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Rattlesnake Creek Socks

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Skill Level: Intermediate or Adventurous Beginner

Materials: Approximately 400 yards of fingering (sock) weight yarn. The originals were knit with Wooly Wonka Fibers Simply Superwash Merino Sock Yarn.

Needles: Size 1 US (2.25 mm) double-pointed needles

Gauge: 8-1/2 stitches per inch measured over stockinette stitch

Finished Size: Length of foot 9-1/2 inches long (to fit Women's Medium)

Pattern Notes:
This cabled sock is named after Rattlesnake Creek, in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. The sinuous cables run the length of the sock down onto the foot. Pattern details include a square heel and a rounded toe. The top of this sock fits very snugly. You may wish to work the leg on needles that are 1 or 2 sizes larger than the foot for ease.



Instructions:
Using US size 1 (2.25-mm) DPNs, cast on 72 stitches loosely on 3 needles with 24 stitches per needle. Work K2, P2 rib for 1 inch.

Begin working Rattlesnake Cables chart. Work rounds 1 through 35. Work these rounds a second time ENDING ON ROUND 33 of the second repeat. (If you wish to extend the leg, you can add another set of cables here, either working a half repeat - 15 rounds - or a full repeat of 33 rounds. Be sure to check your yarn yardage to be sure you will have enough to complete the socks.)

Heel: Divide stitches for the heel: Beginning with the stitches on needle 1, knit 34 stitches. Rearrange remaining leg stitches onto 2 needles, and then turn, sl 1 stitch, and then purl back across the stitches on needle 1.

Row one: Sl 1 with the yarn at the back, then K1, Sl 1; repeat across row.

Row two: Sl 1, then purl back.

Knit rows one and two until heel placket is 34 rows deep, or desired length. (You should have 17 slipped stitches on each edge of the heel.)

Turn the heel: Row 1: With the right side of the heel facing out, knit 19 stitches, then SSK, k1 and turn. Row 2: Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn. Row 3: Sl 1, knit to the stitch before the gap, then SSK, K1 and turn. Row 4: S1 1, purl to the stitch before the gap, then p2tog, p1 and turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until all stitches have been worked, ending with a wrong side row. Knit across half the remaining stitches to center back of heel and begin gusset shaping. Slide these stitches to a spare needle (needle 4).

Gusset Shaping: Knit from the center back of the heel to the edge, and pick up 17 stitches along the edge of the heel placket on needle 1.

Working on needle 2, begin with round 5 of the chart, but start with column/stitch number three (which will be a purl stitch). Maintain cable pattern across needles 2 and 3, ending with two purl stitches (stitches 21 and 22 of the chart). Then, pick up 17 stitches along the heel placket and knit remaining stitches on needle 4.

Gusset Round 1: Starting at the center of the heel on needle 1, knit to 2 sts before the end, K2tog. Knit pattern on needles 2 and 3, continuing to start with stitch #3 of the chart, and ending with stitch #22. On needle 4, ssk the first 2 stitches, then knit to the end.

Gusset Round 2: Knit all stitches on needle 1, knit pattern stitches at 2 and 3, and knit all stitches on needle 4.

Repeat these two rounds, continuing the pattern rows on needles 2 and 3, until all the gusset stitches have been knitted and there are 18 stitches left on each needle. Continue working the 4 rows of the pattern stitch on needles 2 and 3, and stockinette on stitches 1 and 4, until sock measures 1-1/2 inches from desired length of foot. (End on either round 17 or 35. You can add extra plain stockinette rounds if you wish to extend the length, before toe decreases.)

Toe: Knit one round in stockinette stitch. On the next row, *K6, K2tog *; repeat. Knit 5 rounds without decreases. On the next round, *K5, K2tog. Then knit 4 rounds without decreases. On the next round, *K4, K2tog *; repeat. Knit 3 rounds. On the next round, *K3, K2tog *; repeat. Knit 2 rounds. On the next round, *K2, K2tog *; repeat. Knit 1 rounds. On the next round, *K1, K2tog *; repeat. On the last round, K2tog. Break yarn and run through remaining stitches on needles. Sew in end at toe and at cast-on edge. Block lightly.

Make second sock to match.

Chart:



Pattern: