At first glance, this is a very simple design. This looks like ‘cuff-down socks with a ‘Strong’ heel, rounded toe and plain stocking stitch leg and foot’. However the simplicity ends there, because the Wee Duchess has designed a treat for feet: the whole of the heel, sole and toe is worked in partridge stitch. Partridge stitch knits up equivalent to 1.5 times thicker than the stocking stitch and makes a lovely bouncy fabric to walk on. The Wee Duchess explains step by step how to do this while compensating for the different gauges; stocking stitch on the top of the foot has a different gauge from partridge stitch on the sole; so the sock will end up a weird, uncomfortable shape if this is not rectified. Follow carefully the Wee Duchess’s detailed illustrated instructions and even a beginner should be able to do this. If you can cast on, knit and purl and work in the round, you can make these socks. Why make the heel, sole and toe different? Well, one of the most frustrating things about hand knit socks is that they wear out and require darning much more than machine knits. Most commonly, the holes appear at the heel and under the toe. After all that work! Compensation for the different gauges is achieved in this pattern by adding extra stitches and extra rows to the partridge stitch sections. This technique is unique to the Wee Duchess.
The Wee Duchess provides lots of illustrations and technical guidance, and the heel turn is written out in full so that you can tick off each line as you go.
The Duke absolutely loves his: he wears them for at least 3 days before he can be persuaded to take them off for washing!
3 unisex sizes are given, small, medium or large.
No picking up stitches, and only 2 ends to weave in!
If you prefer a finer weight, the pattern is also available in a 4-ply version, ‘SIMPLi 4PLi’.