Grad Socks

I'm excited to announce my sister graduated college! YAY ELLIE! 

For those who don't know me in person, I have two younger sisters, currently 24 and going on 22. My sister Ellie is the middle sibling and graduated with her bachelors degree from UC Davis. 

Obviously we didn't have a traditional graduation as we are in the middle of COVID19 but we hosted our immediate family and Ellie's boyfriends family over for grad. 

It was amazing. This was so much better than sitting in the heat for hours like we did at mine. This was low key and fun in our backyard with snack and drinks, my nanny baby, and a quick virtual graduation. 

As this was such a big occasion I knit Ellie a pair of socks to commemorate, what was even better is that they are her school colors! All UC's have some combo of blue/yellow or gold as the colors. This yarn was given to me by a co-worker and friend from the yarn shop. Her mother had purchased the yarn in Switzerland and knew she was never going to knit with it. 

Ellie was very pleased with her gift and her graduation:) 

Garden Patch

It's summer time and that means self-striping patterns! Garden Patch was inspired by the fabulous garden my parents and many other people all around my small town have planted. I love seeing the small tidy rows of plants and raised garden boxes, all of these are reflected in the new design!

437 yards / 400 meters fingering weight yarn 

Needle: US 1.5 / 2.5mm (Needle Ambiguous, you can use your preferred sock knitting method i.e. DPNs, Magic Loop, 9 inch circulars, two circulars.)

Pattern uses Modified Eye of Partridge Heel Flap and Wedge Toe

Gauge: 32 stitches by 32 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette

Size: Women’s Medium size foot: US 8.5 / EU 39

Notions needed:

Two different stitches markers (One each for A and B)

Darning Needle for Kitchener and weaving in ends  

K: Knit

P: Purl

P2Tog: Purl two together

K2Tog: Knit two together

PW: Purlwise

KW: Knitwise

SSK: Slip, slip, knit

SM: Slip marker

WYIF: With yarn in front

WYIB: With yarn in back

----

Cuff: 

Cast on 64 Stitches and join in the round, being careful not to twist. Place a marker at the beginning of the round, if preferred.

Knit 2, Purl 2 for 18 rounds and in the last round of ribbing place marker B at half-way.

Leg: 

Panel A is worked on the first 32 stitches, Panel B is worked on the second 32 stitches.

Panel A	Panel B
Round 1: Knit	Round 1: Knit
Round 2: Knit	Round 2: K1, P1
Round 3: K2, P2
Round 4: K2, P2

Repeat panel rounds until you have reached preferred leg length.

Starting heel flap. (You will be working flat on half of your stitches) 

If you want to use a contrast heel please start using contrast yarn.

Turn work with wrong side facing, you will be working back across the last 32 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 3, Purl across

Row 2: Purl 3, * K1, slip 1 knitwise with yarn in back * repeat to last 3 stitches, K3

Row 3: Knit 3, Purl across

Row 4: Purl 3, * slip 1 knitwise with yarn in back, K1 * repeat to last 3 stitches, K3 

Repeat these four rows eight times total (You will have 16 Garter Bumps along the edge.)

Starting the heel turn

Row 1: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P16, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 2: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K3, SSK, K1, turn

Row 3: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P4, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 4: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K5, SSK, K1, turn  

Row 5: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P6, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 6: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K7, SSK, K1, turn

Row 7: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P8, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 8: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K9, SSK, K1, turn

Row 9: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P10, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 10: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K11, SSK, K1, turn

Row 11: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P12, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 12: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K13, SSK, K1, turn

Row 13: Slip 1 PW WYIF, P14, P2Tog, P1, turn

Row 14: Slip 1 KW WYIB, K15, SSK, K1

(You should have closed all ‘gaps’ and have 18 stitches from the heel flap and turn)

Cut contrast yarn (if used) and pick up and knit with main color.

Gusset:

Now pick up and Knit 16 stitches along the heel flap (one stitch for every garter bump) 

Once you’ve picked up the first side of the gusset, pick up one extra stitch in between the gusset and top of the foot (This helps close up any small hole between gusset and foot)

Place marker A after picking up and knitting the stitch between gusset and foot.

Work pattern across top of foot, place marker B.

Now pick up and knit one extra stitch between the top of the foot and the next side of the gusset, pick up and knit 16 garter bumps from heel flap. (You now have 84 stitches on your needles, 32 from marker A to B, 52 from marker B to A.)

Knit one round plain (no increasing/decreasing, follow pattern at top of the foot)

After knitting this round, stop three stitches before marker A.

Round 1: K2TOG, K 1, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, K1, SSK, continue to round 2.

Round 2: Knit to marker, sm, work in pattern to next marker, sm, knit to three stitches before marker A. Continue to round 1.

Repeat these two rounds until you have 32 stitches left between marker B and A

Foot:

Continue working in pattern across top of foot and knitting along the bottom until foot length measures 1.5 inches less than desired length.

Toe:

Start toe decreases three stitches before marker A (When knitting in the round becomes uncomfortable, switch to Double Point Needles)

Round 1: K2TOG, K1, sm, K1, SSK, Knit to three stitches before next marker, K2TOG, K1, sm, K1, SSK knit to the end of the round.

Round 2: Knit entire round

Repeat these two rounds until sock measures length of foot. (Stitch count will be determined by the length of your toe box.)

Complete the sock with a kitchener stitch.

When finished with the kitchener stitch, weave in all ends and wear with pride! Blocking makes your socks look amazing but is not necessary.