Monica Knits

100 Mile Club SockThe hundred mile club comprised a small group of high school students who had run more than a hundred miles in a year; the name turned out to be more daunting than attaining the goal--though it was not a goal that I would have selected myself. With 3 hour-long running classes a week, rain, shine or snow, you hit the target before term was over. Cheating was not an option--the instructor followed you on bicycle.

Hundred mile club socks have hiked well over a hundred miles in each of 3 years. So if you wondered why they didn't look new in the photo, now you know. The socks are going on their 4th year and I'm amazed that the heels and soles have not worn out. With the lives of commercial socks now in months (no longer even a year), this is all the more amazing. As well, I'm more than half-way to the hundred sock club, though like the hundred mile club, this wasn't an intentional goal of mine.

ProfileDesign Features: The 3" wide cuff of 1x1 ribbing becomes an elegant, firm, seed rib pattern with the appearance of lace, yet strong enough for long hikes over many years. The 8 stitch repeat pattern of these loden green, calf-lengthed socks runs the length of the instep from cuff to toe start. With a French heel for comfort and durability, and a stocking stitch sole and toes, these socks are the grandmother's of all my socks because they haven't worn out despite repeated, heavy duty use. The harsh use has included wearing them over my blue jeans to keep the snow out, while hiking the Paint Creek Trail in winter.

The sock is modified from the Basic Socks pattern in cuff length and stitch patterns (8 stitch pattern, and 1x1 rib). The sock is 12" high, measured in standing position from floor to top of cuff. Full details and photos for sock construction steps can be found in the Basic series of articles.

Yarn Fingering Weight, 2 x 50 gm (75-80% wool, balance nylon)
Gauge Measured in the round. With 2.50 mm circular needles 30 stitches = 4", 40 rows = 4".

Needles
2.75 mm straight (1) needle for casting on
2.25 mm 4 dp for 1 x 1 ribbing
2.0 mm circular needles (2 pair 24” long) for heel & toe
2.5 mm circular needles (2 pair 24” long) for sock body & instep

Cuff
1x1 RibCast 64 stitches on a 2-3/4 mm needle, using the long-tail method. Transfer stitches to three 2.25 mm dp needles (22, 22, 20 sts). Join in a round by swapping two end stitches (one needle to the other, pass stitch over the other). Leave the tail of yarn as a marker for the beginning of the work.

Work in 1x1 ribbing over 2.25 mm dp needles for 3.0“. With an even number of stitches on each needle, you always start with a knit and end with a purl (check sum). This lets you see within about 20 sts if you made a mistake that needs to be corrected. Transfer the stitches to two 2.5 mm circular needles.

Leg Work the following pattern (multiple of 8 sts) until the sock measures 10" from the start. Count carefully for the first 2-4 rows because it is difficult to see the pattern as it first emerges from the ribbing, particularly with dark colors like black. Once the seed stitch pattern is visible, the quality check is that you K the prior row’s P and P the prior row’s K.

8 Stitch Pattern
Seed StitchRow 1 pattern: K4, *(k1, p1) twice
Row 2 pattern: K4, *(p1, k1) twice
Repeat rows 1 & 2.
The photo shows the seed stitches between the stockinette ribs.

Check sum: Start each needle with K4; end each needle with the seed stitch pattern.
On the last row before the heel flap, the last seed stitch will be transferred to a 2.0 mm circular needle, which will be used to knit the heel. This stitch will also be slipped purl-wise (below) so don’t stitch it when you transfer it.

Heel FLap
To center the ribbing on the instep, divide the stitches so that the heel flap needle starts & ends with a single seed stitch (30 stitches). After transfering the single seed stitch (above), transfer all but the remaining 3 seed stitches from the 2.5 mm needle to this 2.0 mm circular needle. The last three stitches (seed stitches) are added to the remaining 2.5 mm needle, making a total of 34 stitches on the instep needle.
Row 1: Sl 1 purl-wise (with yarn in back), K1, *(Sl 1 knit-wise, K1), repeat from * across
Row 2: Sl 1 purl-wise (with yarn in front), P to last stitch, K1
Repeat Rows 1 & 2 an additional 14 times (30 rows total for heel flap)

