My Manly Socks

Let me distract you from the raw gaping wound that is my soul with some fine-ass knitting.



Pattern: Manly Socks, by Mamma (that's me, tee-hee)

Yarn: Knitpicks Essential, two skiens, in Fawn

Needles: Two size 0 Addi Turbos

Review: The heaven's opened and the Angels sang. I have finished a project for The Greatest. Before anyone freaks out and sends me a razor let me assure you they were modeled by The Greatest for these photos. This sock yarn isn't as soft as I had hoped, but it got better after washing. And they say it wears like iron, and we all know how reliable they are. Wearing like iron is a good thing, because goodness knows that man is hard on his socks.

This was my first attempt at sock design with a top down formula. I love socks! Once you understand the basic construction it is so easy to add in a stitch pattern, or modify them to fit the intended owner's feet. It makes one feel very smart and clever. I just took some foot measurements (which did entail actually *ewwwww* touching his feet, but thank goodness that part didn't last long). Then I handed The Greatest a stitch dictionary and told him to pick something. He chose a Giant Diamond stitch.



Very manly don't you think? No sissy yarn overs or complicated increases/decreases for him. Straight knit and purl baby!



My favorite part is the heel. Ignore that tiny hole. I love the k1, sl 1 stitch for the heel. And I like turning the heel, it's magic. I'm so happy with the way these turned out. And better yet so is The Greatest. Hooray for successful knitting.

Just in case anyone else has a picky man in their life, here's the pattern. It's a bit rough and it assumes that you know how to knit two socks on two circular needles at once, sorry.

Co 76 st
Work 2x2 st for 1 inch
Decrease one st on second needle during last row of ribbing
k one row
Begin giant diamond pattern as follows
row 1: *k1, p13, k1, *rep to end of round
row 2: *k2, p11, k2,*rep to end of round
row 3: *k3, p9, k3,*rep to end of round
row 4: *k4, p7, k4,*rep to end of round
row 5: *k5, p5, k5,*rep to end of round
row 6: *p1, k5, p3, k5, p1,*rep to end of round
row 7: *p2, k5, p1, k5, p2,*rep to end of round
row 8: *p3, k9, p3,*rep to end of round
row 9: *p2, k5, p1, k5, p2,*rep to end of round
row 10: *p1, k5, p3, k5, p1,*rep to end of round
row 11: *k5, p5, k5,*rep to end of round
row 12: *k4, p7, k4,*rep to end of round
row 13: *k3, p9, k3,*rep to end of round
row 14: *k2, p11, k2,*rep to end of round

Work in pat until piece meas 7.5 inches or desired leg length
On first needle only, beg heel gusset
row 1: *sl1, k1, * rep to end of row
row 2: sl1, p to end of row
continue row 1 & 2 until gusset measures 2 in

row 1: sl1, k24, ssk, turn
row 2: sl1, p12, p2tog, turn
row 3: sl1, k12, ssk, turn
repeat rows 2 and 3 until all rows are knit ending with a knit row

Pick up 18 st along left edge of heel flap
work second needle in giant diamond pattern as set
on first needle pick up 18 st along right side of heel flap
knit across first needle in st stitch
work across second needle in giant diamond pattern as set

needle 1: k1, ssk, knit to last three st, k2tog, k1
needle 2: work in pat as set
Continue in this manner until first needle has 38 st per sock
then continue knitting first needle in st stitch, and second needle in giant diamond pattern until foot meas 9.5 inches or desired foot length

beg toe decreases as follows
knit both needles in st stitch
k1, ssk, knit to last three st, k2tog, k1
work this pattern over each needle, every round until there are 10 st left per needle.
BO using kitchner st
Weave in ends
Have a very strong drink for surviving my ill-written pattern.
Give socks to hubby and expect expensive shopping spree in return.