Big Sis' Socks

At last! These are a very thick texture on account of the yarn weight and stitch pattern, and would probably make good house socks/bed socks if worked in sock yarn. Any comments and corrections much appreciated! SIZE Toe measurement is for a European 43, approx US 10.5. I appreciate this is a very big foot, so if you want to make these for a smaller sock just adjust the number of pattern repeats before the 'point' on the instep, which is worked over 24 r (approx 3 in), or better still adjust the number of plain rows after the point and before your toe decreases. GAUGE 6st = 1in (the slipped stitches inside the ribbing account for a very thick texture) 8r = 1 in MATERIALS 100g ball Cygnet DK 3501 Mulberry [Purple] 100g ball Sirdar Country Style DK [White] (you'll have plenty left afterwards) 4mm 80 cm circular needle 4 double pointed 4mm needles *or size needed to obtain gauge* PLS NOTE: If I am working in the round, it will always be on 4 needles, never 5. I got onto knitting in the round very late and using 5 needles will probably slow me down even more. ABBREVIATIONS SKP aka skpo: "Slip, Knit, Pass." Slip a stitch knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knit one MAIN PATTERN (multiple of 4 st over 12 rows) [PURPLE] R1/R3/R5 – *slip 1 st knitwise, p1, k1, p1* [rep to end] R2/R4 – k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R6 - k all [PURPLE] R7/R/9/R11 – k1, p1, *slip 1 st knitwise, p1, k1, p1* [rep 10 times], slip 1 knitwise, p1 R8/R10 – k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R12 – k all INSTEP PATTERN (over 22 st) [PURPLE] R1/R3/R5 - k1,p1, *slip1, p1, k1, p1* rep 5 times R2/R4 k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R6 k all [PURPLE] R7/R9/R11 - *slip 1, p1, k1, p1* rep 5 times, slip 1, p1 R8/R10 – k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R12 – K all Repeat rows 1-12 for 3 times, then repeat rows 1 to 6 once (=42 rows) [PURPLE] R43/45/47 K3, *p1, slip1, p1, k1* rep 3 times, p1 slip 1 p1, k4 R44/46 k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R48 k all [PURPLE] R49/51/53 K5, *p1, slip1 knitwise, p1 k1* rep 3 times, k5 R50/R52 k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R54 k all [PURPLE] R55/57/59 k7, p1 slip1 knitwise, p1 k1 p1 slip 1, p1, k8 R56/R58 k all, slip all the white stitches knitwise [WHITE] R60 k all [PURPLE] R61/63/65 K9, P1, slip1 knitwise, p1, k10 R62/64 k all slipping all the white stitches knitwise R66 k all METHOD Using the circular needle cast on 45 st using the crochet chain cast on. R1 – K all R2 – P all R3 – K1, *yo, SKP*, rep to end Now slide all the stitches to the other end of the circular needle, so that the cream yarn is on the left hand side. Use the other end of the needle to pick up the cast on stitches, fold in half. R4 - Now use the purple yarn and knit together one stitch with the corresponding picked up stitch. When you have worked all the stitches, divide them between 3 needles as follows (14 st, 14 st, 16 st), then slip the last stitch over the first one and continue working in the round on 44 stitches in purple. R5/ R7 - *k1, p1* R6 – k all R8 [WHITE] - k all Continue following pattern. After completing 3 repeats of the pattern (or more if you want a longer sock), work the heel flap. HEEL FLAP Worked in stocking st, flat on 22 stitches, as follows: *2 rows white, 2 rows purple* rep 3 times; work 2 more rows in white then change to purple to shape the heel. HEEL TURN R1 Slip 1, K13, SKP, K1,turn; R2 Slip 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn; R3 Slip 1, k8, SKP, k1, turn; R4 Slip 1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn; R5 Slip 1, K10, SKP, k1, turn; R6 Slip 1, p11, p2tog, p1, turn; R7 Slip 1, K12 , SKP, turn; R8 P across. You now have 14 st left on the heel. Now pick up 9 stitches on each side of the heel flap. You will now have 54 stitches, to divide as follows: Needle 1 – 16 st (left half of heel stitches, side stiches from heel flap, 9+7= 16) Needle 2 – 22 st (instep, the stitches you did not work the heel on) Needle 3 – 16 st (side stitches from heel flap, right half of heel stitches, 9+7=16) From now on, work the sole in stocking stitch and continue the pattern on the instep. Decrease the gusset stitches as follows: Odd rows: N1 – K to last 3 st, SKP, k1 N2 – Follow instep pattern N3 – k1, k2tog, k to end. Even rows: N1 – k all N2 – follow instep pattern N3 k all = = = = After completing the instep pattern work 12 rows plain st st (k all), then decrease for toe as follows: [ROW 1] N1 – k1 to last 3 st, k2tog, k1 N2 – k1, KSP, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1 N3 – k1 KSP, k to end (40) [ROW 2] K all Repeat Row 1 6 more times, until you have 16 stitches left in total. Graft and finish as preferred. This pattern is for personal use only. Both the pattern and the finished article are not for sale. Do not reproduce without permission.