Heavy Socks

HEAVY SOCKS knitted on the ADDI 22

This is my own pattern for making heavy (bed or house) socks using my Addi 22 from start to finish:  heels, toes, ribs and all.  This pattern makes socks that fit women’s US size 8 or EU size 39.  It’s not possible to make them wider using the Addi, but you can certainly make them longer by adding rows to the ankle or foot sections.  The yarn you select and the tension also make a difference to the length, so you’ll probably need to make a number of pairs to learn the parameters (and the technique).  After a dozen pairs, I’m now feeling fairly confident!

I learned the German short rows machine technique from this video, so I encourage you to watch it several times before attempting the overall pattern.  You’ll need eight stitch markers. The toes are folded over and attached using Kitchener stitch.

Yarn:  wool or acrylic worsted weight yarn;  I used Big Twist Classic, about 28g (1 oz) per sock.  For the rib section, I used 2-3g Big Twist Twinkle because I like a bit of sparkle in my socks! Of course, you can use any worsted weight yarn – that’s a #4 yarn if you’re in the US, or roughly 200 meters per 100g if you’re European.  I like acrylic because you can wash and dry the socks without worrying about shrinkage;  however, wool socks are warmer.

Also:  stitch markers,  5-6mm circular needle for finishing toes and ribs, and a darning needle.

METHOD:

Rib and ankle section:

Cast on using waste yarn, and crank 5-6 rows.

Measure out 5’ (1.5m) of the yarn for the ribs, and tuck it down inside the machine;  you’ll use this at the end for casting off the rib.  Reset the row counter;  add rib yarn and crank 12 rows.

Row 13:  Starting with pin #2, pull off the top stitch and unravel until you have ONE stitch in the rib yarn.  Slide onto a latch hook, and methodically hook rows 2-12 back towards the working edge, making sure the knit stitches are on the upper surface (opposite to repairing a dropped stitch, where the knit stitches are on the lower surface).  Continue this process on alternative needles until you have completed this row.  You should have a k1, p1 rib all the way round.

Reset the row counter, and change the yarn to the main color.  Crank 28 rows.

Heel section:   STOP, and look at your machine.  You’re going to use the left half for the heel.  Mark pin #12, the pin opposite the first black pin;  this is your target pin for starting the heel.  The first part is eight progressively shorter rows to build up the fabric in the middle of the heel.

Row 1:  Crank slowly round to pin #12, loop your yarn over it with a stitch marker, and hold down the marker as you reverse direction and crank carefully back until pin #1 is fully up.  [This is where you look at the video again.]

Row 2:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #1, hold it down, and reverse to pin #11.

Row 3:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #11, hold it down, and reverse to pin #2.

Row 4:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #2, hold it down, and reverse to pin #10.

Row 5:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #10, hold it down, and reverse to pin #3.

Row 6:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #3, hold it down, and reverse to pin #9.

Row 7:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #9, hold it down, and reverse to pin #4.

Row 8:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #4, hold it down, and reverse.  Holding down the stitches to make sure they catch, finish cranking this entire row to pin #1.

Rows 9 and 10:  Crank two complete rows, holding down stitches as necessary.  Remove the stitch markers, as they’ll only confuse you and you will need them for the next bit.

STOP.  Look at the left half of the machine, and carefully count four pins back from pin #12;  that’s your target for the second half of the heel. You’re going to repeat the first section, only in reverse, starting in the middle and getting wider and wider.

Row 11:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #9, hold it down, and reverse to pin #4.

Row 12:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #4, hold it down, and reverse to pin #10.

Row 13:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #10, hold it down, and reverse to pin #3.

Row 14:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #3, hold it down, and reverse to pin #11.

Row 15:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #11, hold it down, and reverse to pin #2.

Row 16:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #2, hold it down, and reverse to pin #12.

Row 17:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #12, hold it down, and reverse to pin #1.

Row 18:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #1, hold it down, and reverse.  Crank a full row, making sure to hold down the stitches so that each one catches.  Stop just before the first black needle (pin #1).  Remove stitch markers.

Foot section:  Reset row counter, and crank 28 rows.  You’ll want to hold down the stitches for the first row.  Stop just before pin #1, with that pin fully up but not engaged.

Toe section – exactly the same as the heel section BUT on the right half of the work, not the left.

Row 1:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #1, hold it down, and reverse to pin #12.

Row 2:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #12, hold it down, and reverse to pin #22.

Row 3:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #22, hold it down, and reverse to pin #13.

Row 4:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #13, hold it down, and reverse to pin #21.

Row 5:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #21, hold it down, and reverse to pin #14.

Row 6:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #14, hold it down, and reverse to pin #20.

Row 7:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #20, hold it down, and reverse to pin #15.

Row 8:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #15, hold it down, and reverse.  Holding down the stitches to make sure they catch, finish cranking this entire row to pin #1.

Rows 9 and 10:  Crank two full rows, holding down stitches as necessary.  Remove markers.

Row 11:  Crank to pin #20, use stitch marker to loop the yarn there, and reverse to pin #15.

Row 12:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #15, hold it down, and reverse to pin #21.

Row 13:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #21, hold it down, and reverse to pin #14.

Row 14:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #14, hold it down, and reverse to pin #22.

Row 15:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #22, hold it down, and reverse to pin #13.

Row 16:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #13, hold it down, and reverse to pin #1.

Row 17:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #1, hold it down, and reverse to pin #12.

Row 18:  Use a stitch marker to loop the yarn over pin #12, hold down, and reverse to finish row.

Row 19:  Crank one full row, making sure to hold down the stitches so that each one catches.  Remove stitch markers. Go past pin #1, and cut main yarn with a 2’ tail (1.1m approx.).

Add waste yarn and crank 5-6 rows, then take the sock off the machine.

Finish rib by picking up 22 stitches on a circular needle, stripping out the waste yarn, and casting off loosely, picking up a stitch between every two existing stitches – cast off 44 rather than 22, otherwise, the rib won’t fit over the heel.

Finish toe using Kitchener stitch.  Sew in all ends… and you’re done!

Here is the .pdf file:  22-pin Heavy Socks pattern