

I love to play with colors and the Carrousel pattern was born to this desire to emphasize our self-striping yarn. This pattern is worked as a spiral with one stripe that runs around leg and foot throughout the work, just like a bandage would be wrapped. The Leg edging, heel and toes are added after the spiral is completed. Due to the particularity of this spiral construction, these socks are a bit less elastic so it is important to verify the size properly. You have to work to your actual leg circumference without stretching your work: negative ease will not fit and positive ease might fall down as you walk. Although it does not show on the pictures, these socks were photographed in a park of St-Bruno at minus 20 degrees Celsius during a particularly windy day. Needless to say that my face wore the same colors as my socks!



photos: Patrick Bélanger Tweet



SIZE

Woman’s S [M, L] FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Sock circumference: 8.5 [9.5, 10.5] inches

Leg length: 7 inches

Foot length: adjustable to fit



MATERIALS

Yarn

Biscotte & Cie - Felix self-striping [80% merino superwash 20% nylon; 365/334 per 100g skein]



Pink/red version:

[MC] Carrousel; 1 skein

[CC] Strawberry; 1 skein

Blue/green version:

[MC] Bulles et limetes; 1 skein

[CC] Limonade; 1 skein





Recommended needle size

[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

US #1.5/2.5 mm needles for working in the round

Notions

safety pin

stitch marker

yarn needle

GAUGE

32 sts/46 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.] These socks can be used as “yoga socks” (no heel and toes). A few rows of ribbing on the heel and toes edging will help to avoid rolled edges if you decide to go with this option. Slipped stitches are slipped knitwise on knitted rows and purlwise on purled rows. Pick up and knit: along the slipped-stitch edge of the spiral for right sock, you can refer to Theresa’s tutorial here. Pick up and purl: along the slipped-stitch edge of the spiral for left sock, the technique is slightly different : with yarn in front, insert the working needle from back to front, under both of the V-shaped elongated edge stitch, then wrap the yarn around the tip of the needle as to purl and pull the yarn back through the loops and onto your needle. For leg edging, heel and toes, you must pick up more stitches than there are edge stitches. In order to add these “missing” stitches, you have to add them evenly by using the backward loop cast-on. See Theresa’s tutorial here. KRL: This is a lifted increase. With the tip of the right needle, lift the right leg of the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle. Place this loop on the left needle and knit into it.



PRL: With the tip of the right needle, lift the right leg of the stitch below the next stitch on the left needle. Place this loop on the left needle (with right leg at the back) and purl into the back of it. Grafting: Instructions can be found here. Picot bind off: Instructions can be found here.



DIRECTIONS

RIGHT SOCK Right sock spiral increase:Using MC, cast on 2 stitches.



Row 1 [RS]: Sl1, m1, k1. 3 sts.



Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p to end.



Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, k to end.



Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, p to end.



Row 5 [RS]: sl1, m1, k to end.

1 st incr.



Rows 6-8: As Rows 2-4.



Repeat Rows 5-8 8 more times. 12 sts. Work even as set until piece measures 8.5 [9.5, 10.5] inches (this length must correspond to the circumference of your leg around your ankle). Right sock leg spiral:

You now have a small strip beginning with a point (cast-on edge). In order to create a spiral, attach the strip to the cast-on edge as follows:

See Illustration 1 at right --> Row 1 [RS] Sl1, k10, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the cast-on edge and pass the slipped stitch over.



Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p11. Continue in this manner until you have worked around the leg 3.5 times: you will be aligned with the first half of the spiral, 4 stripes below. If matching row gauge, the leg will be 6.25 inches at this point.



Right sock heel opening:

To create the heel opening, continue to work the strip without attaching it to the leg:

Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k11.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p11. Work even as set for 4.25[4.75, 5.25] inches. Right sock foot:

Work attached rows again as per the leg:

Row 1 [RS] Sl1, k10, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the cast-on edge and pass the slipped stitch over.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p11. Continue in this manner until you have worked around 3[3.5, 4] times, or for desired length, leaving 2 inches for toe decrease. Right sock toe decrease:

Row 1 [RS]: Sl1, ssk, k to last st, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the previous stripe border and psso.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, purl to end.

Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, k to last st, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the previous stripe border and psso.

Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, purl to end. Repeat Rows 1-4 until 3 sts rem.

Final row [RS]: Sl2, k1, pass slipped stitches over. Cut yarn and pull it through the last stitch. Cuff

Using CC, with RS facing, pick-up and knit 60[64, 68] stitches. Distribute across needles as you prefer and join to work in the round. Knit 3 rounds and work picot bind off. Heel

Hold sock facing the heel opening, with the foot up and the leg down. Using CC, with RS facing, starting in the ‘corner’, pick up and knit 60[64, 68] sts around the heel, working across leg side of opening first, and foot side of opening second. Place a safety pin in the fabric where you started picking up – this will be used later to align the toe. Yoga socks only: knit 3 rows of ribs [k1, p1] and bind off loosely. Ignore the rest of the heel part. Work a short-row heel on the upper half of the round -- those stitches closest to the leg -- as follows:



Row 1 [RS]: K29[31, 33], turn.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, p27[29, 31], turn.

Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, k26[28, 30], turn.

Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, p25[27, 29], turn.

Row 5 [RS]Sl1, k24[26, 28], turn.

Row 6 [WS]: Sl1, p23[25, 27], turn.

Row 7 [RS]Sl1, k22[24, 26], turn.

Row 8 [WS]: Sl1, p21[23, 25], turn.

Row 9 [RS]Sl1, k20[22, 24], turn.

Row 10 [WS]: Sl1, p19[21, 23], turn.

Row 11 [RS]: Sl1, k18[20, 22], turn.

Row 12 [WS]: Sl1, p17[19, 21], turn.

Row 13 [RS]: Sl1, k16[18, 20], turn.

Row 14 [WS]: Sl1, p15[17, 19], turn. Row 15 [RS]: Sl1, k14[16, 18], ssk, KRL, turn.

Row 16 [WS]: Sl1, p15[17, 19] p2tog, PRL, turn.

Row 17 [RS]: Sl1, k16[18, 20], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 18 [WS]: Sl1, p17[19, 21], p2tog, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 19 [RS] : Sl1, k18[20, 22], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 20 [WS]: Sl1, p19[21, 23], p2tog, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 21 [RS]: Sl1, k20[22, 24], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 22 [WS]: Sl1, p21[23, 25], p2tog, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 23 [RS]: Sl1, k22[24, 26], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 24 [WS]: Sl1, p23[25, 27], p2tog, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 25 [RS]: Sl1, k24[26, 28], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 26 [WS]: Sl1, p25[27, 29], p2tog, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 27 [RS]: Sl1, k26[28, 30], ssk, pick up 1 st, turn.

Row 28 [WS]: Sl1, p25[27, 29], p2tog, pick up 1 st.

Graft the heel closed.



Toe

Using CC, with RS facing, starting at the edge of the sock (aligned with where you started picking up stitches for the heel), pick up and knit 60[64, 68] sts for the toe.

Distribute sts across your needles as you prefer and join for working in the round. Place a marker at the center of the round, or distribute the stitches so that they are divided in half. Yoga socks only: knit 3 rows of ribs [k1, p1] and bind off loosely. Ignore the remainder of the toe section. Decrease round: K1, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of first half of the sock, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to 3 sts before end of round, k2tog, k1.

Following round: Knit.

Repeat the last 2 rounds until 32 sts rem. Graft or use three-needle bind off to close toe. LEFT SOCK

Left sock spiral increase:

In order to have the spiral on the opposite side, this sock is worked “inside out”. Using MC, cast on 2 stitches.



Row 1 [WS]: Sl1, m1, p1. 3 sts.



Row 2 [RS]: Sl1, k to end.



Row 3 [WS]: Sl1, p to end.



Row 4 [RS]: Sl1, k to end.



Row 5 [WS]: sl1, m1, p to end. 1 st increased.



Rows 6- 8: As Rows 2-4.



Repeat Rows 5-8 8 more times. 12 sts.



Work even as set until piece measures 8.5 [9.5, 10.5] inches (this length must correspond to the circumference of your leg around your ankle). Left sock leg spiral:

You now have a small strip beginning with a point (cast-on edge). In order to create a spiral, attach the strip to the cast-on edge as follows:

See Illustration 2 at right --> Row 1 [WS] Sl1, p10, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the cast-on edge and pass the slipped stitch over.



Row 2 [RS]: Sl1, k11. Continue in this manner until you have worked around the leg 3.5 times: you will be aligned with the first half of the spiral, 4 stripes below. Left sock heel opening:

To create the heel opening, continue to work the strip without attaching it to the leg: Row 1 [RS]: Sl 1, k11.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl 1, p11. Work even as set for 4.25[4.75, 5.25] inches. Left sock foot – End of spiral:

Work attached rows again as per the leg:

Row 1 [WS] Sl1, p10, sl1, pick up and knit 1 stitch from the right side of the cast-on edge and pass the slipped stitch over.

Row 2 [RS]: Sl1, k11. Continue in this manner until you have worked around 3[3.5, 4] times, or for desired length, leaving 2 inches for toe decrease. Left sock toe decrease:

Row 1 [RS] : Sl1, p2tog, p to last st, sl1, pick up and purl 1 stitch from the right side of the previous stripe border and psso.

Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, knit to end.

Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, p to last st, sl1, pick up and purl 1 stitch from the right side of the previous stripe border and psso.

Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, knit to end. Repeat Rows 1-4 until 3 sts rem.

Final row [RS]: Sl2, p1, pass slipped stitches over. Cut yarn and pull it through the last stitch. Turn the sock so that knit side is facing out and work the Cuff, Heel and Toe as per the right sock. FINISHING

Block and weave in the ends. ABOUT THE DESIGNER Louise Robert lives in metropolitan Montreal, Quebec, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in art history. She lives with her husband and her 3 kids, 2 cats and one beloved angora rabbit.



She is the owner of Biscotte & Cie, a yarn shop where she hand-dyes yarn in all kinds of self-striping, semi-solid and variegated colourways.





