Minnie's sock pattern was given to us by our friend and expert sock knitter, Sandra Googins. Sandra is a native of northern Maine, and Minnie was Sandra's knitting mentor & second mother for 50 years. Minnie gave Sandra a pair of needles and some yarn when she was ten years old and as the saying goes in the North Country, she took to it like a moose takes to a bog. Minnie didn't like using the kitchenner toe closure, so this is her alternative toe. Minnie's socks have kept at least five generations of toes warm during Maine's "wicked cold wintahs". We hope you will enjoy this pattern and pass it along. Thanks Sandra, for sharing with us!
SKILL LEVEL: Advanced Beginner
SIZE: Adult's small, medium and large
MATERIALS
YARN: 4 oz/100 grams of fingering weight or sock yarn
(the sock pictured is made with Steinbach Wolle Strapaz, color #013)
NEEDLES: US size 2 double point needles
GAUGE: 8 sts = 1 inch
INSTRUCTIONS
CUFF
With one needle, cast on 44 (52, 60) sts. Divide on three needles as follows: Needle 1 - 11 (13, 15) sts, Needle 2 - 22 (26, 30) sts, Needle 3 - 11 (13, 15) sts. Being careful not to twist the stitches, join and work in the round as follows: *(K1, P1), repeat from * around. Work in K1, P1 ribbing for 4 1/2 ( 5, 6) inches.
HEEL FLAP
Take from needles 1 and 3, 22 (26, 30) sts and put on 1 needle for heel flap, leaving 22 (26 -30) sts for the instep on needle 2.
Row 1: Slip 1, K1 repeat across row
Row 2: PURL this row
Repeat these two rows for 1 1/2 (2, 2 1/2) inches ending on a Knit row
TURN HEEL
Row 1: Purl 13 (15, 17) sts, p2tog, P1, TURN
Row 2: Slip 1, K5, K2tog, K1, TURN
Row 3: Slip 1, P6, P2tog, P1, TURN
Row 4: Slip 1, K7, K2tog, K1, TURN
Continue in this manner, always increasing one stitch each row, until 14 (16, 18) sts remain
End on Knit row
HEEL GUSSET
(This puts the sock back on three needles)
Pickup 11 (13, 15) sts along heel flap evenly
You now have 18 (21, 24) sts on needles 1 and 3 and 22 (26, 30) sts on needle 2
Row 1 (needle 1): Knit across needle until 3 sts remain, K2togK1, Knit across all stitches and Knit to the end of row on needle 3
Row 2: KNIT this row
Knit rows 1 and 2 until you have 11 (13, 15) sts on needles 1 and 3
FOOT
Now knit every stitch on all needles until foot measured from heel flap is 4 (5, 6 1/2) inches (This is 1 1/2 inches less than the desired foot length of sock)
TOE
Row 1: Needle 1 - Knit across until 3 sts remain K2togK1, Needle 2 - K1, K2tog K until 3 stitches remain on the needle, K2togK1, Needle 3 - K1, K2tog, K until the end of row
Row 2: Knit
Knit rows 1 and 2 for 5 (6, 7) rows
Now, Knit row 1 only until there are 4 (3,2) sts on needle 1 and 3 and 8 (6, 4) sts on needle 2
FINISHING TOE
K2tog across, repeat this one more time and then draw all remaining stitches together at end of toe and cut yarn leaving a tail of at least 8 inches. Using a blunt tapestry needle, sew through the the stitches several times and weave in end.
