Funny how a sock and a book can connect worlds of thoughts. Roberto Saviano, passionate and courageous 28-year-old writer of ‘Gomorra’, is the Italian Salman Rushdie: round-the-clock, he is guarded by seven bodyguards. Digging too deep into the world of the Neapolitan camorra or mafia, means paying a high price for Roberto.

In his book, well-documented he unravels the economic and military structures of ‘The System’, reveals how locals are recruited, bribed, and he spills a large number of beans.

SIZE
Adult S[M, L] (shown in all three sizes)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Foot length: 9¾[10¼, 10½] inches
Foot circumference – because of ribbing very stretchy: 7½[8, 8] inches, slightly stretched
Length of gusset: 3¼[3½, 4] inches

MATERIALS
Yarn
The Natural Dye Studio Angel 4ply Sock [70% baby alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere; 360 m per 100 g skein]; color: yellow; 1 skein [shown below].
The Natural Dye Studio BFL Dazzle 4ply/Sock [100% Blue Faced Leicester wool; 360 m per 100 g skein]; color: Bluebell (green/blue); 1 skein [shown below].



Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock Heavyweight [100% superwash merino; 350 yd/ 320 m per 7 oz / 198 g skein]; color: ‘Brick’ (red, shown at top) OR  ‘Manly, yes, but I like it too!’ (brown, shown below); 1 skein each.  

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
One 32-inch US #3/3.25 mm circular needle
OR
1 set(s) US #3/3.25 mm double-point needles

Notions
Yarn needle
Removable stitch markers
Cable needle (optional)                                                           

GAUGE

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

M1L (make one, leaning left): insert left needle into stitch two rows below the first stitch on the right needle, knit this stitch.

M1R (make one, leaning right): insert right needle into stitch below the first stitch on the left needle. Lift this stitch onto the left needle, knit this stitch.

M1PL: For the left gusset, increase left-leaning purlwise as follows: insert left needle into stitch two rows below the first stitch on the right needle; purl this stitch.

M1PR: For right gusset, increase right-leaning purlwise as follows: insert right needle into stitch below the first stitch on the left needle. Lift this stitch onto the left needle; purl this stitch.

w&t (wrap and turn): On a knit stitch: slip next stitch with yarn in back, bring yarn to front, slip stitch back to left needle, turn work. On a purl stitch: slip next stitch with yarn in front, bring yarn to back, slip stitch back to left needle, turn work

working wrapped stitches: Short-row turns for heel turn are concealed by wrapping a stitch at each turn. To knit a stitch with its wrap on the left side of the heel turn, insert right needle under front of wrap and into knit stitch, and knit together. To knit a stitch with its wrap on the right side of the heel turn, insert right needle under front of wrap and into knit stitch, and knit together through the back loops.

RT: Slip 1 st to cable needle, hold in back; k1; k1 from cable needle.

LT: Slip 1 st to cable needle, hold in front; k1; k1 from cable needle.

RPT: Slip 1 st to cable needle, hold in back; k1; p1 from cable needle.

LPT: Slip 1 st to cable needle, hold in front; p1; k1 from cable needle.

Charts
The charts for this pattern are very large. Each fits on a letter-sized page.
Click the chart name below and print the resulting page.

Toe • Foot & Gusset •
Heel & Back of Leg, size S [revised 8/26/10]
Heel & Back of Leg, size M/L [revised 8/26/10]

DIRECTIONS

SOCK [make 2]

TOE
With US 3 needles, cast on 12 sts on each needle (24 sts total) using Judy’s Magic Cast On, excluding the usual knit round. Distribute stitches as you wish on your needles of choice.
Instead of the usual first knit round, change to Toe Chart 1 at once and work rounds 1 – 12 for all sizes as follows:
Round 1: PM to indicate beginning of round, work Row 1 of Toe Chart row on 12 sts, place marker to indicate center of round, knit to end of round, making sure you knit the leading loop of the stitches (as JMCO leaves these loops twisted for some knitters).

Round 2 (increase round): Work Row 2 of Toe Chart 1 to center of round; k1, M1L, k10, M1R, k1. 28 sts.
Round 3 and all odd-numbered rounds: Work Toe Chart 1 row 3 to center of round, and knit to end of round.
Round 4 and all even-number rounds: Work Toe Chart row 4 to center of round; k1, M1L, knit to one stitch before end of round, M1R, k1.

Continue in pattern as established until round 13 is complete. 48 sts.

For Small ONLY:
Next round: Work next chart row to center of round, knit to end of round.
Continue in pattern as established until 21 rows of chart are complete. 56 sts.

For sizes M & L ONLY:
Work Chart row 14 to center of round; k1, M1L, knit to one stitch before end of round, M1R, k1. 50 sts.
Next round: Work next chart row to center of round, knit to end of round.
Continue in pattern as established until 21 rows of chart are complete. 58 sts.

