Honeycomb Slip Stitch Sock Pattern

A (nearly new) sock pattern in honor of what would have been my grandmother's 106th birthday today. She taught me to sew and made my Barbie a real mink stole (which I still have) from a scrap of someone's mink coat, brown satin and a rhinestone button. I moved this pattern from my old website so it would be more available. I prefer using a 12" ADDI turbo circular to knit my sock, so that's how this pattern is written. It can certainly be knit using any method you prefer. See my post about using markers instead of needles to avoid ladders and convert any pattern to your preferred method of knitting.

The inspiration for these socks came from Knitter's Magazine, Spring 2001. A baby sweater and hat in pastel "Look at Me" yarn was featured using this slip stitch pattern. Another socknitter posted a picture of her sock in progress using the rainbow sock yarn and this stitch pattern, and I took it from there. I'm sorry I can't remember her name to give her credit for the inspiration. She did give me her blessing to share this pattern. I've also made a hat using the same idea and worsted weight yarn, which my DD wears snowboarding.

This pattern could also be knitted using leftover balls of sock yarn for the main color and a solid color as the contrast. You would then need one skein of solid color yarn and lots of leftovers. I would divide my leftovers into two equal size balls (or use different leftover yarn on each sock to make true Monstersocken.)

Materials:
CC:1 ball, 50 grm/200 yds Variegated Sock Weight Yarn
Lorna's Laces Socknitter's Rainbow was used for these socks. You won't need the whole skein for the pair of socks, especially if you knit the plain foot. I'd estimate that I used the amount of yarn left over from knitting another pair.
MC:2 balls, 50 grm/200 yds Dark Sock Yarn (High Contrast) I used Special Blauband in a navy with primary color bits twisted in.

Size 2.5 mm ADDI Turbo circular needle (or size needed to achieve gauge)
Size 2.25 mm (1 US) double point needles, which you will need for knitting the heels and toes.

Note: The picture shows the foot knitted with a slip stitch stripe pattern, but the pattern is written with a plain foot. I used Karen (Wren) Hoyle's pattern for garter bar slip stitch for the foot in this sock, but I changed the purl stitches to knits so the sock felt smoother around the foot. I would recommend you knit a plain foot, because of the problems encountered with the slip stitch pattern when you decrease. Another option would be to use the band heel, or a short row heel.

Because the slip stitch pattern does not have any stretch, and I cast on my normal number of stitches, these socks did not fit me. Remember to swatch! I gave these socks to my sister in law for her 50th birthday, and she gets many compliments whenever she wears them.

SIZE: Woman's Medium Women's Large/Man's Medium in ( )
GAUGE: 8 sts = 1" worked in pattern stitch on size 2.5mm needles

HONEYCOMB SLIP STITCH PATTERN
Repeat of 8 stitches
Round 1, CC Knit around
Round 2, CC Purl around**
Round 3, using MC *Knit 6, slip 2 KW*, repeat between *'s
Round 4, 5, 6 Repeat Row 3
Round 7 repeat Row 1
Round 8 repeat Row 2**
Round 9 using MC K2, *SL2, K 6*, repeat between *'s, end K4
Rounds 10, 11, 12 Repeat Row 9
Repeat Rounds 1-12 for pattern
**If you like, change rounds 2 & 8 from purl to knit to get a smooth texture.

Knitting the Sock
Using MC, CO 64 (72) sts. Join, being careful not to twist, and K2, P2 for 1-2". Place a marker at join. Knit around in slip stitch pattern, slipping marker every round, until sock tube measures 7 inches long, ending with Row 6 or 12 of pattern. Remove marker until heel is finished.

Heel:
Change to double pointed needles, keeping the instep stitches on the circular needle. Drop CC and knit heel flap and foot with MC. Knit the heel on double point needles over the first 32 (36) sts.

Heel: Eye of Partridge with slipped st edge
Row 1: *slip 1 KW*, k1,* repeat between *'s to end
Row 2: slip 1, p to end
Row 3: slip 1 KW*, k2, *slip 1, K1* repeat between *'s to last 2 sts, end k2 (don't end with a slip stitch)
Row 4: repeat Row 2.
Knit this four row heel pattern until heel flap is 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 (2 3/4 - 3) inches long. This is a matter of personal preference. Measure the foot of the intended recipient from floor to top of ankle bone (inside ankle) to determine the correct measurement.

Heel turn: (round heel)
Thanks to David Mackay's Heels by Number which was the inspiration for these. This invaluable chart can now be found on the socknitter's site.
(Note: SSK = slip a stitch KW* to right needle, slip a second stitch KW to right needle, then knit those two together)
Row 1: slip 1, knit 16 (18), ssk, k 1, turn
Row 2: slip 1, purl 5, p2tog, p1, turn
Row 3: slip 1, knit 6, ssk, k1, turn
Row 4: slip 1, purl 7, p2tog, p 1, turn.
Continue on, adding one st knitted or purled at the center of the row until all sts have been worked. You should be ending with a knit row. If not, knit across the heel using the Eye of Partridge pattern until you reach the pick up edge. Using a new double point needle, pick up and knit one st from each slipped st along the edge of the heel flap (about 20). Place first marker here. Knit across the instep stitches which were not part of the heel, place second marker. Pick up and knit stitches on opposite side of heel flap, knit across heel flap to three stitches from first marker. You should have about 96-104 stitches on the needle at this point.

Decrease (Gusset) Rounds: Three stitches from first marker, k 2 tog, k 1. Slip marker. Knit across instep to second marker, slip it, k 1, SSK, knit around to the first marker. Around this point you will want to change back to using the circular needle by knitting off of the double pointed needles onto the circular needle. Knit one round without decreasing (or two rounds, if you like a slower rate of decrease for a higher instep), and repeat the decrease round. Repeat decrease and plain knit rounds until 64 (72) sts remain on the needle. Knit plain until the foot is about 7.25" (8") long (2 to 2 1/2 inches less than desired length).

Wedge toe: Change to double pointed needles.
Round 1: Knit to last 3 sts before first marker, k2 tog, k1, slip marker, K1, SSK, knit to last 3 sts before second marker, K2 TOG, K1, slip marker, K1, SSK.
Round 2: Knit around in stockinette stitch. Repeat these two rounds until 16 (18) sts rem. Divide the 16 (18) sts between 2 needles at markers and Kitchener stitch (graft) them together or do a 3-needle bind off.

Now knit the second sock!

copyright 2002 Margie D
All rights reserved
You may print and make copies of this pattern to share as long as the entire copyright notice remains intact. Please don’t post it to any website or email list without my permission.