Indigo Rainbow Socks

I’m nearing the end of the Rainbow Socks Collection Series. Indigo Rainbow Socks are the seventh post in the series which began in the early summer with a search for the answer to my question ‘What is the Perfect Basic Sock Pattern?‘.

So far it has been an interesting journey. I’ve really enjoyed trying the different cuffs, heels and toes. I’d love to know which ones you have knit.

Design Choices

For the Indigo Socks, I wanted to try a different style of cuff. Normally I use a stretchy rib with some type of rib pattern. But I thought that a lace cuff would be a great choice. The yarn is a complex combination of colours giving an overall feel of indigo (although the sunlight causes the mauve tone to stand out a lot more in the photographs).

I have used the Strong Heel several times and think it looks rather elegant. I also love how the Swirl Toe looks and feels. So I was thinking about a different cuff. Something that would enhance the stylish look of these socks. One of the things I really loved about the lace cuff was the shaped edging.

As I cast on these socks I looked forward to seeing them finished and trying them on. I’d chosen one of my favourite yarns from my stash, a richly coloured hand dyed superwash merino by Skein Queen.

Indigo Rainbow Socks Pattern

Please note that the Indigo Rainbow Sock Pattern is a one size free pattern. The sock is easy to try on after the strong heel is finished while knitting the foot. The toe shaping is worked over 6cm (2 3/8 inches) which will help you decide when to stope knitting rounds for your foot and allowing for some negative ease.

Yarn

• Skein Queen 100% Superwash Merino – Squash

Needles

• 3.5mm double pointed needle (dpn) for casting on
• 2.75mm set of five double pointed needles (dpns) for knitting socks

Tension

The tension for this sock is 20 rows and 16 stitches / 5cm (2 inch) square in stocking stitch (stockinette). 8 stitches / 2.5cm (1 inch).

Abbreviations

double pointed needle(s) – dpn(s); stitch(es) – st(s); knit – k; purl – p; yarn over – yo; slip one – sl 1; knit two stitches together – k2tog; pass slip stitched over – psso; repeat – rep; slip slip knit – ssk;

 

Cuff

• Cast on 60 stitches using the 3.5mm dpn.
• Evenly divide stitces onto four 2.75mm dpns. Take care not to twist the stitches when knitting the first round. 15 sts on each needle.

I chose a lace cuff for this lovely indigo hand dyed yarn.

• Round 1: k
• Round 2: p
• Round 3: k
• Round 4: *k1, yo, k3, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k3, yo; rep from *
• Round 5: k
• Repeat Round 4 and Round 5 seven more times, a total of 16 rounds of the lace pattern.
• Round 20: p
• Round 21: k
• Round 22: p

 

Leg

• Knit 45 rounds.

 

Strong Heel

Needles 1 and 2: Are the Instep stitches

Needles 3 and 4: Heel and gusset stitches – these are the needles on which the increasing takes place.

• Round 1: Needles 1 & 2: k; Needle 3: k1, m1, k to end of needle; Needle 4: k to last stitch, m1, k1
• Round 2: k
• Repeat rounds 1 and 2 until needles 3 and 4 each have 28 stitches on them.

 

Heel Turn

Turn work to begin heel turn on a wrong side row. Only working on Needles 3 and 4.

• Row 1: Needle 4: sl1, p to end of needle; Needle 3: p1, p2tog, p1, turn
• Row 2: sl1, k3, ssk, k1, turn
• Note that there will be a small gap between the working stitches that form the heel turn and the unworked heel stitches.
• Row 3: sl1, purl to within 1 st of gap, p2tog, p1, turn
• Row 4: sl1, knit to within 1 st of gap, ssk, k1, turn
• Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all side stitches have been worked, and there are 15 stitches on needle 3 and 15 stitches on needle 4. Should end on a completed row 4.

 

Foot

• Knit 40 rounds.

 

Spiral Toe

• Round 1: sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times to end of round.
• Round 2: k
• Round 3: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times.
• Round 4: k
• Round 5: k2, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times.
• Round 6: k
• Round 7: k3, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times.
• Round 8: k
• Round 9: k4, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times.
• Round 10: k
• Round 11: k5, sl 1, k1, psso, k to end of needle; rep 3 more times.
• Round 12: k
• Round 13: k6, sl 1, k1, psso, k1; rep for needles 2 and 3. For needle 4: k6, sl 1, k1, psso, then slip last stitch onto needle 1.
• Round 14: k
• Round 15: sl 1 (the stitch that was moved from needle 4), k1, psso, k6, sl 1 onto next needle; rep for needles 2 and 3. For needle 4: sl 1, k1, psso, k6.
• Round 16: k
• Round 17: k1, sl 1, k1, psso, k4; rep 3 more times.
• Round 18: k
• Round 19: k2, sl 1, k1, psso, k2; rep 3 more times.
• Round 20: k
• Round 21: k3, sl 1, k1, psso; rep 3 more times.
• Round 22: k
• Round 23: sl 1, k1, psso, k2; rep 3 more times.
• Round 24: k1, sl1, k1, psso; rep 3 more times. (8 stitches)

 

Finishing

Cut the yarn, leaving enough to thread through the remaining 8 stitches. Pull firmly and sew in the end so that the stitches can not come apart. Weave in the ends on the wrong side.

I really love how these socks look. They are really elegant looking but unfortunately, I did encounter a problem with this sock when it was finished. I don’t find that the lace cuff keeps my sock up well enough. The sock has a tendency to slip down my leg in a slouchy way. As can be seen in a few of the photographs. The heel and toe fit well though and the little bit of wrinkling does seem to stay on the leg/ankle.

In future I will try some lace/rib combination patterns for the cuff and see if that will work better. I’d be really interested to find out which lace patterns you have used successfully for knitting sock cuffs.

 

Related Rainbow Sock Collection Links

The photographs of the Indigo Rainbow Socks were taken at White Rocks, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.

• What is the Perfect Basic Sock Pattern?
• Red Rainbow Socks
• Orange Rainbow Socks
• Yellow Rainbow Socks
• Green Rainbow Socks
• Blue Rainbow Socks
• Violet Rainbow Socks
• Conclusions – Rainbow Sock Collection
• Why Sock Yarn is Worthwhile Using