FOOT & GUSSET
Note: Last stitch of previous round is first stitch of this round. Move your markers or rearrange your stitches as required.
Foot round 1: Work Foot & Gusset Chart row 4 [2, 1] on first 34 sts of round; p1, k1tbl, k18[20, 20], k1tbl, p1 to end of round.
Continue in pattern, working Foot & Gusset Chart on first section of round, and keeping sole sts in pattern as established until 55[57, 57] rows of the Foot & Gusset Chart have been completed, finishing after the last stitch of the final row 55[57, 57] of the chart. Do NOT work the sole stitches of this final round. 
82[86, 86] stitches total – 58[60, 60] sts on foot, and 24[26, 26] sts on sole.

HEEL TURN
You will be at the start of the heel sts, having just worked row 55[57, 57] of the Foot & Gusset Chart.

Using short rows, shape heel turn, working back and forth over 22[24, 24] heel sts as follows:
Setup row: P1, k1tbl, k18[20, 20], w&t.
Row 1 [WS]: P18[20, 20], w&t.
Row 2 [RS]: K17[19, 19], w&t.
Row 3 [WS]: P16[18, 18], w&t.
Row 4 [RS]: K15[17, 17], w&t.
Row 5 [WS]: P14[16, 16], w&t.
Row 6 [RS]: K13[15, 15], w&t..
Row 7 [WS]: P12[14, 14], w&t
Row 8 [RS]: K11[13, 13], w&t
Row 9 [WS]: P10[12, 12], w&t
Result: 10[12, 12] central live sts with 5[5, 5] wrapped sts on either side.

Heel to Leg Transition Round:
When working this round, you will work the wrapped sts together with their wraps as you come across them. See pattern notes for more information.

K10[12, 12], knit next 5 sts tog with their wraps, work next 22 sts as per sts 7-28 Foot & Gusset Chart row 20[22,22], knit next 5 sts tog with their wraps and STOP. 

You will now be in position to work the 10[12, 12] central, live heel sts.

HEEL FLAP
In this section, you will be working the heel flap back and forth across central 26[28, 28] heel sts, and at the same time, decreasing gusset sts.  Redistribute the sts if you wish for ease of working, with the 22 central instep sts on hold, and the remaining 60[64, 64] sts together on the working needle(s).

Change to Heel & Back of Leg Chart for your size. Start at row 1 on RS, and repeat rows 2 and 3 12[14, 14] times, working the 26[26, 28] heel sts back and forth, decreasing 1 gusset st at the end of each row.  You will end with a WS, row 2. Turn.

58[58, 58] sts remain – 22 sts for the instep, and 36 sts for the back of the leg.

Set up for leg
You will now be in position to work final heel row, with RS facing.

For Small ONLY: Work one more RS Heel & Back of Leg Chart row 3 including the ssk, but don’t turn.  Continue working across round: p2, k2tbl, work 22 front leg sts in established pattern as per Foot & Gusset chart row 21, k2tbl, p2, k2tog, work back leg stitches as they appear stopping before last 6 sts of round. Place marker to indicate new beginning of the round. 56 sts.

For sizes M & L ONLY: Work one more RS Heel & Back of Leg Chart row 3, stopping before last 6 sts of round. Place marker to indicate new beginning of the round. 58 sts.

For all sizes: Shift the last 6 sts to the instep sts.

LEG
Leg round: Work first 34[34,34] sts as per row 22[23, 23] of Foot & Gusset Chart, and work rem 22[24,24] sts as per row 4 of Heel & Back of Leg Chart (for the appropriate size).

Continue in pattern as established, repeating rows 13 to 30 of Foot & Gusset Chart on first 34[34,34] sts, and repeating rows 4-21 of Heel & Back of Leg Chart [revised 8/26/10] on rem 22[24,24] sts.

Work until leg is about an inch short of desired length, ending on Row 21 or 30 of Foot & Gusset chart.

CUFF
Cuff round: [K2 tbl, p2, k2 tbl, p1] 4 times, k2 tbl, p2, k2 tbl on front half of leg; work rem 22 (24, 24) sts of round as per Row 22 of Heel & Back of Leg Chart.


Repeat Cuff round 10[13, 15] more times.

FINISHING
BO, using Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. Weave in all ends.

Marjan Hammink is a knitter/designer/journalist who lives in the Netherlands with her all-male family – the husband and their three sons. She’s passionate about designing socks that speak individuality. Find her on Ravelry as yarnissima. 

Marjan thanks her test knitter team: Angela, Anna, Anneli, Carmen, Cheri, Debby, Jianin, Yasmin – who kept the faith.