Traditional Sock Pattern
In 1984 I was on the plane to New York en route to work in California at the Mendocino Art Centre. I had my son Chris with me and the third seat was occupied by a man who introduced himself as sports writer for a magazine I probably wouldn’t find in Whiting Bay. He was talking about the New Yorker and yes I agreed with him about finding it locally.
He had just been in the UK to cover Wimbledon and the St. Andrew’s Open and was lamenting the fact that he couldn’t find pure woolen socks any more in Scotland. I said quietly, “I could knit some for you”, and gave him a brochure.
A few weeks later when I returned to Scotland, there was the first of a series of letters from him on New Yorker headed paper, ordering 4 pairs of socks with measurements.
I sourced sock wool from a firm in Galashiels, single-ply linen from my weaving stash, and a pattern that I had used since I learned to knit socks in primary school in Kilmarnock.
It was great work because I could knit anywhere – including in front of the TV and later, minding the new baby.
I wish I’d kept copies of my handwritten letters to him. As well as socks, we discussed politics in our respective environments, Arran and New York City. What an amazing pen pal!
socks for New York
Here’s the updated sock pattern which you can print out, easily adjusted for size, by checking the tension of a sample over 20 stitches and 10 rows and measuring the foot.
You can make the rib any length you want.
Instructions
Yarn 4 ounces (100g) Shetland 2 ply (available from
http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk/
Single Ply linen for reinforcement of heels and toesNeedles Size 10 stocking needles
Tension 6 stitches per inch in stocking stitch.
Cast on 68 stitches, using wool
Work Knit 2, Purl 2 rib for 12 inches ( or shorter, if desired)
Change to stocking stitch and decrease one stitch each side of back of sock every third row 7 times (54 stitches)
Heel
Divide stitches so that you have 28 on the heel needle (doesn’t matter which needle you use, and 13 on the other two needles, remember to keep the centre back in position.
Work back and forth across the 28 stitches as follows until the heel is worked, knitting the linen in with the wool as if they were one thread.
Row 1: (Slip 1, Purl 1) repeat to end
Row 2: Knit across row
Row 3: (Purl 1, Slip 1) repeat to end
Row 4: Knit across row
Repeat these 4 rows 6 times
Repeat Row 1 once, to end with a purl row.
Knit 19, Knit 2 together, turn
Purl 11, Purl 2 together, turn
Knit 11, Knit 2 together, turn
Purl 11, Purl 2 together, turn
Continue in this way until all the extra stitches on either side of the decreases are used up and end on a purl row.
Next round: Redistribute the stitches so that you combine the 13 stitches of the remaining two needles on to one (26 stitches)
Taking up your yarn, cut off the linen, leaving a length to sew in later, work down the nearest side of the heel, picking up 12 stitches evenly.
Divide the remaining stitches from turning the heel so that you have 18 stitches on each side and 26 across the base (62 stitches)
Knit across the 26 stitches to the beginning of the second needle, decrease one stitch, work up the needle and down the third needle, decrease 1 stitch at the end of the third needle to shape the heel. Continue these decreases until you have 54 stitches again.
Work in stocking stitch until the sock measures the desired length between the heel and the beginning
of the toes. Join in linen to reinforce toes.
With stitches arranged on your needles 28, 13 and 13, decrease four times every other round at either end of the 28, the beginning of the first 13 and the end of the second 13 stitches.
Continue decreasing every row until 24 stitches remain. Knit 2 together all the way round and graft the remaining 12 stitches to finish off.