Socks with Mini-Cables ...

... or "It Is Important to Choose the Right Yarn"

I wanted to knit a pair of socks with some sock yarn (slightly variegated) that I had bought a few years ago. My pattern "requirements" were simply that I wanted an easy pattern, but not too boring. So I decided on a pattern of mini cables - C2B cables to be precise.
When I had knitted a few of the pattern repeats I noticed that the cabling was barely visible :/ Nevertheless, I finished because ... well ... I wanted a sock that fitted me and I didn't mind too much about the pattern. But I learned (again) that it is quite important to choose a yarn that fits the stitch pattern you're using. The yarn that I used was a bit too wild in color (and probably too dark), so that the stitch pattern didn't really show.
But anyway, I've got a new pair of socks - knitted toe up with an afterthought heel.
Below (in section "Stitch Pattern) you find a photo of the same pattern knitted in yarn with a solid color.

This is NOT a complete knitting pattern, but just a sketch or rather a stitch pattern (over 8 stitches and 12 rows) that can be used for socks. It only works for socks with a number of stitches that is a multiple of 8.
For socks there are many general instructions and tutorials around, I have linked to some in the Techniques section of this post.


This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




Materials

• about 60 to 80 grams of fingering weight yarn
• 2.5 mm needles, e.g. dpns
• a tapestry needle (for grafting and weaving in ends)
• scrap yarn (for afterthought heel)

Techniques

• Judy's Magic Cast-On is a technique that gives you live stitches on both sides of your needle - it is generally used for toe-up socks (e.g. in this pattern), but it can be used for other purposes as well. Here's a written description (from Knitty) and here's a YouTube-video by Cat Bordhi and another YouTube-video by Very Pink Knits.
• C2B cables without a cable needle - as shown in this video by Purl Avenue 
• Afterthought heel: A great overview how to do an afterthought heel can be found here at dummies.com. Knit Purl Hunter has a series of three YouTube videos where the steps to knit an afterthought heel are shown.
  - placing the scrap yarn
  - removing the scrap yarn
  - knitting the heel.
• And knitting an afterthought heel includes kitchener stitch: e.g. as shown in this YouTube video by Very Pink Knits (even though she uses it to graft the toe of a cuff-down sock :) 
• Cutting a sock template of your feet: To make the finished piece fit your feet, it is useful to measure your feet and to cut out a card template. Here's a blogpost at knitbettersocks.blogspot.com that explains the idea. For the heel as knitted here, make a mark at 5 cm from the end of the heel.
  If you want to knit a pair for someone else and cannot get a template, here are standard shoe size templates.  

Stitch Pattern
The stitch pattern consists of a repeat of 8 stitches and 12 rounds.
Round 1: * p1 C2B p1 k2 p1 repeat from *
Round 2 and all even rounds: * p1 k2 p1 repeat from *
Round 3 = Round 1
Round 5 = Round 1
Round 7: * p1 k2 p1 C2B  p1 repeat from *
Round 9 = Round 7
Round 11 = Round 7
Below you can find a chart as well as a photo of this stitch pattern in a solid color yarn.

Instructions

Toe

With the magic CO cast on 2x10 stitches

To get a rounded toe, my usual toe is:

• 4 x increases in every row
• 2 x increases in every 2nd row
• 2 x increases in every 3rd row
• then increases every 4th row ... until wide enough

This means:

Round 1: Knit all - while placing stitch markers after 10 sts and at the end of the round - alternatively divide the stitches on your needles in such a way that you know exacly where one half of your stitches are.

Round 2 (increase round): * k1, kfb, k to one before marker, kfb, k1, slip marker repeat from *

Rounds 3 to 5 = increase rounds

Round 6 (neutral round): k all 

Round 7 = increase round
Round 8 = neutral round
Round 9 = increase round
Rounds 10 to 11 = neutral round
Round 12 = increase round
Rounds 13 to 14 = neutral round
Round 15 = increase round
Rounds 16 to 18 = neutral round
Round 19 = increase round
Repeat rounds 16 to 19 until the sock is wide enough and your stitch count is a multiple of 8.

Remove the marker that marks the middle of the round, but leave the one that marks the beginning of the round.

Foot
Knit the front part in pattern (I knitted 3.5 repeats - in width) and the back (sole) part in plain stockinette.

Continue until the piece is long enough to start the heel.

Heel Preparation
Slip the front stitches and knit the stitches of the sole with scrap yarn.

Cuff
Like foot, but with pattern on front and back

Ribbing
Knit 9 rows of p1k2p1-ribbing (i.e. k2p2 ribbing with an offset of 1 purl stitch) and bind off in pattern.

Finish heel.

Weave in ends.
Make two.