Love socks

It's been soooo long since my last blog post. During the past few years I've concentrated on my Etsy shop and making felt bags and then watched my interest slowly drift away and move on to other things. I'm a simple creature and my attention tends to wander, and it was no surprise my Etsy shop took and died without much notice after withering away slowly :D But I'm still crafting every now and then and now that I've created something worth sharing again I'm back on blogger!

I'd say all the best socks are love socks, that is, made with love. But these ones sprung from pure happiness and were made with such affection, they had to be named love socks.  

Instructions:

The socks are knit top down. Chart is read from top to bottom and divided in 2 columns for an easier read and possible printing. Pattern is also available on PDF.

Size: EU 42-43 (11.5-12 US, 9.5-10 UK) (may vary by your gauge)

Yarn: Novita 7 veljestä (150 g = 300 m, 75% wool / 25% polyamide)
Gauge: 23 st = 10cm
Needle: 4 mm

Cast on 64 st. Divide them on 4 double pointed needles, 16st on each needle. *Knit 1, purl 1* for about 6 rows. Begin working as per chart repeating the 16 stitch pattern. The chart is read from bottom to top. When you reach the pink line at the top of the right hand column, continue the chart from the bottom of the left column.


Reinforced heel:
Once you reach the mark for heel knit (dark green) on needles I, II and III and then leave  needles II and III waiting to be worked on later. Begin reinforced heel on needles IV and I. *Slip 1 knitwise and knit 1* and repeat this for all stitches on needles IV and I. Then turn to the the wrong side of the sock, slip 1 purlwise, purl 31. Repeat these two rows 15 times = 30 rows.

Then on the right side (still knitting slip 1, knit 1 on right side and purl on wrong side) knit until you have 10st left on the needle, slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over and turn to wrong side. Slip 1 purlwise, purl 8, purl 2 together and turn to right side. Knit in this manner until you have 10 stitches left total on the heel. Divide the remaining stitches on two needles. Continue in dark green and pick up 14 st on the side of the heel flap on needle I, knit needles II and III, pick up 14 st on the heel flap again on needle IV.


The gusset:

You now have 70 stitches in total. Continue working the chart from where we left off (heel mark). Knit 2 together at the end of needle I every second row and slip 1 knit 1, pass slipped stitch over at the beginning of needle IV every second row until you have 16st on each needle again. Note that the pattern on the decrease rows will disrupt at the decrease points but work the rest of the stitches according to chart. Continue according to chart.

Shape toe:

Once you've reached row 94 begin shaping toe. Knit darker grey on the 2 last stitches on needles I and III and 2 first stitches on needles II and IV and between those knit a checkered pattern of 1 dark grey and 1 light grey alternating. 

At the end of needles I and III; knit the third and second to last stitch together and knit 1. At the beginning of needles II and IV knit 1, slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over. On the remaining stitches knit a checkered pattern as per chart. Repeat the decreases every second row until you have 10 st remaining on each needle. After that repeat the decreases on every row. When you are left with 3 st per needle cut the yarn and run the thread tail through remaining stitches twice; pull firmly and darn in the ends.