Basketcase Socks - revisited

Since the Basketcase Socks pattern is now only available through archived web pages, I thought I'd put it up again here. I've made a few modifications to reflect the way I knit socks now - and I spell-checked it :-)


Basketcase Socks

A medium-sized sock with a stretchy-clingy woven rib design along the leg and down the instep. This sock was originally designed to provide some cling for a wool-cotton blend yarn but should work equally well, or better, with other yarns.

Materials:
DK weight yarn - three 50 g. balls
4 DPN needles size 2.5 mm., or size required to meet gauge
Stitch markers

Gauge:
7 sts equals 1 inch in st. st. worked in the round.

Special stitches used:
All stitches are slipped purl-wise unless otherwise noted.
SSK - Slip 1 knit-wise, Slip 1 purl-wise, insert left needle in front of the two stitches and K2tog.

Cast on 60 stitches. Join, being careful not to twist, and divide evenly (20, 20, 20) among three needles. Knit in K2, P2 rib for 20 rounds, approximately 2 inches.

Commence pattern (repeat of 12, pattern will be knit five times per round):

Rnds 1 & 2: K 10, P 2
Rnds 3 & 4: K 2, P 6, K 2, P 2
Rnds 5 & 6: K 10, P 2
Rnds 7 & 8: K 4, P 2, K6
Rnds 9 & 10: (P 2, K 2) twice, P 4
Rnds 11 & 12: K 4, P 2, K 6

Knit these 12 rounds a total of four times, or 48 rounds.

Divide for heel: In order to centre the instep pattern, knit the next eight stitches onto the same needle you just finished. Turn. Slip 1, purl across. Purl the next two stitches onto the heel flap needle. Needle now has 30 stitches. Divide the remaining 30 stitches evenly onto the two remaining needles or place on a stitch holder. Turn and commence heel flap.

Heel Flap (Eye of Partridge or staggered heel stitch)

Row 1: *Slip 1, K1*, repeat between *s.
Row 2: Slip 1, purl across.
Row 3: Slip 1, K2, *Slip 1, K1*, repeat between *s, end K1.
Row 4: Slip 1, purl across.

Repeat these four rows for a length of 2.75 inches, or as desired.

Turn heel (I chose to do a square heel, but you can, of course, choose whichever heel you wish)

Row 1: Slip 1, Knit 19 stitches, SSK, turn.
Row 2: Slip 1, Purl 10 stitches, P2tog, turn.
Row 3: Slip 1, Knit 10 stitches, SSK, turn.

Repeat the last two rows until all stitches have been worked (12 sts remaining). Slip 1, knit across.

Gusset and Instep:

Instep Pattern (18 stitches):

Rows 1 & 2: K 8, P 2, K 8
Rows 3 & 4: P 6, K 2, P 2, K 2, P 6
Rows 5 & 6: K 8, P 2, K 8
Rows 7 & 8: K 2, P 2, K 10, P 2, K 2
Rows 9 & 10: K 2, P 2, K 2, P 6, K 2, P 2, K 2
Rows 11 & 12: K 2, P 2, K 10, P 2, K 2

Pick up one stitch in each of the slipped stitch loops along the side of the heel flap.

Pick up an extra stitch in the corner between the heel flap and the instep and place it on the instep needle. Knit this extra stitch through the back loop. Knit 6 stitches. Place marker. Knit Row 1 of instep pattern. Knit to end of needle. Pick up one stitch in the corner and place it on the instep needle. Knit this extra stitch through the back loop. Pick up one stitch in each of the slipped stitch loops along the other side of the flap. Knit 6 stitches.

You are now at the beginning of the round (the middle of the heel) - if necessary, re-arrange stitches so the heel/gusset is divided evenly.

Knit to the last three stitches on needle one, K2tog, K1. On the instep needle, SSK, knit to marker, knit Row 2 of instep pattern, knit to last two stitches, K2tog. On needle three, K 1, SSK, knit to end.

Instep Decreases:
Rnd 1: Needle 1, knit across. Needle 2, knit to marker, knit next row of instep pattern, knit to end of needle. Needle 3, knit across.
Rnd 2: Needle 1, knit to last three stitches, K2tog, K1. Needle 2, knit to marker, knit next row of instep pattern, knit to end of needle. Needle 3, SSK, knit to end of needle.

Repeat these two rounds until you are down to 15 stitches on each of needles 1 and 3, 60 stitches total. At this point you may wish to move some stitches from the instep needle onto the other two needles to make it easier to knit, but be sure to re-arrange them 15-30-15 before you do the toe. Continue knitting even, keeping instep in pattern, until foot of sock is approximately two inches shorter than required foot length.

