If you look closely at the legs of all the above socks you might notice that the pattern is made up of lots of short sections of lots of different patterns or stitch textures. I thought I'd make a list of all the patterns I've used for these socks.
Please keep in mind: I didn't invent any of these patterns, I've seen all - or almost all - of them used in countless sock patterns. They are almost all simple textures created by combinations of knit and purl stitches.
You can arrange the individual sections in any way you want; you can make the leg as long as you like; you can repeat any section as many times as you wish or you can skip one you don't like altogether. Maybe you can think of a few textures I haven't included (if you do and would like me to add them to the list feel free to leave me a comment).
Also: since the patterns and textures can be arranged however you wish, they can be used for any size socks - baby, children, adults - as well as leg warmers, arm warmers, gloves/mittens, etc.
The above sock leg is what I will list in detail and then I will add a few more ideas I haven't included in this specific sock.
- cast on desired number of stitches - make sure it's a multiple of 4 - for the above sock I cast on 72 stitches because I wanted a more slouchy leg; your usual number of stitches will work just fine - maybe add 4 if you're a tight knitter - the different textures and types of ribbing used could make the fabric a little tighter
- the above sock has a double rolled cuff - this is optional:
- cast on using a contrasting colour and knit 10 rounds on needles one size smaller than you'd normally use - slip to your usual needle size/use usual needle size to knit 10th round - set aside
- cast on using main colour and knit 7 rounds on needles one size smaller than you'd normally use
- slide the contrasting cuff inside the main colour cuff, align the needles and knit one stitch from each cuff together using the main colour and your usual needle size
- (Using one size smaller needles for a rolled cuff makes it look a little neater but if you don't have smaller needles you can use your usual size for the rolled cuff, of course.) - if you don't want to do a double rolled cuff you can do a simple rolled cuff, a [k2 - p2] cuff, a [k1 - p1] cuff, a [k1tbl - p1] or any other cuff you like
- knit 5 rounds
- 5 rounds [k1tbl - p1]
- knit 5 rounds
- purl 5 rounds
- knit 5 rounds
- 5 rounds [k2 - p2]
- knit 5 rounds
- [* purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round
knit 3 rounds
1 round [k1 - p1] - knit 1 round - 1 round [p1 - k1] - knit 1 round - 1 round [k1 - p1]
knit 2 rounds *
purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round]
- (the section between * and * is one pattern repeat from a pattern called Tennarisukka which is a free ravelry download and one of my favourites - I added the beginning of a second repeat to "round off" the pattern sequence) - knit 5 rounds
- 5 rounds "faux braid" = [p2 - knit 2 but knit the 2nd stitch first and lift it over the 1st while doing so, then knit 1st stitch]
(this looks very similar to [k1tbl - p2] but is still different - I've seen someone do this in a video a looong time ago - I'd link the video but I never found it again - if you came up with this: Thank You!) - knit 5 rounds
- [purl 1 round - knit 2 rounds - 1 round {k3 - 1 bobble}
how to do a three-stitch bobble:
- knit into front of stitch - knit into back of stitch - knit into front of stitch = you've made 3 stitches out of 1
- turn
- slip 1st stitch purlwise - purl next 2 stitches together
- turn
- slip 1st stitch knitwise - knit next stitch - lift slipped stitch over knitted stitch
- tighten gently
I don't know if this is common knowlege when knitting bobbles but I have found that I get nice looking bobbles when I knit them very loosely. Don't be tempted to tighten the stitches while you are working the bobble - it will look nicer when you only tighten it up once it's done. (Don't let your needle slide out of the bobble you are working on! Don't ask...)
Also, when you slip the stitch over the last knitted stitch to finish the bobble, let the slipped stitch kind of "wrap" itself around the whole bunch of stitches you have created. When you then tighten the bobble, said slipped stitch will pull this bunch together and create a nice bobble.
- after the bobble round:
knit 1 round - to avoid a hole appearing between the bobble and the previous stitch, pick up the thread connecting the two through the back and knit them together - this is a bit fiddly but worth it!
- knit 1 round - purl 1 round] - knit 5 rounds
- [purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round]
- knit 5 rounds
This is the pattern for the leg of the sock above. On that particular sock I've decreased 4 stitches evenly spaced in every k-round starting with the last of the previous [knit 5 rounds] and then in the knit rounds betweetn the purl rounds until I've reached 60 stitches. If you've cast on more than your usual number of stitches, decrease before, between and after the purl rounds - or anywhere close to the heel, fitting the decreases in between your pattern sections - until you reach your usual number.
As you can see I've added 5 knit rounds between every pattern section. You don't have to do this - or you can make it more than 5 rounds - but I think it breaks up the overall design and gives each pattern section its own space.
(I've made them pink to make the list easier to follow.)
((You can also make the pattern sections longer than 5 rounds - I just like how it looks and how easy it is to keep track of.))
Here are some more ideas for textures you could use:
- [k1-p1]
- [k1-p3]
- [1 round {p1 - k3} - knit 1 round - 1 round {k2 - p1 - k1} - knit 1 round] - twice!
- the above is one repeat from a pattern called Hermione's Everyday Socks which is a free ravelry download; each repeat is only 4 rounds so 2 or 3 repeats in a row will add a little soft texture - seed stitch: [k1-p1] and alternate every other round
- eyelet rounds - similar to bobble rounds: [k3 - yarn over - k2tog] - knit the yarn over like a normal stitch the following round
- add cable sections if you know how to do it - I've only done one cable sock ever and I don't like it much so I won't go into any detail about it
- add more than one bobble section in a row - on the socks in the first picture I did two, but three in a row looks nice too:
You can also continue with the textures on the foot of the sock. (Maybe not the bobble - that might not be nice to wear in shoes.) On the pink-ish socks in the second picture you can see that I continued with the Tennarisukka pattern on the foot since it was the last pattern section I did before the heel, but any one (or all (?)) of the patterns would look cool. I'm just thinking: the Hermione's pattern would also be cool to start a little before the heel and then continue on the foot with some different patterns and textures on the leg... The possibilities are endless, really!
For the above socks I did a very simple variation of the mixed stitch concept to create a little texture on the leg that almost sort of "fades out":
- 15 rounds [i2 - p2]
- knit 10 rounds
- [purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round - knit 1 round - purl 1 round]
- knit 10 rounds
- 1 round [k1 - p1] - 1 round [p1 - k1] - 1 round [k1 - p1] - 1 round [p1 - k1] - 1 round [k1 - p1]
- knit 10 rounds
- 1 round [k1 - p1] - knit 1 round - 1 round [k1 - p1] - knit 1 round - 1 round [k1 - p1]
- knit 10 rounds
- heel - foot - toe
So, I hope that wasn't too abstract or confusing. If you have any questions and/or suggestions for more pattern sequences and textures feel free to leave a comment or contact me on facebook.
Go crazy and make some funky mixed stitch socks!
Lots of love! xxx