Turning Heel
To center the ribbing on the instep, divide the stitches so that the heel flap needle starts & ends with a single seed stitch (30 stitches). Transfer all but the remaining 3 seed stitches from the 2.5 mm needle to this 2.0 mm circular needle as well. The last three stitches (seed stitches) are added to the remaining 2.5 mm needle making a total of 34 stitches on the instep needle.
For the woman's medium sized sock, the turning heel is knitted with a 2.0 mm circular needle, back forth for 13 rows. The turning heel consists of short rows to shape the curve around the heel, combined with decreases to bring the stitch total down from 30 to 18 stitches.
Row 1: (RS) K17, ssk, K1, PM, turn
Row 2: (WS) Sl 1, p5, p2tog, p1, PM turn
Row 3: (RS) Sl 1, k6, ssk, k1, PM, turn
(The decrease is worked on sts before and after the marker; reposition marker.)
Row 4: (WS) Sl 1, p7, p2tog, p1, PM, turn
(The decrease is worked on sts before and after the marker; reposition marker.)
Row 5-12: Repeat rows 3 & 4 until all heel sts have been worked and 18 sts remain on needle.
Row 13: (RS) K18

Picking Up Gusset Stitches
Round 1: First 2.5 mm Needle
You are now going to transfer stitches back to a 2.5 mm circular needle. Transfer the last nine heel stitches to a 2.5 mm needle and place a marker. Pick up 15 stitches from the chain stitch selvage along the heel flap. In the intersection of the heel flap and instep, pick up a stitch. On the next round you will knit it through the back loop (a twisted stitch), to keep a hole from appearing. Place a marker. Pick up about ½ the stitches from the instep needle, maintaining the 8 stitch pattern and ending with K4.

Round 1: Second 2.5 mm Needle (was instep needle)
With the 2.5 mm instep needle, knit across the second half of the instep sts, maintaining the 8 stitch pattern. Place a marker and pick up a st in the intersection of the instep and heel flap. Pick up 15 stitches in the loops along the heel flap. Place a marker, then k the 9 heel flap sts remaining on the 2.0 mm needle. You should have 42 sts on each needle.

Round 2
Needle 1: k9 (heel) (marker is here), k14 through back loops, k2tog through back loops (marker is here), K17 (instep)
Needle 2: K17 (instep) (marker is here), ssk, k14 through back loops (marker is here), k9 (heel)

Gusset The gusset, the widest part of the sock, is shaped with paired decreases on alternate rows until the combined number of stitches is again 64, 32 stitches per circular needle. Markers are used for quality control and to simplify instructions for gusset shaping.

Each round now begins at the center of the heel. The decreases occur in the gusset area until only six (6) stitches remain between the markers bracketing the gusset on either side. Maintain the 8 stitch pattern on the instep.

Round 1: k9, k13, k2tog (marker is here), k34, (marker is here), ssk, k13, k9
Round 2, and all even numbered rounds: k across both needles
Round 3: k9, k12, k2tog (marker is here), k34, (marker is here), ssk, k12, k9

Round 5 and all odd numbered rounds: k9, k to 2 sts before the marker, k2tog (marker is here), k34, (marker is here), ssk, k to heel, k9
Keep decreasing as in rounds 1 and 3, knitting 1 fewer stitch (k2tog) before the marker at the beginning of the instep stitches and one stitch fewer after the instep stitches and next marker (ssk). When you have a total of 6 sts between the heel and instep markers (each side), you have completed the decreases. You will have 32 sts on each needle and will have completed 17 rounds.

Rearrange Stitches Face Front, then remove the markers.

As for the leg, work all rounds: stockinette stitch for the sole and 8-stitch pattern for the instep. The start of a round is the beginning of the heel side. Two inches (2") before the tip of your longest toe, toe decreases begin. Try on the sock to determine the 2" mark--when the sock stretches to accommodate foot width, its length shortens accordingly. The only accurate measurement of sock length is on your foot.

Toes
In preparation for knitting the toes, exchange both 2.5 mm circular needles for 2.0 mm circular needles. Knitting with smaller diameter needles increases the durability of the toe section. From this point on, use stockinette stitch.

With 32 sts on each 2.0 mm diameter needle, the sock is tapered with symmetrical decreases on alternate rounds for 2", until 10 stitches remain on each needle. The sock is knitted in face front orientation (not in profile like the gusset) to simplify knitting instructions.
Round 1: On needle 1 *(k1, ssk, k across until 3 sts before the end of the needle, k2tog, k1); repeat from * on needle 2.
Round 2 and all even rounds; k all sts across both needles
Repeat rounds 1 & 2 until 10 sts remain on each needle.
Cut yarn, leaving a 10" tail.

Grafting the Toe or Kitchener Stitch
Transfer the ten (10) stitches on each of the 2.0 mm circular needles to two 1.75 mm dpns. Cut the yarn, leaving a 10" tail (1" per stitch). Slip the sts closest to the needle ends over their neighbors to prevent boxy corners. Eight (8) stitches will remain. Use the Kitchener Stitch to bind off the toes.

Weave in yarn ends.