the back, um, I stopped writing what I did. Maybe it should be obvious by now? Dang, I'm not very good at writing patterns, sorry.
• r 17: k to end -10. yo, k3, k2tg, k2, yo, k3. Work row 17 across the front.
• r 19: k to end -11. yo, k4, k2tg, k1, yo, k4. Work row 19 across the front.
• r 1 starts at the midpoint. Work the row in pattern, and pass the last stitch over the first stitch of row 2. 63 stitches.

Work up in pattern until it's about 2 cm shorter than you want. Move the last stitch on each side to the other side in every row 3 and row 13.

Top ribbing

Here's the chart.
On row 12, bind off as loosely as you can. Tuck in ends, wash, wear and be joyful.




As always, feedback is appreciated. If I ever knit these again, I'll write in the missing bits.