Knitting Knit - Socks for CP Delf girls

Socks for DES (otherwise known as "You are INSANE" socks)

I call them that because that is, generally, the response I get when people see me knitting with my needles and embroidery thread. However, I like (aka obsess) with things being in gauge, and I wanted to make socks for my dolls that actually fit in shoes. Hence, these socks.

They're not for everyone, I realize that. Knitting in the round with cotton isn't easy; however, once you get the hang of it, it's not hard. These are also toe-up socks, with real heels (I actually found the heel directions from another pattern and they work exactly the same starting from the top or bottom of the sock).

This pattern would be called, I suppose, a blank. You can knit it, just as it is, and have a plain sock. Or, you can add patterns, textures, stripes, and have socks to match whatever your doll's (and your) fancy is.

Size: Dark Elf Soo foot (ie: width at the ball of foot: 6.5 cm, length from toe to heel, 6.7cm)
Supplies:
DMC perle cotton, size 12 (1 ball does one pair of socks, with leftover) in color/colors you want.
Size 1mm or 5/0 knitting needles (I use 5 for knitting in the round)
Needle (a large sewing needle or a small darning needle works)
Scrap of thread in contrasting color

Gauge: 7.5 sts per cm

Instructions:

http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter02/FEATtiptoptoes.html
http://www.queenkahuna-creations.com/crazytoesandheels_alohacaston.pdf
(both of these give good instructions for doing toes for toe-up socks; I prefer the aloha cast on, or the Easy toe from Knitty)
Toes:
Cast on 10 sts on two needles with the figure 8 or aloha cast on. (If you choose to do short rows, cast on 24 and work short rows down to 10 and then back to 24. If doing the easy toes, cast on 10 on one needle, work 4 rows of stocking st, and then pick up 10 from the cast on).
Toe increases (for those not doing short rows):
Row 1:
Needle 1: k1, make 1 (use your favorite), k to end
Needle 2: k to last st, make 1, k1
Needle 3: k1, make 1, k to end
Needle 4: k to last st, make 1, k1
Row 2: Knit all stitches on all needles

Repeat these two rows until you have a total of 48 sts, or 12 sts on each of the needles.

Foot:
Work even for 4.3 cm (came to 36 rows for me), either in stocking st or whatever pattern you have chosen (a pattern that is a multiple of 4 works well for these socks). You have to decide which is the top of the sock (instep) and which is the sole.

Heel:
Row 1:
Needles 1 & 2: (instep) knit (if you have a pattern, cont pattern)
Needle 3: Knit 1, lifted increase (aka KLL see: http://www.knittinghelp.com/knitting/basic_techniques/increase.php for video how-to), k to end
Needle 4: k to last st, lifted increase (aka KRL), k last stitch
Row 2: Knit all stitches (or work pattern across first two needles, k last two)

Repeat these two rows until you have 70 stitches total (or 23 stitches on each of Needles 3 and 4).

Turning the heel:
Slide all the heel stitches to one needle. Work across instep sts, then proceed as follows (we're now going to be working in rows. I found it easier to slide the instep sts onto a scrap of thread so I had fewer needles to wiggle around):
slip 1, k24, SSK, k1, turn
slip 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn
slip 1, k6, SSK, k1, turn
slip 1, p7, p2tog, p1, turn
slip 1, k8, SSK, k1, turn
slip 1, p9, p2tog, p1, turn

Repeat until all sts are worked (I ended on a p row). Readjust needles and stitches so you have 12 sts on each of the instep needles, and 13 (yeah, 13, not 12) on the heel needles. To even out the number of sts to 48 again, I did the following: On the heels, Needle 3: k2tog, k to end. Needle 4: K to last two sts, SSK.

Now, to make sure there's no holes when we start going around again, I picked up a loop from the heel portion and K2tog'ed it with the first stitch of the instep, and SSK'ed it to the last stitch of the instep. Otherwise, I worked this round even. Should now be 12 stitches on each needle (48 total) and ready for the cuff.

For the socks in the picture, I worked .5cm (6 rows) in stocking st, then increase the number of sts on each needle from 12 to 18. I then worked 4.5cm in k2, p2 ribbing, and bound off using a sewn Bind off (explained here: http://weebleknits.blogspot.com/2003/05/stretchy-bind-offs.html).

Repeat for second sock.

This gives you school girl type ankle socks, with cuffs you can fold over. You can make them longer, or shorter. (I have notes for making them knee or thigh highs, but they're as yet untested).

Hopefully this makes sense. If not, feel free to ask and I hope I can explain.

Happy Knitting!

-Meredith