Inspired by a wavy rib detail in a vintage stitch pattern book, I wondered: what would happen if I knit the waves in the round, mirrored on one side and intersecting with themselves on the other? This remarkable sock was the result!

The sock looks much more difficult than it actually is – you get five rounds of plain 2x2 rib in between the cable rounds. The waves themselves are only a 12-round repeat; the snaking cable off center on top of the foot makes up the few extra rows.

All in all, the pattern is easily memorizable once you know what you are doing, and the effort pays off in the end with a delightfully squishy sock!

SIZE
Women’s Small (US shoe size 6-8),
Women’s Large (US shoe size 9-11)/Men’s Medium
(US shoe size 8-10) and
Men’s Large (US shoe size 11-13).

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 8[9, 10] inches – will stretch to fit 11[12, 13] inches comfortably.
Foot length: Adjustable to fit.

MATERIALS
Yarn
Orange Version: ShibuiKnits Sock [100% superwash merino wool; 191yds/175m per 50g skein]; color: Lily; 2[2, 3] skeins
Grey/Blue Version: Kitchen Sink Dyeworks Luxe Merino Fine [80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon; 400yds/366m per 115g skein]; color: Edgar; 1[1, 2] skeins
Red Version: Knit Picks Gloss Sock Yarn [70% merino wool, 30% silk; 220 yds/201m per 50g skein]; color: Bordeaux; 2[2, 3] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 set US #1/2.25mm double-pointed needles
OR a32-inch US #1/2.25mm circular needle for magic loop method
OR 2 shorter US #1/2.25mm circular needles

Notions
Yarn needle
Cable needle (optional)
2 Stitch markers – ideally of a different size, style or color

GAUGE

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

C4F = Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; k2 then k2 from cable needle.
C4B = Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k2 then k2 from cable needle.
C4PF = Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; p2 then k2 from cable needle.
C4PB = Slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to back of work; k2 then p2 from cable needle.
SSP: (Slip 1 stitch knitwise with yarn in back) twice; return both sts to LH needle and purl them together through the back loops – 1 stitch decreased.

Crosswaves Pattern:
Right Leg
Round 1: P1, C4PF 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4B, p2, C4PB 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Rounds 2-6: P1, (p2, k2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, k4, p2, (k2, p2) 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Round 7: P1, C4PB 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4F, p2, C4PF 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Rounds 8-12: P1, (k2, p2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, k4, p2, (p2, k2) 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Round 13: P1, C4PF 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4F, p2, C4PB] 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Rounds 14-18: P1, (p2, k2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, k4, p2, (k2, p2) 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Round 19: P1, C4PB 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4B, p2, C4PF 11[12, 13] times, p1.
Rounds 20-24: P1, (k2, p2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, k4, p2, (p2, k2) 11[12, 13] times, p1.

Left Leg
Round 1: C4PF, p2, C4F, p2, C4PB 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4PF 10[11, 12] times.
Rounds 2-6: P2, k2, p2, k4, p2, (k2, p2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, (p2, k2) 10[11, 12] times.
Round 7: C4PB, p2, C4B, p2, C4PF 7[8, 9] times p2, C4PB 10[11, 12] times.
Rounds 8-12: K2, p4, k4, p2, (p2, k2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, (k2, p2) 10[11, 12] times.
Round 13: C4PF, p2, C4B, p2, C4PB 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4PF 10[11, 12] times.
Rounds 14-18: P2, k2, p2, k4, p2, (k2, p2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, (p2, k2) 10[11, 12] times.
Round 19: C4PB, p2, C4F, p2, C4PF 7[8, 9] times, p2, C4PB 10[11, 12] times.
Rounds 20-24: K2, p4, k4, p2, (p2, k2) 7[8, 9] times, p2, (k2, p2) 10[11, 12] times.

DIRECTIONS
Leg
CO 62[70, 78] sts. Distribute across your needles as you prefer, and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. Note or mark beginning of round.

Ribbing Round: [K1, p1] around.
Repeat Ribbing Round until work measures one inch.

Increase Round: ([K2, kfb] ten times, k1[5, 9]); repeat once more. 82[90, 98] sts.
Place a marker after stitch 41[45, 49] to indicate the center of the round. This marker divides the front of leg/instep sts from the back of leg/heel & sole sts.

Work in Crosswaves pattern, until work measures 7.5[8, 9.5] inches from cast on edge, or 2.25[2.25, 2.5] inches less than desired length of leg, ending on Round 12 or 24.

Heel Flap
Heel Flap Setup Round Right Sock: P1; slip this st to last needle of round (it will now be the last st of the round), work in patt to center marker; pfb, sl1 st to cable needle and hold to back of work; k2, pfb from cable needle; work in patt across, p1. 

