Mutant
Mutant
Several years ago, I devised the Evil Sock Genius Lessons, instructions for making socks with any yarn, any gauge. The "Mutant" represents an evolutionary branch of those techniques, specifically for making socks with sport weight yarn.
Targets
Sock circumference 7½ (8, 8½, 9¼) inches. These will fit feet with a mid-foot circumference of 8½ (9¼, 9¾, 10½) inches.
Target gauge is 6½ st/in. Socks are better with a firm fabric, so this may be a tighter gauge than the yarn recommends.
Weapons
Desirable sport weight yarn.
U.S. size 3 (3.25 mm) circular needle (or size to get gauge), at least 32 inches long. Knit Picks, ChiaoGoo, and Addi Turbos have soft, flexible cables and smooth joins.
Special Skills
Various Increase Methods. The different techniques for adding stitches produce different effects, and alter the knit fabric in subtle ways. Feel free to use whatever increases you prefer.
KLL: Insert the left needle into the left side of the stitch two rows below the stitch on the right needle; knit the back of the lifted stitch.
KRL: Insert the right needle into the right side of the stitch one row below the stitch on the left needle; place that stitch on the left needle, knit it, then knit the next stitch.
M1L: Yarnover. In the next round, twist the yarnover by knitting through the back loop.
M1R: Yarnover. In the next round, twist the yarnover by working as k-twist (see below).
k-twist: Slip yarnover stitch knitwise onto the right needle, changing its mount. Slip the stitch back to the left needle purlwise; the front leg of the stitch now lies in back of the needle while the back leg of the stitch comes down the front of the needle. Knit the back leg like it's a normal stitch, which further twists it to the right.
Knitting the Toe
Begin with your favorite toe-creation method. If you don't have one, try this.
Cast on 8 (10, 10, 12) stitches using Turkish cast on and knit 1.5 rounds. (Or, use Judy's Magic Cast-On, putting this number of stitches on each needle, and knit 1 round).
Begin to think of the first 8, 10, or 12 stitches as the sole (bottom) of the foot, and the other 8, 10, or 12 stitches as the instep (top).
Knit 1, KRL, knit until 1 st remains on the sole, KLL, knit 1. Repeat for instep.
Knit 2, M1L, knit until 2 sts remain on the sole, M1R, knit 2. Repeat for instep.
Knit round plain. (If you used yarnovers to increase in the previous round, be sure to twist them in this round).
Repeat the last two rounds until there are 20 stitches per side, 40 stitches total.
Knit 2, M1L, knit until 2 sts remain on the sole, M1R, knit 2. Repeat for instep.
Knit two rounds plain.
Repeat the last three rounds until there are 24 (26, 28, 30) stitches per side, 48 (52, 56, 60) stitches total.
"Just Start Knitting" Toe
The toe is your gauge swatch. Cast on and just start knitting.
Check the yarn label to see how many stitches there are in an inch. Add 50%.
Cast on that many stitches using Turkish cast on (or about 3/4 inch in wraps) and knit 1.5 rounds. (Or, use Judy's Magic Cast-On, putting this number of stitches on each needle, and knit 1 round).
Begin to think of the first half of your stitches as the sole (bottom) of the foot, and the other half as the instep (top).
Knit 1, M1R, knit until 1 st remains on the sole, M1L, knit 1. Repeat for instep.
Knit 2, M1L, knit until 2 sts remain on the sole, M1R, knit 2. Repeat for instep.
Knit round plain.
Repeat the last two rounds until toe is about 1 inch long.
Knit 2, M1L, knit until 2 sts remain on the sole, M1R, knit 2. Repeat for instep.
Knit two rounds plain.
Repeat the last three rounds until your toe is the right circumference. I find that 8.5 inches around is a good target, or about 12% less than the circumference of the intended wearer's foot.
Be careful not to increase too many times. If the sock toe fits over all five toes, then it's too big. If it fits over all except the "pinkie" toe, then it's probably the right size.
Knitting the Foot
By this point, you can tell whether you like the gauge and the resulting fabric, so continue knitting in the round for the foot. If you wish, you can work ribbing or some other pattern across the instep.
When your sock is about 3 inches long, it's time to begin planning where to start your gusset increases. By strange coincidence, the number of stitches around your sock is equal to the number of rows it will take to knit your gusset and heel.
Determine your row gauge (rounds per inch). Divide your sock's stitch circumference by your row gauge. This is your gusset and heel length -- let's call it "Gus."
I recommend rounding "Gus" up a bit, which will help keep your sock from being too long. Continue knitting until your sock is "Gus" inches shorter than the total length of your foot.
Gusset Increases
Evil Geniuses are not constrained by rules.
The great Cat Bordhi discovered that gusset increases in this section can be placed anywhere on the sock and it will still fit. All you have to do is increase at the rate of 2 stitches every three rounds. The instructions here produce a gusset increase line that runs low along the side of the foot. As your genius develops, follow Bordhi's lead and explore the possibilities before you.
If you haven't yet decided, decide now which side of your sock is the top (instep) and which is the bottom (sole).
Knit the sole plain. On the instep side, M1L, work across all instep stitches, M1R.
Knit two rounds plain.
Work these three rounds until you have increased your original stitch circumference by 50%. Another way to put it:
Remember to work gusset increases on every third round until you have increased from your original stitch circumference 50%. Next you'll work short rows on the sole to turn the heel.