Up a Tree

These are my notes for adapting Rebekkah Kerner's "Francie" pattern to toe up construction. My notes are not detailed, and if you have trouble following them, please let me know and I'll try to explain.

Please do not share this page with anyone else unless they have bought Rebekkah Kerner's original pattern.

Techniques

Magic Loop (Google)

Turkish Cast-On (Google)

k-twist: Slip next 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.

M1P: See http://www.knittingdaily.com/blogs/howto/archive/2008/05/15/purlwise-raised-increase-m1p.aspx

For M1R and M1L increases, choose your favorite right- and left-leaning increases.

Toe

Turkish Cast-on 8 wraps. Knit one round (16 sts total). Begin toe increases:

    1. k1, yo, k6, yo, k1; repeat for top of sock (20 sts total)

    2. k1, yo, ktbl, k6, k-twist, yo, k1; repeat (24 sts total)

    3. k1, yo, ktbl, k8, k-twist, yo, k1; repeat (28 sts total)

    4. k1, yo, ktbl, k10, k-twist, yo, k1; repeat (32 sts total)

    5. k1, ktbl, k12, k-twist, k1; repeat (32 sts total)

Begin increasing to create ribbed pattern.

    1. k1, M1P, k14, M1P, k1; repeat for top of sock (36 sts)

    2. [and all even rounds] work in pattern as stitches present themselves, knitting the knit stitches and purling the purls.

    3. k1, M1P, p1, k14, p1, M1P, k1; repeat (40 sts)

    4. k1, p2, k2, M1P, k10, M1P, k2, p2, k1; repeat (44 sts)

    5. k1, p2, k2, M1P, p1, k10, p1, M1P, k2, p2, k1; repeat (48 sts)

At this point, the bottom of the sock begins to deviate from the top. Your new stitches on the top will be purl sts as before, but on the sole, those new sts will be knit sts.

    1. k1, (p2, k2) twice, M1R, k6, M1L, (k2, p2) twice, k1;

    2. k1, (p2, k2) twice, M1P, k6, M1P, (k2, p2) twice, k1 (52 sts)

    3. k1, (p2, k2) twice, M1R, k8, M1L, (k2, p2) twice, k1;

    4. k1, (p2, k2) twice, M1P, p1, k6, p1, M1P, (k2, p2) twice, k1 (56 sts)

    5. k1, p2, k2, p2, k6, M1R, k2, M1L, k6, p2, k2, p2, k1;

    6. k1, (p2, k2) 3 times, M1P, k2, M1P, (k2, p2) 3 times, k1 (60 sts)

    7. k1, p2, k2, p2, k6, M1R, k4, M1L, k6, p2, k2, p2, k1;

    8. k1, (p2, k2) 3 times, M1P, p1, k2, p1, M1P, (k2, p2) 3 times, k1 (64 sts)

Round 16 is mostly 2x2 ribbing except for the 18 knit sts in a row on the bottom.

After round 16, work another 16 sts in pattern to center bottom. Adjust magic loop so that this is the beginning of your round, and midpoint bisects the instep.

Foot and Arch

Set-up pattern:

Right side: k1, ssk, work in pattern 25 sts (4 sts before center top); pm, k1, M1L, p2, k1

Left side: k1, p2, M1R, k1, pm; work in pattern to 3 sts before center bottom; k2tog, k1

Work round in pattern

You'll now work alternating shaping and non-shaping rounds. Shaping rounds are like this:

Right side: k1, ssk, work to marker, k1, (M1L or MPL in pattern), work to center top

Left side: work to 1 st before marker, (M1R or MPR in pattern), work to 3 sts before center bottom, k2tog, k1

Continue until there are 18 sts? between markers.

Calculate length

Ideally, you would work another 8 rounds until there remain 10 sts between markers, but it is likely that your sock would now be too long. Follow these instructions to plan additional length before beginning gusset increases:

    • Calculate your rows-per-inch gauge. Multiply that by the desired final length of the sock to determine TOTAL number of rows.

    • The gusset and heel sections cover 40 rounds. Subtract that number from your TOTAL.

    • How many more rounds do you need to knit before reaching TOTAL-40?

      • If it's less than 8, knit those rounds in plain k2p2 ribbing.

      • If it is 8 or more, continue with arch shaping until there are 10 sts between your makers. Work additional rounds in k2p2 as necessary.

Gusset Shaping

Right side: k2, p2, k2, increase in pattern, work to center top

Left side: work to 1 st before marker, increase in pattern, work to center bottom

Continue with alternate shaping and non-shaping rounds until you have 90 sts circumference.

Heel Turning

I used my Evil Genius Heel (scroll down to find "Turning the Heel" section).

Cuff

I continued working in plain k2p2 ribbing, but you could switch to the tree-bark pattern of the original Francie sock here.