Heel Flap Setup Round Left Sock: Work in patt to last st before center marker; slip this st onto next needle (this will become the first st of heel); cont in patt to last 4 sts; slip 2 sts to cable needle and hold to front of work; pfb, k2 from cable needle; pfb.

Heel flap will now be worked back and forth on 44[48, 52] sts.

Important note:
Begin the Left Sock on Row 1. Begin the Right Sock on Row 7.

Row 1 [WS]: Sl1, k1, [p2, k2] to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 2 [RS]: Sl1, p3, [k2, p2] to end.
Row 3 [WS]: Sl1, k1, [p2, k2] to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 4 [RS]: Sl1, p3, [k2, p2] to end.
Row 5 [WS]: Sl1, k1, [p2, k2] to last 2 sts, k2.
Row 6 [RS]: Sl1, p1, RPC to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 7 [WS]: Sl1, k3, [p2, k2] to end.
Row 8 [RS]: Sl1, p1, [k2, p2] to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 9 [WS]: Sl1, k3, [p2, k2] to end.
Row 10 [RS]: Sl1, p1, [k2, p2] to last 2 sts, p2.
Row 11 [WS]: Sl1, k3, [p2, k2] to end.
Row 12 [RS]: Sl1, p1, LPC to last 2 sts, p2.

Repeat Rows 1-12 until heel flap measures 2.25[2.25, 2.5] inches, ending with a WS row.

Heel Turn
Row 1 [RS]: P24[26, 28], p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 2 [WS]: Sl1, k5, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 3 [RS]: Sl1, p6, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 4 [WS]: Sl1, k7, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 5 [RS]: Sl1, p8, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 6 [WS]: Sl1, k9, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 7 [RS]: Sl1, p10, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 8 [WS]: Sl1, k11, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 9 [RS]: Sl1, p12, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 10 [WS]: Sl1, k13, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 11 [RS]: Sl1, p14, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 12 [WS]: Sl1, k15, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 13 [RS]: Sl1, p16, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 14 [WS]: Sl1, k17, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 15 [RS]: Sl1, p18, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 16 [WS]: Sl1, k19, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 17 [RS]: Sl1, p20, p2tog, p1. Turn.
Row 18 [WS]: Sl1, k21, ssk, k1. Turn.
Row 19 [RS]: Sl1, p22, p2tog, p0[1, 1]. Turn.
Row 20 [WS]: Sl1, k22[23, 23], ssk, k0[1, 1]. Turn.
Women’s Small: proceed to Gusset – 24 sts remain.

Women’s Large/Men’s Medium & Men’s Large Only:
Row 21[RS]: Sl1, p24, p2tog, p-[0, 1]. Turn.
Row 22 [WS]: Sl1, k0[24 ,25], ssk, p-[0, 1]. Turn.
Women’s Large/Men’s Medium: proceed to Gusset – 26 sts remain.

Men’s Large Only:
Row 23 [RS]: Sl1, p26, p2tog. Turn.
Row 24 [WS]: Sl1, k26, ssk. Turn.
Proceed to Gusset – 28 sts remain.

Gusset
Purl across 24[26, 28] heel stitches. Pick up and knit 13[15, 15] sts along the side of the heel. (This will be the new start of round position. Place a marker if you wish.) Work in pattern across 40[44, 48] instep sts and place a marker. Pick up and knit 13[15, 15] sts along the side of the heel. Purl to end of round (start of instep sts). Start of round is at start of instep sts, and a marker designates the end of the instep.

Begin Gusset Shaping
Round 1 (Decrease Round): Work across instep sts in pattern; p1, p2tog, purl to 3 sts from end of round, ssp, p1.
Round 2: Work across instep sts in pattern, p to end of round.
Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until there are 70[77, 84] sts total – 40[44, 48] on instep and 30[33, 36] on sole.

Continue working even as established (pattern across instep, reverse stockinette across sole) until piece measures 7[8.5, 9.25] inches from base of heel, or 2 inches short of full foot length from back of heel to toe.

Toe
Setup Round: (P2, p2tog) 10[11, 12] times, purl to end of round. 60[66, 72] sts.

Round 1 (Decrease Round): P1, p2tog, p to 3 sts before end of instep, ssp, p2, p2tog, p to last 3 sts, ssp, p1.
Round 2: Purl.

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 until 28[32, 32] sts remain. 14[16, 16] each on instep and sole.

FINISHING
Cut yarn, leaving a 12 inch tail. Graft toe using kitchener stitch. Weave in all ends. Block to shape.

Sarah Wilson is not an NFL cheerleader. Visit her on the web at sexyknitter.com, or on Ravelry and Twitter as TheSexyKnitter.