Monica Knits

Design Features: Designed by Susan Lawrence, the gold merino wool/silk blend socks have an overall 3x2 lace rib design for comfort and fit, accented with mock cables for the Moc Croc^a pattern style. The lace rib pattern runs from cuff to start of heel, and then continues the length of the sock, instep only, to the toes. The pattern includes instructions for both an ankle and crew length sock.

A few minor modifications were made to Susan's pattern, but design intent was preserved. I purchased the pattern for its striking stitch pattern; my husband also commented on it when he saw me knitting the socks. The Knit Picks catalog highlighted this design in an issue featuring socks.

Discussion:
These socks were knitted as a variation of the "Basic Sock" pattern, with 30 stitches on the first circular needle and 35 on the other, following the mock cable pattern given. I agree with Susan's assessment that this lace pattern is not very difficult. The stitch pattern was hypnotic and I found that I had to use a row counter to prevent knitting past the lace row. The cuff is integral to the rib pattern, not a separate feature.

The pattern assumes the knitter is familiar with knitting socks so the turning heel instructions may be insufficiently detailed. The "Basic Socks" article, in this blog, provides more detailed instructions, if this is the case. I have also included instructions for the two increases used in the lace pattern, with photos: Yarn Over Increase after Purl before Knit Stitch and Yarn Over Increase after Knit before Purl Stitch.

The following changes were made:

1. Yarn. A superwash wool was specified. A wool/silk blend was substituted.
2. Fewer stitches were used for the women's large size, to better fit my leg and narrow foot, but the number of stitches was still a multiple of 5.
3. The Basic Sock pattern was used for the overall sock construction techniques, particularly the heel, sole and toes.
4. Circular Needles. The pattern was written for a set of dpns. I used circular needles for all but the cast-on, which was accomplished with a 2.75 mm straight needle, and the toe grafting, where 1.75 mm dpns were used to hold the last 10 stitches of each needle.
5. Leg Length. I made the leg a bit longer, 7-1/2", with 11 full pattern repeats before the start of the heel flap.
6. I followed the Basic Sock pattern for the heel flap (30 sts), turning heel, and the remainder of the sock, with one variation for quality control reasons--the number of stitches on each needle.

Quality Control Tips

1. Stitches were divided between the two circular needles in multiples of 5, so that you started on a P stitch and ended on a P stitch, with complete pattern repeats in between. After picking up gusset stitches, knit across 15 sts of the instep with the first needle (not half way as with the basic sock pattern). Start the second needle by knitting across the remaining 20 sts.
2. When knitting the foot, place all the rib pattern stitches (35) on the instep (second) needle. This way the first needle is dedicated to the stockinette stitch and the second to the rib pattern. Errors are usually made at transitions, so placing the two patterns on separate needles decreases the chances of knitting past the transition.
3. Start the toes on row 6 or row 1, to minimize stitch pattern flare.
4. When transfering sts from 2.5 mm to 2.0 mm needles to knit the toes, transfer the first and last st from needle 2 (instep) to needle 1 (sole), so that there are 33 sts and 32 sts respectively on each needle. The center two stitches on the instep needle will be knitted together (K2tog) on the first toe round, so that each needle has the same number of sts.
5. Use row counters to keep track of the stitch pattern rows and the decrease rows. Since this is not a complicated design, you could use a single row counter as long as you remember whether decreases occur on an even or odd numbered row.
6. For additional quality control tips, see the specific sections of the basic sock article.

Yarn: Knit Picks, Gloss, 2 x 50 gm, 70% merino wool, 30% silk, fingering weight, color 23871 (Serengeti).

Gauge: Stocking stitch (measured in the round) was 15 sts = 2", 19 rows = 2", knitted in the round with two 2.5 mm circular needles.

Supplies & Needles:

1. One 2-3/4 mm straight needle.
2. Two 2.5 mm circular needles.
3. Two 2.0 mm circular needles.
4. Three 1.75 mm dpns.
5. Darning needle.
6. Two row counters / stitch registers or tally counters.

Pattern sources:

1. "Moc Croc Socks," Knit Picks 50400.
2. Basic Socks for the overall sock construction techniques and standard features.

Other Links:
Click here to see other sock pattterns by Susan Lawrence that I purchased--> Designers and Inspiration.