Socks with chequerboard stripes

“You and I are gonna live forever…”
I was surprised to hear my teenage child singing an Oasis song recently. Turns out that the music I liked as a 90s teenager is back.
I have a favourite pair of hand-knitted socks which has lived – well, not for-ever, and not actually since the 1990s, but certainly since well before my chil-dren were born.
The original design was made up along the way, but I think it is worthy of a new life. The chequerboard stripe on the foot supports the foot arch as well as adding a sprinkle of colour. The stripes are an ideal introduction to col-ourwork, as they are short sections using the simplest pattern possible.
The original socks have been thoroughly darned but are showing their age. Time for the next generation.
SIZE
Small adult large adultn small adult size)
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot circumference: 7.758.25 inches
Foot length: 99.75inches
MATERIALS
Any sock yarn can be used. Two colours are needed: 100 g of main colour (MC) and 50 g of contrast colour (CC). Regia 4 Ply 100g - Jeans Meliert (2137) is used as MC in old and new samples, and West Yorkshire Spinners Signa-ture 4 Ply - Fuchsia (1002) is used as CC in new sample.

1 set(s) US 2/2.75 mm double-pointed needles or 1 or 2 long US 2/2.75 mm circular needles for magic loop or two circulars methods
Darning needle
GAUGE
32 sts/46 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch
PATTERN NOTES
If using magic loop or two circulars method, divide stitches into back stitches and front stitches. If using double-pointed needles, I suggest keeping the back stitches together and dividing the front stitches into two sections (the back stitches are knitted first).
Cast-on
I suggest using the Figure 8 cast-on or Turkish cast-on so that the socks are as closely matched as possible. I use a variant of the Figure 8 cast-on where I start with an anchoring slipknot instead of a loop, and use one needle and a length of circular needle cable to make the loops instead of two needles (this makes the loops smaller so that they do not need to be adjusted afterwards). Alternatively, you can use Judy’s magic cast-on, but this gives an extra half-row of stitches.
Bind-off
I suggest using Jeny’s surprisingly stretch bind off. Another option is the Socknitters’ variant of the Elizabeth Zimmermann sewn bind-off to make a neat and stretchy edge: Break yarn, leaving a tail about 4 times as long as the circumference of the sock. Thread a tapestry needle. Sew forward (right to left) through two stitches as if to purl, leave the stitches on. Sew backward (left to right) through one stitch as if to knit and remove the stitch. Repeat from until you run out of stitches. For the first stitch only, after you go backwards through it, do not remove it but instead move it to be the last stitch at the end of the round. It will then become the final stitch to be bound off.
Chequered Section
A simple mosaic pattern is used for this section. Only one colour is used in each round.
Add CC without breaking off MC.
Round 1 – k1 CC, sl1p, repeat from to end, holding the unused yarn at back of the work
Round 2 – k in MC
Round 3 – sl1p, k1 CC, repeat from to end, again holding the unused yarn at back of the work
Round 4 – as Round 2
Repeat Rounds 1-4 two times more (3 times in total). Work Rounds 1 and 2 one time more. You will have 7 bands of stripes.
M1R
Right-leaning increase: pick up strand between stitches from behind with left needle, k.
M1L
Left-leaning increase: pick up strand between stitches from in front with left needle, kbl.
SS(P)K
Left-leaning decrease: slip one stitch knitwise, slip one stitch purlwise, knit these two stitches together.
W&T
Wrap and turn.