A simple top-down sock with a short leg and a heel flap construction, One Art is a beginner sock designed to let a gorgeous fingering weight yarn (or two) speak for itself.

These socks were crafted for a dear friend who never got to wear them, as the socks mysteriously misplaced themselves when changing hands. The superficial grief of material loss and its simultaneous silliness and evocation of deeper tragedies is no better described than in Elizabeth Bishop’s bittersweet poem “One Art”. The socks, indeed, seemed “filled with the intent to be lost that their loss is no disaster”. I think of them with a smile and imagine some lucky stranger getting to enjoy them!

Hopefully you will have better luck keeping these socks around!

Errata
Heel Flap:
Rep Row 1-2 14 17, 20 more times for a total of 30 36, 42 heel flap rows, ending with Row 2.

Turn Heel (Option B):
Row 4 (RS): sl1, k1, sl1 until 2 before the gap, k1, ssk, k1. Turn.

Row 6 (RS): sl2, k1, sl1 until 1 before the gap, ssk, k1. Turn.

Sizes

Adult S (M, L)
Foot circumference 6 (7, 8) in unstretched (15 (17.5, 20) cm)

Needle

US Size 1 (2.25 mm) or size needed to obtain gauge

Needles to work in the round: a set of double pointed needles OR a 32-40 in circular needle for Magic Loop OR a 9 in circular needle (will also need double pointed needles or long circular to finish the toe)

Yarn

Malabrigo Sock (Fingering/4ply; 100% superwash merino wool, 440 yards / 100 grams)

250 (300, 350) yards
(Yardage adjustable, and depends on the length of leg and foot. 2 colors used in sample: 1 skein Whales Road, 1 skein Kris.)

Gauge

36 sts, 48 rows per 4 in / 10 cm in St st
Row gauge matters less; sizing is done by measurement, not rows.

Special Techniques

Heel flap