Toe:
Discontinue instep pattern and knit instep needle in st. st.

Decrease Rnd: Needle 1, knit to last three stitches, K2tog, K1. Needle 2, K1, SSK, knit to last three stitches, K2tog, K1. Needle 3, K1, SSK, knit to end.

Knit one Decrease Rnd, then knit 3 rounds even.
* Knit one Decrease Rnd, then knit two rounds even * two times.
* Knit one Decrease Rnd, then knit one round even * three times.
Continue with just Decrease Rnds until 16 stitches remain (4-8-4).

Knit the stitches on needle 1 onto needle 3 so you have 8 stitches on each needle. Graft toe stitches. Make another sock exactly the same!

Copyright notice: I am sharing this pattern with you for free. You can use and share this pattern for free. You CANNOT sell this pattern OR the products of it.

SMAK April - done!

My April SMAKs be done.


Both of them.

The pattern is Basketcase Socks, and the yarn is Smart DK, Colour 1042 1093. The socks are great, the yarn not so much. About the best I can is that it's serviceable. The socks are warm and comfy, the ribbing pattern clingy, but the yarn vexed me.
The ball on the right is how much I usually have left over from a pair of socks and three 50 gram balls of DK weight yarn. The ball on the left is what is left over from the Smart. I originally did these socks with a regular flap and turn. When I got to the toe, I looked at what was left and realized there wouldn't be enough. Ripped, did a short row heel, and made it to the end of the second sock. I like these socks, but most likely won't use this yarn again. Smart yarn, maybe not so smart.

This poor unfinished pair will be my May SMAKs.

They WILL be finished by the end of May. And since one of them is already half done, that means I have time to play with Starsky for a while :-)

Beautiful Blues

Many bloggers nowadays seem to be in a bit of a knitting funk. Not quite the blues, but just about. Me, I'm revelling in the blues because .... it's here!! IT'S HERE !!!

What the heck am I talking about? Well, you may remember, and you may not, whatever, that I won something. A Wendy something. Well, Wendy done gone and give me the blues!!

Aren't they gorgeous? A couple of shades of blue plus a couple of shades of grey equals me just tickled pink! That is exactly the kind of colours that would have attached themselves to me at the LYS and followed me home.

And there's more:

Opal. The yarn about which so many sockers obsess, and I have never, I say NEVER, knit with it because it's not readily available hereabouts. Bluesey stripeyness!! I finally get to see what all the fuss is about.

So yes, I'm celebrating the blues today. Thank you so much, Wendy! Dude, you're a peach, and I've had a lot of fun with your contest.

Unfortunately, I can't cast on either of these right now, because I already have two pairs of socks on the needles, and I have been trying to Focus on Finishing Something ... ahem. So needs must that I store them a little while. Yes, they will be joining their brethern in the stash to take a little rest after their long, hard journey. Mind you, their brethern are multidinous, and in order to properly accommodate them in their new accommodations, I have had to do a bit of crowding, squishing, crumpling, squeezing, squashing and crushing. Here I am, in my ever-so-debonair Regia Clown socks, doing just that -- jumping on (a) one of many, (b) one of too many, (c) one of never enough, (d) one of "how the heck are you going to use all that up," plastic storage bins, in an attempt to get the lid to shut.

Starsky's Back ....

I am pleased to report that my Starsky back is finished. At first, it looked like ka-ka. The stitch pattern really needs a good blocking. Using yarn that was frogged from another sweater and not washed before re-knitting added some additional bumps and lumps. He was definitely looking a little .... stressed. After a nice, long, warm bath and a little bit of yoga, he's feeling much better.

I've started on the front. Note: If you're knitting this pattern, check to ensure that you've got the most recent version, as there is a correction on the website. Once again, I have taken liberties with Starsky's ribs.

In other breaking news, the neighbours are getting used to seeing me out on the front step in my bathrobe with a camera at 6 a.m. I don't know whether this is good or bad.

The Best-est Thing ....

The best-est thing about finishing one luscious Fleece Artist Basic Merino sock .....

.... is that you can start on the other one and enjoy the experience all over again.

My two must-do projects are grey. I thought I should take a break and partake in a bit of colour.

That fits the bill, doesn't it.

And in other breaking news, it seems that I have won something. And not just any something, but a Wendy something. The Divine Ms. W held a begging contest, so a-begging I did go. It seems that I done gone a-begging so good that ... well, I won something. A Wendy something. How incredibly splendiferous!! Thank you so much, Wendy. I will now add the postal person to the list of people I stalk.