Wendy D. Johnson - Norwegian Rose Socks: E-Pattern from TOE-UP SOCKS FOR EVERY BODY

Ive long been a fan of traditional Norwegian colorwork and have knit my share of Norwegian sweaters, hats, and mittens. These socks are my salute to one of the most beautiful styles of colorwork I know. The rose is a familiar motif in traditional Norwegian knitting, and years ago I designed and started to knit a coat with a stylized rose as the central motif. The less said about that endeavor the better, and fortunately this sock has proved a much more manageable project. This pattern also exemplifies how striking nontraditional color combinations can be. Ive chosen green and brown for this design not because they are often seen in Norwegian knits but simply because they remind me of mint chocolate chip ice cream. As always when you knit, feel free to go a little wild with your own unique ideas and inspirations.

SIZE M (L), 8" (9") (21.5 [24]cm) circumference, 9" (23cm) long foot, and 12" (32cm) tall leg measured from the bottom of the foot to the top of the cuff

YARN Shibui Knits Sock super fine (100% superwash merino wool; 1 oz/50g, 191 yd/174.5m): 2 skeins Bark (color A), 2 skeins in Kiwi (color B)

NEEDLES 2 US size 0 (2mm) and 2 US size 1 (2.5mm) circular needles, or sizes needed to attain gauge

GAUGE 8 stitches and 12 rows = 1" (2.5cm) in stockinette stitch on US size 0 (2mm) needles using 1 color 8 stitches and 10 rows = 1" (2.5cm) in stockinette stitch on US size 1 (2.5mm) needles in colorwork pattern

With color A and the smaller needles, and using a Turkish Cast-On, a Figure-Eight Cast-On, or Judys Magic Cast-On, cast on a total of 30 (34) stitches15 (17) stitches on each needle. Knit across the stitches on each needle once.

On the next round, increase 4 stitches as follows:

Needle 1: K1, M1, knit until the last stitch, M1, k1.

Needle 2: K1, M1, knit until the last stitch, M1, k1.

Then knit a round without increasing.

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have a total of 66 (74) stitches33 (37) stitches on each needle.

Change to the larger-sized needles: Needle 1 holds the instep stitches, and Needle 2 holds the sole stitches. Work the charts as follows:

On Needle 1, work the first row of Side chart A (4, 6 stitches), work the first row of the Colorwork chart (25 stitches), and then work the first row of Side chart B (4, 6 stitches). Work the first row of the Sole chart over Needle 2: Work the 4-stitch chart 8 (9) times, end after working Stitch 1 of the chart.

Continue in this manner, working Rows 126 of the Colorwork chart, Rows 13 of the Side charts, and Rows 1 and 2 of the Sole chart in as many repeats as needed until the foot is approximately 3" (7.5cm) shy of the desired finished length.

Round 1: Work across Needle 1 in pattern. Needle 2 (sole stitches): Keeping the stitches in the proper color sequence to follow the Sole chart, k1, M1, knit across to the last stitch, M1, k1.

Round 2: Work across Needle 1 in pattern. Needle 2 (sole stitches): Work across in the Sole chart pattern.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until you have 45 (49) stitches total on Needle 2, incorporating the extra stitches in the Sole chart pattern. Work across Needle 1 in pattern and break off color B. You will leave the 33 (37) instep stitches on the needle (you will not work on these stitches while you turn the heel). Move the 45 (49) heel stitches onto one of the smaller-sized needles. Using color A only, work a short-row heel on the 45 (49) heel stitches as follows.

Row 1: Knit 38 (42) stitches. Move the working yarn as if to purl. Slip the next, unworked stitch from the left needle to the right needle. Turn your work.

Row 2: Slip this unworked stitch from the left needle to the right needle. Purl the next stitch (you will have wrapped that first stitch around its base with the working yarn) and purl across 31 (35) stitches. Move the working yarn as if to knit and slip the next stitch. Turn.

Row 3: Slip this unworked stitch and knit across to the last stitch before the unworked wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Row 4: Slip the first stitch and purl across to the stitch before the unworked wrapped stitch. Wrap and turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until 11 (12) of the colorwork stitches are wrapped and on the left side, 11 (13) stitches are live in the middle, and 11 (12) are wrapped and on the right side. There will be 6 gusset stitches unwrapped and unworked at each end of the needle. At this stage, you should be ready to work a right-side row. Your heel turn is half done.

Note: How many stitches you leave unworked in the middle depends on how wide you want your sock heel to be. If you want it a bit wider than the pattern specifies, do a couple fewer short rows. If you want it a bit narrower, do a couple more short rows. Two short rows equal about " (6mm).

Now youll work the second half of the heel:

Row 1: Knit across the 11 (13) live stitches across to the first unworked, wrapped stitch. To work this stitch, pick up the wrap and knit it together with the stitch.

Wrap the next stitch (so that it now has 2 wraps) and turn.

Row 2: Slip the first (double-wrapped) stitch and purl across to the first unworked, wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap and purl it together with the stitch. Wrap the next stitch and turn.

On subsequent rows, you will pick up both wraps and knit or purl them together with the stitch. Continue until you have worked all of the wrapped stitches, and work to the end of the row over the last 6 stitches.

Work back and forth on the heel stitches on Needle 2 as follows:

Row 1: (RS) K38 (42), ssk, turn.

Row 2: Sl1, p31 (35), p2tog, turn.

Row 3: [Sl1, k1] 16 (18) times, ssk, turn.

Work rows 2 and 3 until you have 33 (37) stitches remaining.

Begin working in the round again. Move the heel stitches back onto 1 of the larger needles.

You will now start working the Side charts and the Colorwork chart patterns on the stitches on Needle 2, ensuring that you are starting in the right place on the chart so that it corresponds with the chart on Needle 1. Work until the sock measures approximately 10" (26.5cm) from the bottom of the heel, or 2" (5cm) shy of the desired finished length, ending after having worked Round 26 of the Colorwork chart.

Work a k1, p1 corrugated ribbing as follows:

Knit 1 in color B, purl 1 in color A around, for 12 rounds.

Break off color A and bind off loosely in color B.

To download a printable copy of these charts, go to http://rhlink.com/mcp007

This ePattern is excerpted from